Indium phosphide may be among the younger of the compound materials, but dedicated work is moving its attributes firmly into the market. ASIP Inc's merger with ThreeFive Photonics back in November; Bookham's opening of its InP line at Caswell in March, alongside InP fab, Kamelian's successful survival in the telecoms downturn, would all seem to indicate that a growing variety of InP devices are moving towards what is jokingly referred to as, 'idiom' phosphide status. Kamelian, with Strathclyde University links, initially focused on InP semiconductor optical amplifiers bonded to passive components. Funding of $6.7m by 3i Group, Goldman Sachs and Lightspeed Venture Partners enabled it to open its 'pocket fab' near Oxford, science minister Lord Sainsbury presiding, two years ago. Since then, Japan's Hoya Corp (into optoelectronics, medical and eye care optics, photo masks, and 3c SiC materials) has brought total Kamelian funding to $30m.
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