HILLSBORO, OR (USA) – March 17, 2008 – TriQuint Semiconductor (Nasdaq: TQNT), a leading RF semiconductor manufacturer and foundry services provider, and IQE plc (AIM: IQE), the leading manufacturer of advanced semiconductor wafers to the global semiconductor industry, today announced TriQuint has placed the largest commercial gallium nitride (GaN) wafer order in the history of IQE Plc. The wafers will support ongoing development efforts and the roll-out of new commercial and military products by TriQuint.

TriQuint’s announcement comes at the start of the GOMACTech Conference (March 17-20, Las Vegas, NV) that brings together microcircuit industry leaders engaged in ongoing development efforts for the U.S. military and other government agencies. Since being awarded a multi-year GaN research development contract in excess of $30 million by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 2005, TriQuint has made significant discoveries relating to new gallium nitride-based amplifiers. TriQuint will present a paper highlighting these findings at this year’s conference; research papers in high-voltage gallium arsenide (GaAs) technology and IC packaging for next-generation military products will also be presented.

GaN amplifier technology has garnered significant military and commercial interest because of its ability to operate more efficiently and with substantially greater power density (more wattage per square millimeter of surface area) compared to other commonly used solid-state amplifier technologies. These factors enable the development of more efficient, smaller amplifiers capable of operating at higher system voltages with superior resistance to breakdown (failure occurring due to spikes in current). These benefits lead to better performance and lower overall system costs for the customer.

Military and high-power electronic applications are key catalysts for the development of GaN device markets through 2010, according to the Strategy Analytics study1, “Gallium Nitride Markets: Commercial Markets Drive Power Electronics.”

“IQE’s established track record in providing TriQuint with reliable, high-quality products was a key factor in selecting them to produce and deliver a range of advanced GaN epitaxial materials,” remarked TriQuint Research and Development Manager, Anthony Balistreri. “We’ve developed a close working relationship with IQE throughout the development phase of our GaN program.”

Alex Ceruzzi, VP and General Manager of IQE RF said, “IQE’s broad product portfolio, which ranges from high volume HEMTs, HBTs and BiFETs to emerging technologies such as GaN epitaxial wafers, provides our customers with a one-stop shop for all their advanced materials needs. We appreciate the trust TriQuint has placed in us to meet their needs.”

TriQuint’s recent order for GaN epitaxial HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) wafers from IQE’s New Jersey facility will be used in ongoing military and commercial R & D efforts while supporting TriQuint’s new product roll-outs in 2008. Mr. Balistreri said that because GaN’s performance is clearly superior to existing technologies at higher frequencies, TriQuint’s initial product and process releases will target the 2-20GHz range. These frequencies cover the majority of commercial and military applications that are most viable in today’s markets, according to the company’s research assessments.

TriQuint Papers at GOMACTech 2008

“Gallium Nitride HEMT Development for Decade-Wide Amplifier Applications” will be presented by TriQuint’s Anthony Balistreri and will detail continuing material, device, process and fabrication advances made by TriQuint and partner organizations working on Phase II of the DARPA contract.

“High Voltage GaAs pHEMT Technology Provides the Next Step in Power Evolution” will be presented by Grant Wilcox, TriQuint Military Standard Products Manager. The paper reports on the benefits of high voltage GaAs devices developed by TriQuint that increase power density between 60% and 100% compared to processes typically in use today.

“Commercial MMIC Packaging Options for High Performance Military Products” will be presented by John M. Beal, TriQuint’s Texas Operations Packaging Manager. The paper explores trends in packaging high performance gallium arsenide (GaAs) MMICs (monolithic microwave integrated circuits) for commercial applications that can offer practical alternatives to military systems.

“Long Term Degradation Mechanisms for AlGaN / GaN HFETs” will be presented by Dr. Michael Shur of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. TriQuint co-authors J. Jimenez and Anthony Balistreri contributed to research exploring how modeling techniques have pointed to reasons behind gallium nitride device defects and ways to improve designs to avoid premature failure.

For more information about TriQuint Semiconductor and its range of RF transistor, amplifier, switch and filter products for commercial and military applications, visit: www.triquint.com. To register for new product updates, go to www.triquint.com/rf .
¹ © RF Design, January 2007 article

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TQNT) press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The cautionary statements made in this press release should be read as being applicable to all related statements wherever they appear. Statements containing such words as ‘leading’, ‘exceptional’, ‘largest’, ‘high efficiency’, ‘adding value’, ‘leading supplier’, or similar terms are considered to contain uncertainty and are forward-looking statements. A number of factors affect TriQuint’s operating results and could cause its actual future results to differ materially from any results indicated in this press release or in any other forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, TriQuint including, but not limited to: those associated with the unpredictability and volatility of customer acceptance of and demand for our products and technologies, the ability of our production facilities and those of our vendors to meet demand, the ability of our production facilities and those of our vendors to produce products with yields sufficient to maintain profitability, as well as the other “Risk Factors” set forth in TriQuint’s most recent 10-Q report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This and other reports can be found on the SEC web site, www.sec.gov. A reader of this release should understand that these and other risks could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed / implied in forward-looking statements.

FACTS ABOUT TRIQUINT
Founded in 1985, we “Connect the Digital World to the Global Network”™ by supplying high-performance RF modules, components and foundry services to the world's leading communications companies. Specifically, TriQuint supplies products to four out of the top five cellular handset manufacturers, and is a leading gallium arsenide (GaAs) supplier to major defense and space contractors.  TriQuint creates standard and custom products using advanced processes that include gallium arsenide, surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) technologies to serve diverse markets including wireless handsets, base stations, broadband communications and military. TriQuint is also lead researcher in a 3-year DARPA program to develop advanced gallium nitride (GaN) amplifiers. TriQuint, as named by Strategy Analytics in August 2007, is the number-three worldwide leader in GaAs devices and the world’s largest commercial GaAs foundry.  TriQuint has ISO9001 certified manufacturing facilities in Oregon, Texas, and Florida and a production plant in Costa Rica; design centers are located in North America and Germany. Visit TriQuint at www.triquint.com/rf to register for our newsletters.

ABOUT IQE PLC
IQE plc is the leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers with products that cover a diverse range of applications. It is able to provide a 'one stop shop' for the wafer needs of the world's leading compound semiconductor manufacturers, who in turn use these wafers to make the chips which form the key components of virtually every high technology system with a particular focus on the growing global wireless sector. The Group operates manufacturing sites Europe, Asia and the USA and has sales offices located in major economic centres worldwide. Further details can be found at www.iqep.com