Peregrine Semiconductor
Peregrine Semiconductor is a company.
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Key people at Peregrine Semiconductor.
Peregrine Semiconductor is a company.
Key people at Peregrine Semiconductor.
pSemi (formerly Peregrine Semiconductor) is a San Diego-based semiconductor company specializing in RF integration using its proprietary UltraCMOS® technology, a radio frequency silicon-on-insulator (RF-SOI) platform.[1][5] It manufactures integrated circuits including RF switches, power amplifiers, power management ICs, connected sensors, antenna tuning solutions, and RF frontends, serving markets like smartphones, PCs, base stations, data centers, electric vehicles, IoT devices, and healthcare.[2] Acquired by Murata Manufacturing in 2014, pSemi operates as Murata's semiconductor arm, with a design center in Chennai, India, and has shipped over 4 billion chips, celebrating 30+ years of innovation as of 2018.[1][2]
The company solves critical challenges in RF signal management, enabling higher integration, better performance, and smaller form factors in connectivity-driven devices amid exploding demand for 5G, IoT, and edge computing.[1][2] Its growth is evidenced by milestones like shipping the 4 billionth chip to Samsung and expanding its portfolio under Murata to support rapid scaling through global engineering hires.[1]
Peregrine Semiconductor was founded in 1990 by Ron Reedy, Mark Burgener, and Rory Moore, who aimed to commercialize RF silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology.[5] Reedy and Burgener drove the technical advancements, while Moore provided seed capital as the first CFO; their foundational work built on a 1988 research paper from HP and Caltech that birthed UltraCMOS®.[1][5] Incorporated in Delaware in February 1990, the company officially named itself Peregrine Semiconductor in March.[4]
Early traction included obtaining the core UltraCMOS patent and shipping its first million-piece order in 2000, alongside opening a European office in 1999.[3] Pivotal moments featured industry firsts like CMOS switches and SOI power amplifiers, culminating in Murata's acquisition on December 15, 2014, for integrated analog front-end capabilities.[1][5][6] In 2018, it rebranded to pSemi, marking 30 years and 4 billion chips shipped.[1]
pSemi rides the RF and connectivity megatrend, fueled by 5G rollout, IoT proliferation, EVs, and data centers demanding ultra-integrated semiconductors for higher frequencies and efficiency.[1][2] Timing is ideal post-2014 Murata acquisition, which positioned it to capitalize on smartphone saturation and emerging edge AI/IoT markets where RF bottlenecks limit performance.[6]
Market forces like spectrum crowding and miniaturization favor its SOI expertise, outpacing traditional GaAs/GAIN tech in cost and integration.[1][5] It influences the ecosystem by enabling partners like Samsung and base station makers to deliver reliable high-bandwidth connectivity, while Murata synergies drive sustainable growth in multi-functional modules.[1][6]
pSemi is poised for accelerated expansion as Murata's semiconductor engine, targeting power, sensors, and RF for 6G, automotive radar, and smart infrastructure.[1] Trends like AI-driven edge computing and sub-THz comms will amplify demand for its integration strengths, potentially pushing shipments beyond 10 billion amid global chip shortages easing.
Its influence will evolve from RF pioneer to full analog powerhouse, shaping denser, greener devices—echoing its 30-year journey from a research paper to billions of chips powering modern connectivity.[1][5]
Key people at Peregrine Semiconductor.
