TriQuint Semiconductor

TriQuint Semiconductor was a key player in the radio frequency (RF) solutions market before its significant merger. Founded in 1985 as a subsidiary of Tektronix, the company originated from research into gallium arsenide (GaAs) semiconductors started in 1978. The name itself, a combination of Greek and Latin, refers to elements in the third and fifth columns of the periodic table, like gallium and arsenic, which are foundational to compound semiconductors. A group of engineers from Tektronix established the company to commercialize GaAs technology for high-performance wireless applications.

A pivotal moment in TriQuint's history was the 1991 merger with GaAs chip producers Gigabit Logic and Gazelle Microcircuits, which consolidated operations under the TriQuint name. That same year, Steven J. Sharp, a veteran of Texas Instruments and Signetics, was appointed to lead the merged entity. Sharp's extensive background in the semiconductor industry, including founding Power Integrations, Inc., was instrumental in steering the company's focus towards components for mobile phones and communications. The company went public in 1993 and continued its growth through strategic acquisitions, including Sawtek Inc. in 2001 to add surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter technology, and the GaAs semiconductor business from Infineon in 2002.

Operating on a business-to-business model, TriQuint designed, manufactured, and supplied high-performance RF modules, components, and foundry services. Its client base included the world's leading communications, defense, and aerospace companies. The business model focused on providing both standard and custom products, leveraging its manufacturing facilities to serve fabless semiconductor companies as a foundry. Revenue was generated through the sale of these components, which were integral to products from major manufacturers like Apple and Nokia.

TriQuint's product portfolio was extensive, centered on compound semiconductor technologies like gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN), as well as filter technologies such as SAW and bulk acoustic wave (BAW). These components, including power amplifiers, filters, and switches, were crucial for the functionality of wireless handsets, base stations, broadband communications, and military applications. For example, its chips were used in early iPhones and the Amazon Kindle. The company's unique selling proposition was its broad technology portfolio and in-house manufacturing, which allowed it to deliver highly integrated and reliable RF solutions. On January 1, 2015, TriQuint completed a merger of equals with RF Micro Devices (RFMD) to form Qorvo, creating a new leader in the RF solutions industry.

Keywords: TriQuint Semiconductor, Qorvo, RF solutions, gallium arsenide, GaAs, gallium nitride, GaN, SAW filters, BAW filters, semiconductor manufacturing, RF components, power amplifiers, RFMD, mobile communications, aerospace and defense, foundry services, Steven J. Sharp, Tektronix spinoff, compound semiconductors, wireless infrastructure, front-end modules, RF filters, antenna switch modules, analog and mixed-signal