Peregrine Semiconductor Corp., which produces high-performance, high-frequency switches based on its unique UltraCMOS® silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process, has announced that it is willing to “share the wealth.” The firm has signed a collaborative agreement with Murata Manufacturing Co. on a multi-sourcing arrangement to produce RF/microwave switches based on Peregrine’s proprietary technology. Under the collaboration agreement, Murata agrees to source a majority of its RF switching requirements from Peregrine in exchange for being granted a license to purchase or manufacture RF CMOS switches utilizing Peregrine's technology and intellectual property (IP). Peregrine’s 20 years of working with the technology have resulted in 150 patents issued and pending.
As Jim Cable, Peregrine's President and CEO, explains: “Global OEM customers of both Peregrine and Murata have for some time requested that the companies implement an independent source of supply for the critical switching elements that are widely utilized in today's smart phones and other wireless-communications products. This agreement marks the first license of Peregrine's switch-based intellectual property to a third party; we look forward to working collaboratively with Murata to expand the deployment of UltraCMOS technology.”