TriQuint Unveils Disruptive Technology for Reaching New Cost Points in High-Frequency...

TriQuint Unveils Disruptive Technology for Reaching New Cost Points in High-Frequency Markets

Innovative Use of Optical Lithography Drives Cost Efficiency for
High-Frequency Millimeter-Wave Products
HILLSBORO, Ore.--(Business Wire)--TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TQNT), the world's largest
GaAs foundry supplier, today unveiled TQP13-N, its latest
high-performance process technology for designing and manufacturing
cost-effective, high-frequency millimeter-wave products for the
commercial marketplace. Designed using TriQuint's patented transistor
technology, which replaces traditional E-beam with optical gate
lithography, TQP13-N offers dramatic cost savings over current
millimeter-wave technologies.

Historically, millimeter-wave applications, which operate in
frequencies up to 95GHz, have been limited to military and other
low-volume products due to high cost. The introduction of TriQuint's
TQP13-N process can broaden the market for higher-frequency
applications by offering manufacturers a cost-effective solution for
high-volume millimeter-wave products. Mobile satellite TV,
WirelessHD(TM) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) are examples of
millimeter-wave applications which could be built using TQP13-N.
Gartner, Inc., a research and advisory firm, notes the global
penetration rate for ACC is just one percent today. However, by 2015,
Gartner expects more than half of all new cars will be fitted with ACC
or some variant.(a)

According to Frost & Sullivan Program Manager Sandeep Kar, "Over
40 percent of all minivans, full-size SUVs, and luxury SUVs
manufactured in the last two years featured Rear Seat Entertainment
systems or LCD screens, providing a broad customer base capable of
integrating aftermarket mobile satellite television systems."

Mike Peters, Director of Marketing for TriQuint's Commercial
Foundry, said, "High-frequency applications have been considered too
expensive for use in commercial markets. With TQP13-N, TriQuint is
offering a disruptive new technology at a price point that can drive
the volume needed to be successful. TQP13-N, together with TriQuint's
superior design tools, application support and longstanding expertise
as a GaAs foundry supplier, offers our customers the opportunity to
broaden their presence in existing markets and develop innovative new
uses for millimeter-wave applications."

Process Information

TriQuint's TQP13-N technology is enabled by a unique, low-cost
150mm GaAs wafer manufacturing process. It incorporates a highly
repeatable optically defined 0.13um self-aligned gate pHEMT FET using
a highly reliable refractory gate metal system, coupled with
high-density capacitors, epitaxial and nichrome resistors, and two
layers of gold interconnect. The use of optically defined gates
greatly reduces the cost of production relative to similar processes
based on E-beam gate lithography.

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*T
Process Summary and Specifications

Component Parameter Nominal Units
Value
----------------------------------------------------------------------
D-Mode pHEMT Vp (1uA/um) -0.3 V
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Idss 100 mA/mm
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gm (max) 750 mS/mm
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Breakdown, Vds 8 V
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ft @ 250mA/mm 95 GHz
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fmax 200 GHz
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Imax (Vgs=0.7 V) 550 mA/mm
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NF (12 GHz) less than 0.5 dB
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gate Length 0.13 um
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Interconnect 2 Metal Layers
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MIM Caps Value 340 pF/mm2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Resistors NiCr 50 Ohms/sq
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Epi 100 Ohms/sq
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Backside Vias Yes
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mask Layers No Backside Vias 13
----------------------------------------------------------------------
With Backside Vias 15
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*T

Availability

The process is in production and device samples and design kits
are available now. For additional information about TQP13-N or
TriQuint's other Commercial Foundry Products, please contact your
TriQuint sales representative or email foundryinfo@tqs.com.

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 'high growth
markets', 'broaden the market', 'cost effective', 'high volume',
'disruptive new technology', 'greatly reduces' 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"(TM) 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
cellular handset 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, base stations, broadband communications and
military. TriQuint is also lead researcher in a 3-year DARPA program
to develop advanced gallium nitride (GaN) amplifiers. TriQuint, as
named by Strategy Analytics in August 2007, 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 register for our newsletters.

(a) Gartner Inc. Dataquest Insight: Active Safety Electronics Will
Make Cars Smarter and Safer, by Mike Williams. Publication Date: 25
June 2007 ID Number: G00146435

TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc.
Director of Marketing, Foundry
Mike Peters, 503-615-9272
mpeters@tqs.com
or
Marketing Communications Manager
Shannon Rudd, 503-615-9407
srudd@tqs.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008