everything RF recently interviewed Dr. Amin Ezzeddine who is the president and Co-founder of AMCOM Communications, Inc. Prior to founding AMCOM Communications he was with Microwave Signal, later acquired by M/A COM. He also worked with Comsat Corporation for 10 years where he held several management and research positions at COMSAT Laboratories and Comsat RSI. Dr. Ezzeddine has over 40 years’ of experience in designing MMIC & MIC components, over 30 published technical papers and several microwave and millimeter-wave circuit patents.
Q. Can you give us a brief history of AMCOM Communications? When was the company founded and what was the objective?
AMCOM was established in December 1996 by Dr. Ho Huang and Dr Amin Ezzeddine, experienced RF engineers who met at Comsat (Communications Satellite Corporation) and eventually ventured out to build their own company. Experienced in both microwave circuit design and microwave device fabrication, it did not take long for AMCOM to become a valuable addition to the RF microwave sector. The Company is in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, about 20 miles northwest of Washington, DC. The objective has always to become the most sought-after RF microwave design and manufacturing company in the industry.
AMCOM is fabless which refers to a company that develops and holds intellectual property (IP) while outsourcing the fabrication of its semiconductors. We outsource manufacturing of our semiconductors to leading foundries in the USA, Europe and Asia.
This is the evolution of our company logo:
Q. Can you tell us about your product portfolio? What product segment is the largest for you?
We design and manufacture a wide range of power FETs, MMIC power amplifiers, MMIC switches, MMIC attenuators as well as a diverse line of connectorized modules that include high-power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, switches, attenuators, phase shifters, frequency mixers, bias tees, and couplers. We specialize in broadband, high-efficiency power amplifiers and switches.
Our most popular products and the largest segment of our business are our specialized integrated circuits that can be tailor-packaged to fit customer requirements. We sell our integrated circuits all around the world to companies as large as Toshiba and as small a single sole proprietor for many different applications in the military, industrial, test equipment and medical industries.
We are striving to grow our integrated circuit offering annually with advanced designs and premium quality materials. Integrated circuits are the core of our business and ultimately our most valuable product portfolio.
Q. What market segments do you target, and which segment drives the most business for you?
We target the following industries with our semiconductor and connectorized product lines:
Telecommunications:
- Wireless infrastructure: Base stations, mobile backhaul, small cells, microwave towers, satellite communications.
- Mobile devices: Smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearables (cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity).
- Internet of Things (IoT): Connected devices, sensors, gateways (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee).
Aerospace & Defense:
- Radar systems: Military and civilian radar, electronic warfare systems.
- Satellites: Communication, navigation, Earth observation.
- Missile guidance systems: Precision targeting and tracking.
- Military communications: Secure communication equipment.
Medical:
- Diagnostic imaging: MRI, ultrasound, X-ray.
- Therapeutic devices: Drug delivery systems, medical imaging equipment.
Industrial:
Others:
- Broadcasting: Radio and television transmitters, receivers.
- Scientific research: Radio astronomy, particle accelerators.
- Security and surveillance: Security cameras, access control systems.
Q. Can you tell us more about your range of RF Power Amplifier products? What are the main segments for which you develop these products?
Regardless of the market segment that we are targeting, our power amplifiers are characterized by the following parameters:
- Frequency range: The range of frequencies over which the amplifier can operate.
- Gain: The amount by which the amplifier increases the power of the signal.
- Output power: The maximum power that the amplifier can output.
- Efficiency: The ratio of the output power to the input power.
- Noise figure: The amount of noise added by the amplifier to the signal.
We design and manufacture our power amplifiers for a variety of applications and market segments as discussed previously, each with its own specific requirements. For example, an amplifier used in a cellular base station will need to have a high gain and output power to cover a large area, while an amplifier used in a medical diathermy device will need to be highly efficient and have low noise. Here are some of the key factors that are considered when we set out to design our amplifiers:
- The target application: The specific requirements of the application will determine the design of the amplifier.
- The frequency range: The frequency range of the amplifier will determine the type of transistors and other components that can be used.
- The power requirements: The power requirements of the application will determine the size and complexity of the amplifier.
- The efficiency requirements: The efficiency requirements of the application will determine the type of amplifier topology that is used.
- The cost: The cost of the amplifier will need to be balanced against the performance requirements.
Our power amplifiers are a complex and challenging to design, but they are essential components in a wide range of important applications. Click here to view AMCOM power amplifiers on everything RF.
Q. Which semiconductor technologies do you use for developing your products? What is the breakup between GaAs and GaN Technologies? How has this changed over the last few years?
We use gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) substrates. As you know, they're both widely used in our field for microwave and RF applications, but each has its own unique characteristics and shines in different situations.
Crystal Structure and Lattice Matching:
- GaAs: This Ⅲ-Ⅴ semiconductor boasts a zincblende crystal structure, making it a perfect match for silicon (Si) substrates. This lattice matching enables the growth of high-quality epitaxial layers, crucial for device performance.
- GaN: Belonging to the same Ⅲ-Ⅴ family, GaN also boasts a zincblende structure.
Material Properties:
- GaAs: This veteran player scores high on electron mobility, making it excellent for high-frequency applications. It also boasts decent thermal conductivity, but not stellar. On the flip side, its wide bandgap of 1.42 eV limits its power handling capability.
- GaN: Boasting a whopping 3.4 eV. This translates to superior breakdown voltage and power handling, making it ideal for high-power RF applications. Plus, its thermal conductivity is almost three times that of GaAs, keeping things cool under pressure. However, its electron mobility is lower, putting it at a disadvantage in some high-frequency scenarios.
Cost and Availability:
- GaAs: Mature technology and widespread adoption make GaAs substrates relatively inexpensive and readily available. This affordability makes it a popular choice for a long time.
- GaN: While GaN technology is rapidly advancing, it's still relatively young. This translates to higher substrate costs compared to GaAs. However, the price gap is narrowing as GaN production ramps up.
Applications:
- GaAs: Due to its excellent high-frequency performance and affordability, GaAs reigns supreme in low-to-medium power applications like:
- Cellular and Wi-Fi infrastructure
- Microwave communication systems
- Satellite communications
- Radar systems (lower frequencies)
- GaN: Its high power handling and wide bandgap make GaN the champion for high-power applications like:
- Radar systems (higher frequencies)
- Power amplifiers for base stations and mobile devices
- Microwave heating
- Solid-state power supplies
Both our GaAs and GaN substrates provide superior performance and durability. The choice between them depends on the specific requirements of our customers application. If they prioritize high frequency and affordability, GaAs is the best fit. But if they need to crank up the power and handle wider bandwidths, GaN is a better choice.
Q. AMCOM has recently launched a new range of MMIC switches & attenuators. Can you tell us more about this range?
We have recently released 8 new MMIC switches up to 14 GHz, packaged in a surface mount package (QFN) and 3 new MMIC digital attenuators up to 12 GHz also in a surface mount package (QFN). They are available for purchase and all specifications and associated data sheets are on our website.
Q. What are the different types of transistors that you manufacture? How does AMCOM handle the challenges of ensuring the reliability and longevity of RF transistors, especially in mission-critical applications?
AMCOM offers a wide selection of transistors designed and manufactured to meet mission-critical applications such as in aerospace, defense, and medical devices, which are often have demanding operating conditions.
We assist our customers in selecting the AMCOM product that best matches their required application. Our technical staff is available if needed to assist our customer in properly matching the impedance of the transistor to the source and load impedances. This minimizes signal reflections, which can cause excessive power dissipation and heating in the transistor.
We can also assist in thermal management of heat generated by the transistor. This often involves using heat sinks, fans, or other cooling methods to maintain the transistor within its safe operating temperature range. AMCOM has numerous options regarding encapsulation of the transistor as well, selecting a suitable package that protects it from environmental contaminants like moisture, dust, and corrosion based on application requirements.
AMCOM can also design monitoring capabilities into a given system to track key parameters like transistor temperature, voltage, and current. This allows for early detection of potential issues and timely intervention. These steps significantly enhance the reliability and longevity of our RF transistors in our customers mission-critical applications, ensuring they perform their vital functions over an extended period without compromising system integrity.
Q. Do you develop standard or custom product solutions? What is the break-up? Can you tell us more about your custom-product development process?
AMCOM has committed substantial resources to better serve our customers looking for custom design solutions. Our highly trained staff of RF engineers are experts at custom designing hybrid circuits with output power from a few watts to hundreds of watts, frequencies from 1MHz - 40GHz with RF and DC connectors, which are ready to be inserted into your system, Module, SMT, or drop-in carrier package,
including single DC voltage biasing, voltage regulation, temperature compensation, RF signal detection, self-protection circuitry, etc..
Our engineers' design experience includes over 150 successfully developed power modules. We also custom-design MMIC circuit power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, phase shifters, attenuators, up-converters, down-converters, and switches. We utilize smart compact design in ceramic or plastic packages in frequencies up to 40GHz. Our design team has successfully developed over 125 MMIC circuits.
Over the past few years we have been actively contracting for EOL (End of Life) redesigns for numerous large corporations assisting them in maintaining equipment integrity and performance.
Due to our size, we are nimble and can get from and initial technical discussion to a finished proto-type efficiently and rapidly.
Q. Who are some of your major customers? What is the geographic breakdown of these customers?
Our customers in aerospace and defense include BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies (RTX), Airbus, L3Harris, Cubic Defense, Thales and Raphael.
We also supply major universities such as MIT Lincoln Labs, Johns Hopkins University and many other national and international institutions.
We sell our products in over 30 countries and our international business is growing annually which is creating some challenges in navigating the numerous sanctions and blacklisted entities throughout world markets.
Q. Can you tell us more about your global sales and support channels?
We currently have sales representation and distribution for all of Mexico and Central & South America. We also have excellent coverage in Europe and Asia as well as emerging markets in countries like Turkey, South Africa and India.
Our global footprint is consistently growing and the quality of our sales and distribution network improving.
Q. How does 2024 look for AMCOM Communications? Are there any new products on the horizon?
2023 has been a record sales year for AMCOM Communications and the future looks bright. We are proud of this achievement and believe that the following are key factors that contributed to our success:
1. Embracing Customer Centricity:
We doubled down on understanding our customers' needs while supporting our sales and distribution network. We conducted in-depth surveys and actively engaged with them on to gather insights. This feedback helped us refine our existing products and services and develop new offerings that resonated with their needs.
2. Leveraging Technology:
We invested in new technologies that streamlined our operations, improved efficiency, and enhanced the customer experience.
3. Building a Strong Team:
We recognized that our employees are our most valuable asset. We invested in talent acquisition and development by hiring skilled individuals and providing them with ongoing training and mentorship opportunities. We also fostered a positive and collaborative work environment that empowered employees to take ownership and be innovative.
4. Adapting to Change:
The market is constantly evolving, and we embraced a flexible and adaptable approach especially with the current global conflicts. We closely monitored industry trends, global politics and customer preferences and were ready to pivot our strategies when needed. This agility allowed us to capitalize on new opportunities such as EOL projects for major defense contractors.
5. Building Strategic Partnerships:
We formed strategic partnerships with complementary businesses that expanded our reach and expertise. These partnerships opened up new markets, introduced us to new customers, and allowed us to offer more comprehensive solutions. We also partnered with vendors that could accommodate overflow manufacturing projects from our lab, decreasing delivery time and cost.
Looking ahead for 2024, here are some keys to growth that we believe will be essential in the future:
- Continued focus on innovation: We must constantly innovate and develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of our RF Microwave customer base.
- Data-driven decision making: Leveraging data analytics will help us make informed decisions about our marketing, sales, and product development strategies.
- Embracing lifelong learning: Our engineering, management, production and finance staff must commit to continuous learning and development to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing global economy.
By focusing on these key areas, we are confident that AMCOM can continue to grow and thrive in the years to come.
