In October 2009, Sierra Monolithics Inc was acquired by Semtech. Sierra Monolithics, Inc. is focused to development of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) for defense and aerospace applications, which evolved into low volume manufacturing of subsystems employing these MMICs. In 1997, SMI's focus shifted toward providing design services for high performance commercial communications components using the IBM Silicon Germanium (SiGe) semiconductor process. SMI is now leveraging its high frequency mixed signal design expertise, packaging and test expertise and SiGe process technology access to manufacture its own products for telecommunications markets that address the SONET/SDH and ATM transmission standards and for data communications markets that address the multi-gigabit Ethernet, ATM and Fiber Channel transmission standards. SMI focuses on components at 10Gbit/sec and higher data rates, markets which are now emerging.The market opportunity for optical receiver/transmitter integrated circuits is growing rapidly. This growth is being driven by the tremendous bandwidth requirements of Internet protocol traffic over backbone networks. The demand is causing network providers to deploy 10 Gbit/sec systems and rapidly follow with 40 Gbit/sec systems as soon as technology will allow. The advent of IBM's SiGe processes now enables the circuits to be developed and manufactured in inexpensive silicon BiCMOS technology. SMI's products offer very low power consumption and enhanced reliability over the entire set of operating conditions.
