TriQuint Releases 1st Surface-Mount Amplifier for 40Gb/s Opto Networks

TriQuint Semiconductor (NASDAQ:TQNT), a leading RF product manufacturer and foundry services provider, today announced the release of two new driver amplifiers including the optical communications market’s first surface-mount technology (SMT) device for next-generation 40Gb/s (Gigabits per second) networks. This new high-performance device will ease assembly and significantly reduce power consumption as designers address the need for faster, more economical networks.

TriQuint today also released a smaller driver amplifier with improved performance for the 10Gb/s optical communications market. Both devices were released to coincide with the Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, CA (USA).

TriQuint’s new TGA4943-SL is the first to combine multiple amplifiers and filters within a surface mount package, providing designers easier assembly for 40Gb/s optical networks. Optimized to work with major manufacturers’ optical modulators, TriQuint’s new driver amplifier provides convenience and performance advantages including high output drive capability, superior edge rates and excellent signal-to-noise ratio for a cleaner signal.

"The new TGA4943-SL represents significant advances on many levels. Its power consumption is appreciably better. It consumes only 2.1 Watts – about 50% of comparable optical network solutions. It’s a greener product that should provide real-world savings for network operators,” said TriQuint Optical Networks Product Marketing Manager Mike Tessaro.

Mr. Tessaro added that TriQuint’s new driver amplifier was developed in cooperation with major transceiver and modulator manufacturers. The device is based on the heritage of established market-leading driver amplifiers including TriQuint’s TGA4953 and TGA4954 for 10Gb/s optical networks. The new module was created specifically to meet the performance requirements of the DQPSK (differential quadrature phase shift keying) modulation standard that enables very high-speed 40Gb/s optical networks. Higher speed networks with greater bandwidth will allow operators to more cost-effectively meet growing worldwide bandwidth demands.

Strategy Analytics has noted that despite global economic concerns, the continuing expansion of consumer demand for bandwidth driven by growing social networking and other data-intensive applications will move telecom companies toward faster, more efficient high-bandwidth systems.

"Telecom companies can’t afford to stop investing in the rollout of 10Gb/s and 40Gb/s networks. The long-haul market in particular uses LiNbO3 modulators for which GaAs-based drivers offer the best performance. Being able to improve the performance of these drivers while reducing power dissipation and improving the thermal operation of the core components will be an important element to maintaining the momentum behind network rollouts,” said Asif Anwar, Director, GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies Service, Strategy Analytics.

"Strategy Analytics projects the overall growth for GaAs drivers will be 7 percent through 2012—growth in the 40Gb/s market will be even greater as the need for wider bandwidth on existing fiber networks promotes more efficient pulse transmissions schemes like DQPSK. Based on our evaluation of the market we believe TriQuint is a leader in developing optical driver amplifier technology,” Mr. Anwar added.

TriQuint today also announced the release of a new 8x8mm surface-mount driver amplifier (TGA4956-SM) for 10Gb/s optical networks. This new driver amplifier is smaller than previous generations and also offers enhanced performance including lower power dissipation for less waste heat within a system and lower overall power consumption. The amplifier provides for both low drive voltage (3Vpp) and for high voltage (6Vpp) drive capability with scalable power supply voltage as well as easier and economical surface-mount assembly, making it ideal for upgrades to 10Gb/s networks.

Samples and evaluation boards are available for both the TGA4943-SL (40Gb/s) and the TGA4956-SM (10Gb/s). A data sheet and s-parameters for the TGA4956-SM are available at this location: http://www.triquint.com/prodserv/more_info/proddisp.aspx?prod_id=TGA4956-SM.

For general support or TGA4943-SL data sheets, please contact TriQuint Product Marketing at: info-networks@tqs.com. Please include the product number in the e-mail subject line.

TriQuint Semiconductor is a leading manufacturer of gallium arsenide, gallium nitride (GaN), surface acoustic and bulk acoustic wave (SAW / BAW) products including packaged devices and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). Its high-performance products for optical networks include driver amplifiers and control devices. TriQuint also serves consumer wireless markets, wireless LAN and GPS with a wide range of GaAs, SAW and BAW discrete devices and integrated modules. TriQuint is a leading supplier to defense and aerospace industries.

For more information about TriQuint products for optical networks, wireless handsets, defense, aerospace and other networks applications, visit www.triquint.com. Register for product updates and our newsletter at: www.triquint.com/rf.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. (Nasdaq:TQNT) press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The cautionary statements made in this press release should be read as being applicable to all related statements wherever they appear. Statements containing such words as ‘leading,’ ‘exceptional,’ ‘high efficiency,’ ‘key role,’ ‘leading supplier,’ or similar terms are considered to contain uncertainty and are forward-looking statements. A number of factors affect TriQuint’s operating results and could cause its actual future results to differ materially from any results indicated in this press release or in any other forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, TriQuint including, but not limited to: those associated with the unpredictability and volatility of customer acceptance of and demand for our products and technologies, the ability of our production facilities and those of our vendors to meet demand, the ability of our production facilities and those of our vendors to produce products with yields sufficient to maintain profitability, as well as the other "Risk Factors” set forth in TriQuint’s most recent 10-Q report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This and other reports can be found on the SEC web site, www.sec.gov. A reader of this release should understand that these and other risks could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed / implied in forward-looking statements.

FACTS ABOUT TRIQUINT

Founded in 1985, we "Connect the Digital World to the Global Network”™ by supplying high-performance RF modules, components and foundry services to the world's leading communications companies. Specifically, TriQuint supplies products to four out of the top five mobile phone manufacturers, and is a leading gallium arsenide (GaAs) supplier to major defense and space contractors. TriQuint creates standard and custom products using advanced processes that include gallium arsenide, surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) technologies to serve diverse markets including wireless handsets, laptops, GPS/PND, base stations, broadband communications and military. TriQuint is also the lead researcher in a multi-year DARPA program to develop advanced gallium nitride (GaN) amplifiers. TriQuint, as named by Strategy Analytics¹, is the number-three worldwide leader in GaAs devices and the world’s largest commercial GaAs foundry. TriQuint has ISO9001 certified manufacturing facilities in Oregon, Texas, and Florida and a production plant in Costa Rica; design centers are located in North America and Germany. Visit TriQuint at www.triquint.com/rf to receive new product information and to register for our newsletters.

¹ Announced February 2009 and August 2008, respectively.