Innovation UK > News > Innovation UK Vol5-2 > III-V semiconductor technology

COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGIES (CST) , founded in 1999, private equity-backed since 2002, has built its success on providing bespoke solutions for its customers in the form of devices to emit, guide and detect ?light? in wavelengths from 600nm up to 3,600nm.

The fact that CST provides a development to production process across such a wide range of materials is an innovation in itself, seldom matched by other providers of such products. It relies on a novel business relationship that has enabled the creation of ?fab-less? design and product companies into markets where previously only vertically integrated ?system? providers could play. CST translates the customer-specific design-level criteria into III-V structures to provide custom solutions to market need. These structures form the basis of device libraries which in turn facilitate quicker turn around for new product introduction at a reduced cost with lower risk.

CST processes 2?, 3? and 4? wafers into bars we then apply customised coating allowing delivery of tested and, if required, chips mounted onto substrates. CST has a worldwide customer base and is at the forefront of new and emerging markets as well as enabling innovative new products for established markets. CST has forged a reputation for delivering leading-edge solutions in a number of key global market sectors.

Communications

CST has recently won a number of development grants in line with its success in the communications market, and in collaboration with its partners for the nextgeneration broadband access as sponsored by the UK Technology Strategy Board. Lasers enabling high-performance, low-cost, optical home access; Reflective Semiconductor Amplifiers for FTTX .

Defence

High Power QC Lasers for IR countermeasures; Development of HP cells for foundry application and use. Explosive detection platforms with QC Lasers.

Industrial /Environment

QC Lasers for CO² Monitoring in Carbon Abatement applications; Single-chip Integration for manufacturing control systems; Quantum Cascade Lasers for Oil exploration. CPV Solar Cell development. This broad array of applications, built on III-V deviceoriented platforms, requires close collaboration with many leading companies, research and academic institutions as well as other niche-market small-scale companies. CST both manages and partners in these collaborations and has great experience in delivering tangible outcomes and protection of intellectual property.

CST welcomes innovative partners who may wish to explore and develop the potential for new or improved products through the development and implementation of III-V based photonic devices. It has an extensive library of processes with manufacturing and reliability data and a eight-year history of getting results.

Contact us at www.compoundsemi.co.uk for more details and information on any of the above.