Premier Products

Power meterThe high-dynamic-range (HDR) power meter is specifically designed to take advantage of the 100-nm/sec sweep speeds of the Model 6528 swept-wavelength laser. The power meter responds rapidly and with sensitivity over a wide wavelength range (1240-1640 nm) and a wide optical power range (almost 70 dB). It incorporates a logarithmic circuit and modular design easily integrated with the laser and data-acquisition system. A sample program is provided to simplify integration. Swept-wavelength measurements performed with the Model 6528 and HDR power meter can enable real-time adjustment and testing of both C- and L-band components during manufacture, increasing yield as well as throughput.New Focus Inc., San Jose, CA, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 300 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

Digital-frequency locking system
The DFL-5720 digital-frequency locking system enables the integration of wavelength lockers with frequency-tuning devices such as tunable lasers. The system automatically or manually locks the frequency of a laser source to a reference optical filter like a gas absorption line or a Fabry-Perot transmission peak. With its three programmable input and output ports, the DFL-5720 is a versatile, standalone instrument that uses advanced digital processing to control the frequency of a large variety of tunable devices with precision down to 50 MHz. It replaces an oscilloscope, two function generators, a lock-in amplifier, a feedback loop controller, and a programmable signal-processing computer.
EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc., Quebec City, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 301 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

Multichannel meters
The RX3 series multichannel meters, which measure insertion loss and backreflection for single-fiber connectors as well as multifiber-ribbon connectors, have added two features: three-laser wavelength testing and a 10-mm indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) detector. The meter's third internal laser allows cable-connector and passive-component manufacturers to measure wider optical wavelength ranges when testing components and connector assemblies. It measures seven different output sources, from 850- and 1310-nm multimode to 1310-, 1480-, 1550-, 1625-, and 1650-nm singlemode. The built-in InGaAs detector measures high-count 24-channel ribbon cables. While the detector adds increased span of power detection, the RX3 meter retains its capability to measure low backreflection at -75 dB.
JDS Uniphase, Ottawa, Ontario, and San Jose, CA, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 302 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

COMPONENTSRaman-ready long-haul fiberThe TrueWave Reach fiber is designed to meet current erbium-doped fiber-amplifier and emerging Raman optical system needs with the broadest available spectral bandwidth and best-matched nonzero dispersion fiber compensation. It leaves users an open migration path for future systems, with the compensated broad spectral range, moderate dispersion to enable high data rates and tight channel spacing, and system-link polarization-mode dispersion and Raman gain. The fiber increases regenerator spacings up to 1,500 km or more for 10- and 40-Gbit/sec transmission.OFS, Norcross, GA, FOR FREE DATA enter NO. 305 at www.onlinecenter.to/lwBroadband erbium-doped fiberSaid to provide up to 50% more bandwidth, a new broadband erbium-doped fiber based on a newly developed compact oxide glass requires significantly less space, enabling more compact designs for amplifiers and telecommunications equipment. The new amplifier glass material enables shorter fiber lengths, reduced from 15 m to as short as 15 cm for a C-band design. It also achieves wider gain spectrum in the C- and L-bands: The fiber uses a gain spectrum up to 50% wider than conventional silica gain media in the C-band, and for an L-band amplifier, efficient amplification can be achieved between 1560 and 1610 nm. In both cases, the gain spectrum is optimized for maximum gain flatness, requiring less filtering and less pumping power.Schott Optovance, Southbridge, MA, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 303 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

Dynamic gain equalizer
Built on the company's Programmable Optical Processor (POP) platform and powered by its Simple Subsystem Management Protocol, the POP1020 SmartDGE dynamic gain equalizer (DGE) allows optical systems vendors to automatically manage and control wavelength power and balance channel output, without having to attenuate strong signals. Instead SmartDGE amplifies weaker signals, monitoring each incoming signal and adjusting its amplification accordingly to achieve an equal output level without the need for an optical performance monitor. With a speed of 200 microsec, the DGE is transient-resistant. It is designed for metro WDM applications.
Dowslake Microsystems, Santa Clara, CA, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 304 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

SYSTEMS & SUBSYSTEMSATM softwareATM Service Intelligence (ASI) software enables the company's Optical Service Node (OSN) family to perform virtual-path multiplexing to support service aggregation, rate control, and quality of service-all on a per-port or per-connection basis. This capability can significantly improve bandwidth utilization in DSL access-multiplexer applications, where aggregated DSL traffic is transported via ATM interfaces from remote sites to central data centers. ASI software runs on DS-3, OC-3, and OC-12 ATM service interface modules, which operate in all three 10-, 20-, and 40-Gbit OSN platforms.Alidian Networks Inc., San Jose, CA, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 313 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

Variable-gain EDFA series
The MGMFV-1 variable-gain erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) series is designed to deal with the increasingly dynamic nature of the metro-networking environment, offering more flexibility through its intelligent remote provisioning capabilities, improved gain control, and smaller form factor. Delivering the functionality and performance of traditional fixed-gain amplifiers, MGMFV-1 handles rapidly changing input powers through high-speed gain control as signals are added, dropped, and split from and switched around the network. Simultaneously, the amplifier maintains accurate output power control with minimum overshoot and undershoot errors, enabling dynamic networking. It improves on fixed-gain EDFAs by integrating a variable optical attenuator (VOA) to allow flexible gain settings. Housed in a compact package (150x125x20.3 mm), the amplifier has several options to accommodate an adjustable gain range (10-25 dB in the C-band), output power (17 dBm), and VOA configurations. Its electrical connector is based on the DB25 standard interface, and its dual-load-capable firmware can support a range of protocols.
Nortel Networks UK Ltd., Berkshire, UK, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 306 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

Add/drop multiplexer
The WavelengthDirector optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) allows carriers the flexibility of software provisioning and can add and drop wavelengths with single-channel granularity along network routes. It is based on next-generation optical filtering technology that allows very small portions of the optical spectrum to be selectively added and dropped. According to the company, the OADM allows significant reductions in capital and operational costs associated with deploying networks by replacing back-to-back terminals that process all wavelengths with a device that processes only the wavelengths needed at the site.
Ciena Corp., Linthicum, MD, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 307 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

80-channel switchAn 80-channel all-optical switch for long-haul and metro-area, video, and voice optical communications, IMX-80 is designed for integration by system manufacturers with their optical-electrical-optical crossconnect to form what the company calls "a new class of hybrid network element." The switch has low insertion loss (1.7 dB) for up to 256 port counts, so OEMs can build system-level products with protected and redundant switch core and still operate within the loss budget of inexpensive short-range intra-office optics. In addition to hybrid switching, IMX-80 enables network operators to perform all-optical fiber protection and band and wavelength switching in DWDM. It is bit-rate- and protocol-independent , so it can scale seamlessly with future bandwidth growth and can be used to manage optical traffic at any level. The switch has built-in variable optical attenuation and dynamic gain equalization and is designed to meet all applicable NEBS and Telcordia requirements.Integrated Micromachines Inc., Monrovia, CA, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 308 at ww.onlinecenter.to/lw

INSTALLATIONFiber distribution panelsDesigned to help telecommunications service providers optimize vertical rack space, the 144-port F23 fiber distribution panel needs just 6 inches of rack space for patch-only off-frame splicing applications and 8 inches for patch and splice off-frame splicing. The company's standard 7-ft frame can support 1,728 fiber distribution ports. The F23 platform supports ultra-polish and angle-polish SC, FC, and LC and multimode MT-RJ connectors. The panel's rugged construction reduces the risk of fiber damage.Americable, Bloomington, MN, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 309 at www.onlinecenter.to/lwKeyed interconnect systemThe Volition VF-45 Keyed Interconnect System, in conjunction with the Volition fiber-optic LAN cabling system, can provide controlled access of networks by using a keyed plug that mates to a matched keyed socket and color-coded bezel. Other VF-45 patch cords-the keyed or original non-keyed version-will not mate with dissimilar keyed sockets, thus preventing unauthorized connections. The keyed VF-45 duplex-connector system provides six distinct key positions, each molded with a distinct industry-standard color, allowing network administrators to provide outlets to six different classified networks as well as using the original non-keyed version for a seventh unclassified network. The fiber-to-fiber interface within the VF-45-both keyed and standard-configuration uses an 8-degree angle-polish endface, providing fiber interconnects with high performance and low light loss and reflection. The interconnect system can be used in multimode and singlemode applications for backbone and horizontal cabling and meets TIA-568B specifications.3M, Austin, TX, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 310 at ww.onlinecenter.to/lw

DESIGN AND MANUFACTURINGLD characterization systemDesigned for high-throughput characterization of laser diodes (LDs), the automated LD characterization system (ALDCS) combines a machine vision guided pick-and-place robot for part loading/unloading with a variety of optional characterization modules. These modules enable the system to perform completely unattended LD testing, including light versus current curves, spectral measurements, far-field beam profiling, and high-magnification image capture for visual inspection. The ALDCS is specifically designed to integrate into an automated, high-volume photonics production environment. It is capable of handling incoming parts in a variety of packages or carriers such as waffle packs or Auer boats and complements LD burn-in systems to form a high-throughput diode test and burn-in line. The system uses photonic test and assembly automation software, which enables easy integration with third-party instruments through LabView, Visual Basic, C++, or other programming environments. The report generation tool allows process data extracted from the user-defined database to be utilized for many purposes, including statistical process control, device traceability, and production-report generation.Newport Corp., Irvine, CA, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 311 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw

Optical link design software
The LinkSIM Version 3.2 optical communications system design software enhancements include a new physics-based erbium-doped fiber-amplifier (EDFA) model, dispersion maps, and upgraded layout features. The EDFA model provides a variety of pump and signal configurations to match most systems and supports component specifications at multiple levels of complexity. The dispersion map shows accumulated dispersion versus link distance along an optical communications system, ensuring signal integrity for a specified system length and making it simpler to design a dispersion compensation scheme for long-haul links such as 10- and 40-Gbit/sec systems. The layout features make it faster to model large, complex WDM systems-a single icon can now represent entire arrays of physical components, saving time and effort in defining and changing parameters when running simulations.
RSoft Design Group Inc., Ossining, NY, FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 312 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw