IQE joins government program to develop Carbon ...

IQE expertise applied to US government program to develop Carbon
Electronics for RF Applications (CERA)

IQE plc (AIM: IQE, "IQE" or the "Group"), the leading global supplier
of advanced semiconductor wafer products and wafer services to the
semiconductor industry, is pleased to announce that its Pennsylvania
based operation is to take part in the development of a new
generation of carbon-based, radio-frequency (RF) integrated circuits
as part of the Carbon Electronics for RF Applications (CERA) program.
The work, sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA), will exploit the unique qualities of graphene carbon-based
RF technology to create a new generation of components that will
enable unprecedented capabilities in high-bandwidth communications,
imaging, and radar systems.

IQE is part of an HRL-lead team consisting of commercial, university
and military research establishments under the CERA program to
develop wafer-scale graphene synthesis approaches focused on enabling
ultra-high-speed, low-power graphene-channel field effect transistors
(FETs). The CERA program will culminate in a demonstration of high
performance W-band (> 90 GHz) low noise amplifiers, making use of
graphene transistors on wafers with diameters greater than or equal
to 8 inches and with cross wafer yields of better than 90% to assure
the cost effectiveness of this technology.
Graphene is quite different from most conventional three-dimensional
materials and is often referred to as a "semi-metal" or "zero-gap
semiconductor" and comprises a one-atom-thick layer carbon atoms that
are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice. The program team
proposes to use advanced epitaxial processes to grow an organized
layer of bandgap-engineered graphene carbon crystals on silicon-based
wafers to create more efficient, scalable, and cheaper-to-manufacture
transistors.
Steve Gergar, VP and General Manager of IQE's Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
business said:
"Graphene is an exciting new material for future generation,
ultra-high speed, ultra-low power consumption radio frequency (RF)
components for specialist applications. The use of highly advanced
materials such as graphene is essential in developing components for
the next generation of sophisticated military imaging systems and
high-bandwidth communications systems"
The CERA program started in July 2008 and is expected to be completed
by September 2012.

Contacts:
Technical/Sales
IQE Inc ([phone])
Amy Liu
[e-mail]

Press
IQE plc ([phone])
Chris Meadows
[e-mail]



NOTE TO EDITORS

IQE plc is this year celebrating its twentieth anniversary as the
leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers with
products that cover a diverse range of applications. It is able to
provide a 'one stop shop' for the wafer needs of the world's leading
compound semiconductor manufacturers, who in turn use these wafers to
make the chips which form the key components of virtually every high
technology system. IQE has particular focus on the growing global
wireless sector for applications including; mobile handsets, wireless
infrastructure, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, base stations, GPS and satellite
communications; as well as for the optical communication sector
including; optical storage (CD, DVD), laser optical mice, laser
printers & photocopiers, thermal imagers, leading-edge medical
products, bar-coding, high efficiency LEDs and advanced solar cells.

The manufacturers of these chips are increasingly seeking to
outsource wafer production to specialist foundries such as IQE in
order to reduce overall wafer costs and accelerate time to market.
IQE is unique in being able to supply wafers using all of the leading
crystal growth technology platforms including Metal Organic Vapour
Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) and Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and the Group
is able to leverage its global purchasing volumes to reduce the cost
of raw materials.

IQE also provides bespoke R&D services to deliver customized
materials for specific applications and offers specialist technical
staff to manufacture to specification either at its own facilities or
on the customer's own sites. This is backed by a strategy of
duplicating each key product processes over multiple sites to assure
customers of security of supply as well as provide compelling
customer benefits in terms of flexibility and predictability of cost,
thereby significantly reducing operating risk.

IQE operates six manufacturing facilities; two in Cardiff and one in
Milton Keynes in the UK; two more in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and
Somerset, New Jersey in the USA; and its most recent acquisition in
Singapore. The Group also has 11 sales offices located in major
economic centres worldwide.