DURHAM, N.C., June 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cree, Inc. announced today that it will demonstrate three new gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) targeted for WiMAX applications ranging from 2.4 to 3.9 GHz next week. The new power transistors are debuting at Booth 1143 at the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium 2006 in San Francisco, June 13-15.

Cree's new 30- and 120-watt transistors (CGH35030 and CGH35120) augment the 15-watt CGH35015 released for sample shipments last month. Together, these devices cover multiple WiMAX applications requiring from 2 to 12 watts average orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) output power in the 3.3 to 3.9 GHz frequency band. Cree will also demonstrate the new 15-watt CGH27015, the first in a new line of Cree transistors targeted to address the 2.4 to 2.9 GHz North American WiMAX market.

"We are pleased to be showcasing our new WiMAX transistors at this year's MTT show. When fully released later this year, the CGH35030, CGH35120, and CGH27015 will add to our growing line of standard wide bandgap (WBG) WiMAX products and are expected to provide great versatility to WiMAX base transceiver station (BTS) and consumer premise equipment (CPE) designers," said Jim Milligan, Cree's product manager for wide bandgap radio frequency products.

In addition, Cree's manager of RF product development, Simon Wood, will present a paper entitled "High Efficiency, High Linearity GaN HEMT Amplifiers for WiMAX Applications" at the MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Workshop on "Advances in GaN HEMT Device Technology, Modeling and Applications" June 11.

Additional information about Cree RF products may be obtained by calling Cree at 919-287-7505 or visiting http://www.cree.com/.

About WiMAX

WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput connections over long distances. It can be used for multiple applications, including last-mile broadband access, hotspots, cellular backhaul, high-speed enterprise connectivity, and non-line-of-sight mobile connectivity.

About Cree, Inc.

Cree is a market-leading innovator and manufacturer of semiconductors and devices that enhance the value of solid-state lighting, power and communications products by significantly increasing their energy performance and efficiency. Key to Cree's market advantage is its world-class materials expertise in silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) for chips and packaged devices that can handle more power in a smaller space while producing less heat than other available technologies, materials and products.

Cree drives its increased performance technology into multiple applications including exciting alternatives in brighter and more tunable light for general illumination, backlighting for more vivid displays, optimized power management for high-current switch-mode power supplies and variable speed motors, and more effective wireless infrastructure for data and voice communications. Cree customers range from innovative lighting-fixture makers to defense-related federal agencies.

Cree's product families include blue and green LED chips, lighting LEDs, LED backlighting solutions, power-switching devices and radio-frequency/wireless devices. For additional product specifications please refer to http://www.cree.com/.

This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, such as the risk we may encounter delays or other difficulties in ramping up production of our new products and achieving commercial release; the risk we may be unable to manufacture products with sufficiently low cost to offer them at competitive prices or with acceptable margins; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render our products obsolete; the potential lack of customer acceptance for the products; variations in demand for Cree's products and its customers' products; and other factors discussed in Cree's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 26, 2005, and subsequent filings.

Cree is a registered trademark of Cree, Inc.

CONTACT: Deb Lovig, Marketing Communications Manager of Cree, Inc.,
+1-919-287-7505, or Fax, +1-919-313-5943, or Deb_Lovig@cree.com

Web site: http://www.cree.com/