News & Analysis

The National Microelectronics Institute (NMI) has published a private equity investment handbook for semiconductor start-ups. Featuring a series of articles from successful UK silicon entrepreneurs and specialist venture capital investors, it aims to provide readers with a real-world insight into the major aspects of the fund-raising process. The handbook is free to download from www.nmi.org

Ramtron International Corporation will showcase its new FRAM-Enhanced FM3130 Processor Companion and two new 512 kilobit serial non-volatile FRAM (ferroelectric random access memory) devices, the FM25L512 and the FM24C512, at Electronica 2006 (stand A5.321). Also featured at Electronica will be the first 8051-based microcontroller with FRAM, the VRS51L3074.

Avago Technologies has announced it has been awarded the 2006 North American Optoelectronic Components Growth Excellence Award by Frost & Sullivan. Avago Technologies supplies semiconductor solutions for advanced communications, industrial and commercial applications. Criteria included the ability to grow in a saturated or maturing market, annual market share growth, implementing unique sales strategies to increase market share and revenue growth...

Frontier Silicon announces a collaboration with Penthera Technologies Inc. to deliver the world’s first open multi-standard DVB-H and DAB-IP receiver solution. Penthera’s fully interoperable DVB-H/DAB-IP mobile client software, Penthera Viewer™, will be developed on the “Malibu” platform provided by Frontier Silicon and based on the Paradiso FS1030 multi-standard system-on-chip.

TAIYO YUDEN has announced the NR8040T series of 8 x 8 x 4mm wire-wound power inductors for DC-DC converter choke coil applications in LCD and plasma TVs, automobile navigation systems, home video game consoles, and other devices. The 13 models in the NR8040T series offer a combination of low DC resistance (0.006-0.29 Ohms), high inductance (0.9-100µH) and high current ratings (1.0-11.8A).

Analog Devices is introducing two families of single-chip energy meter ICs that combine intelligent battery management and ADI's innovative signal processing technology to address the need of the world's electricity markets for feature-rich, highly reliable meters. Increasingly, solid-state, failure-resistant energy meters, such as those enabled by Analog Devices, are replacing aging electro-mechanical systems by providing consistently dependable...

HumiSeal Europe, has announced the internal appointment of its former chief chemist, Phil Kinner, to European sales and technical manager. The announcement comes as the company continues to focus its efforts on developing the European market and specifically the vertical markets such as automotive.

Quantum Research Group, the charge-transfer capacitive touch company, announces the appointment of Duncan Bryan to boost the company’s drive for licensing deals with semiconductor companies. Hans van der Linde, whose appointment to set up the licensing business unit at Quantum was announced earlier this year, will focus on developing licensing deals with end customers for the company’s charge-transfer touch screen and touch control technolog...

The Numerical Mathematics Consortium has announced the latest revision to a technical specification introduced earlier this year that defines an open mathematics semantics standard for numerical algorithm development. This update includes newly ratified functions from classes that include polynomials and vector analysis. In addition to the new function definitions, the consortium resolved significant technical issues that simplify ratification of...

At the WiMAX World Conference, Analog Devices is demonstrating the first two devices in a family of RF transceivers for WiMAX certified terminals that will help lower the cost and drive the wide-scale deployment of broadband wireless access. Based on the 802.16 standard, WiMAX terminals provide wireless broadband connectivity and are low cost alternatives to wired solutions such as DSL and cable modems.