IQE is a silicon wafer company based in Cardiff, Wales, UK. It is committed to the semiconductor industry for more than 25 years and is considered to be the world's leading supplier of advanced wafer and wafer fabrication services for the semiconductor industry. IQE's core business is epitaxial technology and is a technology enabler for a variety of end market applications. The wafer products manufactured by IQE are used by major chip companies worldwide to produce chips capable of realizing various high-tech applications. The main operating markets include wireless communication, advanced solar energy (CPV), high-resolution infrared systems, high-efficiency LED lighting, and high-efficiency power switches. And a range of consumer and industrial applications using advanced photon laser pointer lasers and detectors.
IQE is the laser pointer market and technology leader for VCSEL products with compound semiconductor technology that enables optical interconnects. In 2013, IQE and Philips signed an epitaxial wafer supply contract and jointly developed vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) products for end market applications. As of mid-2017, IQE has accounted for 60% of the market share of epitaxial wafers. Recently, its legal representative revealed to the relevant media that the company has about 80% of the VCSEL wafer market and supplies almost all companies in the terminal market.
Silicon wafers produced by IQE are a must for VCSELs used in 3D sensors. After rumored to become Apple's new iPhone VCSEL laser supplier in 2017, the company's share price soared by about 400% in the short term. According to analysis by foreign analysts, IQE's sensor business in 2019 only comes from Apple's revenue and hopes to reach 50 million US dollars.
As the laser pointer of VCSEL technology continues to mature and the scope of application expands, the market demand for VCSEL continues to expand, and IQE has adopted a capacity expansion plan. In February 18, IQE announced that it will add a new production line to produce related VCSEL components. The company is still the only known VCSEL EPI epitaxial wafer supplier for Apple's iPhone series.