IQE plc

Cardiff, UK

11 May 2022

Reach

IQE announces the world's first commercially available 200 mm (8") VCSEL wafer

·    Enables the expansion of the 3D sensing market beyond the smartphone

·    Based on IQE's patented 200mm technology for Wireless and Photonics compound semiconductor applications

IQE plc (AIM:  IQE, "IQE" or the "Group"), the leading supplier of compound semiconductor wafer products and advanced material solutions to the global semiconductor industry, is pleased to announce the world's first commercially available 200 mm (8") VCSEL epiwafer.

IQE is leading the compound semiconductor industry in the development of 200mm epiwafers for wireless, sensing and display markets.

IQE's 200mm epiwafers will enable a step-change in unit economics for compound semiconductors, leading to the expansion of the market for IQE. The increase in wafer size will expand to new foundry partnerships, including Silicon-based foundries. Furthermore, it enables the integration of compound semiconductors on silicon, allowing adoption across a wider range of devices and applications.

IQE's 200mm VCSEL development is an example of the Company's continued innovation with the aim of expanding the market for wireless and 3D Sensing. 3D Sensing was made economical within premium smartphones in 2017 when IQE developed and scaled VCSEL epiwafers from 100mm to 150mm. The introduction of 200mm creates opportunities beyond the smartphone, into a broad range of intelligent connected devices and also enabling applications in the Metaverse.

Americo Lemos, Chief Executive Officer of IQE, commented:

"This is a critical milestone and establishes IQE as the global leader in scaling compound semiconductor technology to larger diameters. As we set out in our FY21 Results in March, a key focus area is growing our business by extending our roadmap to 200mm to establish new foundry partnerships. This advancement will expand the market for both Wireless and Photonics applications and service the growing demand for compound semiconductors as macro trends such as 5G and the Metaverse proliferate and capture more value for our technology."

Contacts:

IQE plc

+44 (0) 29 2083 9400

Americo Lemos

Tim Pullen

Amy Barlow

Headland Consultancy (Financial PR)
+ 44 (0) 20 38054822

Andy Rivett-Carnac: +44 (0) 7968 997 365

Antonia Pollock: +44 (0) 7789 954 356

embedded PR (Non-Financial PR)

Europe:  Anja-Maria Hastenrath

Phone:  +49 89 / 64913634-1

E-mail: ah@embedded-pr.de

United States:  Cynthia Hoye

Phone:  +1 408-858-2602

E-mail: ch@embedded-pr.com

ABOUT IQE

IQE is the leading global supplier of advanced compound semiconductor wafers and materials solutions that enable a diverse range of applications across handset devices, telecoms infrastructure, connected devices and 3D sensing.

As a scaled global epitaxy wafer manufacturer, IQE is uniquely positioned in this market which has high barriers to entry. IQE supplies the whole market and is agnostic to the winners and losers at chip and OEM level. By leveraging its intellectual property portfolio including know-how and patents, IQE produces epitaxy wafers of superior quality, yield and unit economics.

IQE is headquartered in Cardiff UK, with around 685 employees across nine manufacturing locations in the UK, US, Taiwan and Singapore, and is listed on the AIM Stock Exchange in London.

http://iqep.com