ECIT SPINOUT WINS OMMIC GaAS MMIC DESIGN CONTRACT

Lamhroe – a recent spinout of Queen’s University Belfast’s Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) – has been contracted by OMMIC to design GaAs MMIC circuits.

Under the deal, Lamhroe will work with OMMIC, a Paris-based III-V semiconductor foundry, to design gallium arsenide monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) for use in a range of wireless communications, space and imaging applications.

In undertaking this work, the Belfast-based start-up will have direct access to extensive research, design and prototyping resources at ECIT’s high frequency electronics (HFE) division where Lamhroe managing director, Dr Mark Kelly is principal engineer and its co-founder, Professor Vincent Fusco, is head of research.

The HFE research team based there is one of the largest groups of its kind in the UK and Ireland. It enjoys an international reputation for its work in developing novel generic solutions to advanced problems associated with wireless front-end technology. The team has a long association with OMMIC and in 2005, it was designated one of the French firm’s European Centres of Excellence for MMIC amplifier design.

Lamhroe managing director, Mark Kelly, says that in addition to the OMMIC design contract, the company is close to closing several other deals. Dr Kelly has won a prestigious Invest Northern Ireland Industrial Enterprise Fellowship which will allow him to concentrate on developing new business opportunities for Lamhroe over the coming year.

He adds that as well as providing design services, the start-up also plans to build and sell a range of ultra high frequency, microwave and millimeter wave modules. It aims to market these primarily through Amideon – a Limerick, Ireland-based electronics / technology transfer company which holds shares in Lamhroe. Components will be manufactured in-house to prototype/demonstrator stage.

“We are very excited about the potential of the company whose strengths lie in the tight coupling we have to high quality engineers, and equipment at ECIT.

“We are working very closely with ECIT to market our combined experience and identify opportunities that will with not only generate orders for Lamhroe but also help to attract academic funding for ECIT,” he says.

For further information please visit www.ecit.qub.ac.uk