Procomp Informatics announced that it has acquired product certification from a Japanese pick-up head manufacturer for its laser diodes, with market insiders saying the company is Sharp. The company is expected to place orders that will significantly increase output and revenues at Procomp. Rapid growth in storage media has created a sudden shortage of key components, such as laser diodes. Of the 8,000 GaAs wafers produced each month at Procomp, between 800 and 1,600 are processed for laser diodes.

Procomp currently operates 11 MOCVD (metallo-organic chemical vapor deposition) and eight MBE (molecular beam epitaxy) machines. Its maximum capacity is currently 16,000 GaAs wafers a month. With the planned purchase of two MOCVD and two MBE machines, monthly capacity should rise to 22,000 GaAs wafers before year-end.