Welcome to the Lightwave Attendees' Choice Awards balloting for products featured at OFC 2004 in Los Angeles. Those attending the show are eligible to vote for their favorite product in each of seven categories beginning on this page and continuing through page 51: Systems, Subsystems, Design Tools, Components, Test Equipment, Installation, and Manufacturing. An additional award will be presented to the company whose product receives the most votes overall. For those attending the show, please use the official Attendees' Choice Award ballot included with the February 2004 issue of Lightwave distributed during OFC. All ballots, when completed, should be dropped off at Lightwave exhibit booth 2729. Only ballots submitted at the booth will be counted. February issues and additional OFC ballots are also available at the booth.
For Lightwave readers not attending OFC 2004, product contact information on the award nominees is available at www.lightwaveonline.com.The OPTera Metro 3500 next-generation SONET platform enables the creation of new differentiated storage and Ethernet services while leveraging existing infrastructure. It provides multiservice aggregation through a wide range of interfaces, including DS-1/-3, Transmux, STS-1, OC-3/-12/-48/-192, 10/100Base-T and 100Base-FX Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and storage (Fibre Channel and Ficon), for optical broadband networking. Nortel Networks, St. Laurent, QuebecNOMINEE NO. SYS 1
For metro DWDM network elements requiring the ability to provision a node without a truck roll, the CP-3104 fiber-to-fiber reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer can switch any combination of four ITU channels on an individual add/drop port. It comes with 10 optical ports and control electronics and is based on a monolithic optical waveguide chip employing DMR optical processor technology.Clarendon Photonics, Newton, MANOMINEE NO. COMP 2
The 1×2/1×4 tunable optical power splitter can be used as a pure passive device tunable with a screwdriver; as a switch; and as an eVOA, but all attenuated power is moved to the second output port. A signal-controllable version has liquid-crystal (LC) units designed-in. All key performance specifications like insertion loss, polarization-dependent loss, and bandwidth are similar to the LC-based eVOA and switch devices.Accelink Technologies, Wuhan City, China NOMINEE NO. COMP 6
The SEIBI precision zirconia sleeve is developed in semiconductor materials from SEIBI technologies. A special submergence technique is applied, effectively solving the brittleness of zirconia products. Featuring excellent abrasion resistance, the sleeve is made from high-grade Japanese zirconia powder. A state-of-the-art sintering circuit ensures tenacity and stability, and delicate multistage finishing maintains a smooth and bright surface. Applications include FC, SC, ST, LC, and MU fiber-optic adapters. Opstar Communication Equipment, Shanghai, ChinaNOMINEE NO. COMP 10
The TRE7061EN DWDM tunable transponder supports datacom-network applications such as XENPAK, X2, and XFP 10-Gbit/sec pluggable transceivers for short-, intermediate-, and long-reach transmission. As a XENPAK module, it is suited for Ethernet over DWDM in WAN applications. It can transmit data beyond 80 km over standard singlemode fiber, using a cooled ILM transmitter and APD receiver. Wavelength stability is ±100 pm, which enables 100-GHz-spacing DWDM operation.Opnext, Eatontown NJNOMINEE NO. COMP 14
The Netlight DWDM small-form-factor-pluggable transceiver uses cooled laser technology with internal wavelength control management at 2.5-Gbit/sec transmission rates. It addresses the challenge of fiber exhaust and provides an upgrade path to DWDM. The module consolidates wavelength management directly into the optical ports on the edge switch, reducing the complexity in metro core and edge applications. TriQuint Optoelectronics, Breinigsville, PANOMINEE NO. COMP 18
For 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GBase-LW/LR),10-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel, and OC-192 (SR-1) applications, the NX8341 series 10-Gbit/sec transmitter optical assembly (TOSA) includes a 1310-nm AlGaInAs BH DFB LD. Excellent performance is achieved over a temperature range due to its aluminum-based technology. The TOSA comes in LC and SC receptacle versions for several types of form-factor transceivers, along with the NR3310 series LC and SC receiver optical subassembly (ROSA).NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices, Kanagawa, JapanNOMINEE NO. COMP 22
The IXF25300 2.5-Gbit/sec SONET/SDH framer with STS-1 and virtual tributary/tributary unit (VT/TU) pointer processor and administrative unit/tributary unit (AU/TU) crossconnect is stackable to 10 Gbits/sec. It provides integrated high-order and low-order bandwidth management in metro and access networks for multiservice provisioning platforms, add/drop multiplexers, edge boxes, core switches, and crossconnects using modular stackable fabric that allows multiple product platforms, sizes, and architectures within a single chip.Intel, Santa Clara, CANOMINEE NO. COMP 24
The transmitter/receiver optical subassembly (TOSA/ROSA) module pair is suited for 10-Gbit/sec transceiver applications. The TOSA includes an isolator and has Fabry-Perot and DFB laser options, while the ROSA has options for singlemode- and multimode-fiber applications. Custom design is also available.
Archcom Technology, Azusa, CA
NOMINEE NO. COMP 28
The 4-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel (FC)/Gigabit Ethernet transceiver comes in an intelligent small-form-factor-pluggable (iSFP) package with digital diagnostics and rate-select auto-negotiation capability from 1×–2× and 4× FC. The product supports backward-compatibility with existing FC-based equipment. The iSFP modules, using 850- and 1310-nm VCSEL diodes, provide multirate capability and are designed for use in enterprise SAN and LAN applications.
Infineon Technologies North America, San Jose, CA
NOMINEE NO. COMP 29
The CWDM plug-in module is based on thin-film-filter technology, offering wide channel bandwidth, flexible channel configuration, low insertion loss, and high isolation. It addresses the requirements of metro and access networks, allowing for single, four, or eight wavelengths to be used for unidirectional or bidirectional transmission. The module allows network equipment manufacturers to quickly add CWDM capability to existing products, speeding time-to-market.
O-Net Communications, Shenzhen, China
NOMINEE NO. COMP 32
For existing and next-generation fiber-optic networks, the miniature inline IPM integrated power monitor senses and monitors the signal status and provides active feedback to oversee the entire system operation. The miniaturized IPM-based thin-film filter comes with an integrated tapped dual-fiber collimator and photodiode. The monitor meets or exceeds GR-1221-CORE and GR-468-CORE standards.
Hitachi Metals America, San Jose, CA
NOMINEE NO. COMP 37
The quartz-based X-Ferrule can be fused directly to an optical fiber or capillary tube. The fusion forms a hermetic seal without distorting the properties of the fiber or capillary, yielding a pigtail without structural epoxies. The ferrule provides an epoxy-less structural bond, a strong hermetic seal, an improved material thermal property match, low insertion loss, and high strength; avoids troublesome fiber metallization; and is well suited for high-temperature/pressure environments.
Polymicro Technologies, Phoenix
NOMINEE NO. COMP 40
The Automation 3200 32-axis motion, vision, PLC, robotics, and I/O platform includes the NPower software module, which automates the photonic manufacturing process by providing a quick and accurate method to control the alignment of components for first light, then rapidly align to peak power. The module permits the intelligent platform's "soft" controller to control up to five six-axis FiberMax nano-positioners that are simultaneously performing active alignments.
Aerotech, Pittsburgh
NOMINEE NO. MFG 4