Memory IC manufacturer Qimonda will transfer its 80nm DRAM trench technology to foundry SMIC under a new production agreement. Qimonda will transfer its DRAM trench technology to SMIC's 300mm facility in Beijing and SMIC will manufacture DRAMs for computing applications in this technology exclusively for Qimonda. The agreement includes the option to transfer Qimonda's 75nm technology to SMIC in the future.

LED maker Cree unveiled plans to triple its white XLamp LED manufacturing capacity at its COTCO subsidiary in HuiZhou, China. Chris James, vice president of marketing and business development, says the expansion is part of Cree's efforts to both accelerate the adoption of LED lighting. He says China is a critical growth market for LEDs in general illumination applications and represents an unmatched opportunity due to the early-stage development of a national lighting infrastructure.

Digi-Key and Johanson Technology have signed a worldwide distribution agreement under which Digi-Key is authorized to sell Johanson's ceramic and wirewound RF inductors, RF capacitors, baluns and filters. "We are extremely pleased to add this line of leading edge RF components from JTI to our product offering," says Mark Larson, Digi-Key president.