EPON access systemThe Salira 2000 Platform intelligent Ethernet passive-optical-network access system, designed for the rigorous requirements service providers face in providing network services to businesses, delivers traditional TDM and future-oriented IP-based broadband services over a point-to-multipoint network. It consists of the Salira 2500 high-density optical line terminal and Salira 2300 multicustomer optical-network unit. The platform is driven by the company's Access Operating System, which enables value-added services like native-mode TDM, real time dynamic bandwidth allocation, and customized service-level agreements at the port level. It is provisioned and managed by the company's Access Management System.Salira Optical Network Systems Inc., Santa Clara, CA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 301 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Digital technology
Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology is a display solution that uses an optical semiconductor to manipulate light digitally. Comprising digital micromirror devices, control ASICs, and component sets and software, DLP technology is used wherever visual excellence is required. It enables movie projectors, televisions, home-theater systems, and business projectors to create an entirely digital connection between a graphic or video source and the screen, resulting in excellent picture clarity, brilliance, and color.
Texas Instruments, Freising, Germany FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 305 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Gain equalization monitor
The GEM gain equalization monitor accurately measures optical power and wavelength for DWDM networks requiring remote monitoring. It is a small optical monitor at about 120x82x17.3 mm, and its RS-232 and DPRAM electrical interface ease integration with systems. Response time is <150 msec and relative power accuracy is 0.5 dB for such applications as gain equalization at amplification nodes, signal power, wavelength identification and equalization after add/drop nodes, and fault localization. GEM covers the entire C- or L-band at 100- and 50-GHz wavelength spacing.
JDS Uniphase Corp., San Jose, CA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 308 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Tunable transmitterMetroFlex G2 Series Tunable Optical Transmitter is designed for remote configuration and sparing applications in the metro, delivering wide tuning (C- or L-bands) in a small, reliable 2x3-inch (5x7.5-cm) package. The transmitter incorporates the company's directly modulated VCSEL-based tunable-laser, wavelength-locking technology, and optional gain within a single integrated package. It offers fast, continuous tuning over 20 100-GHz (or 40 50-GHz) ITU channels, direct modulation from OC-3 through OC-48, and >1-mW (0-dBm) modulated output power.Bandwidth9 Inc., Fremont, CA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 309 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
PM connectors, patch cordsThe singlemode (SM) and polarization maintaining (PM) connectors and patch cords have ultra, super-angled FC/PC and SC terminations for 80-micron cladding fibers. The connectors offer high polarization extinction ratios (23 dB), low backreflection (-60 to -50 dB), and low insertion losses (0.6-0.4 dB), using 1550-nm SM fiber. The PM ferrules have tight machine tolerances between the ferrule notch and notch key to minimize backlash and rotational errors during the PM axis alignment. The patch cords are available unaligned and rotatable or prealigned and referenced against the connector key for optimum coupling efficiency and extinction ratios.OZ Optics Ltd., Ottawa, Ontario FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 313 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Fiber-optic patch cords
The fiber-optic patch cords, featuring low insertion loss and high return loss, are suitable for all fiber-optic interconnect applications, including cable TV and broadband. The small-form connectors' 900-micron Hytrel patch cords are specifically designed for active-component pigtails. Connector types available are LC, MU, MT-RJ, SC, FC, and ST in singlemode and multimode.
Pacific Interconnection Co., Renton, WA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 314 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Electrically tunable VOAThe MagLight electrically tunable variable optical attenuator (EVOA) is all-solid-state, has no moving parts, and caters to the requirements of erbium-doped fiber-amplifier, VMUX, and smart optical add/drop multiplexing applications. Featuring compact size, fast speed (<300 microsec), and wide dynamic range (0-35 dB), the EVOA can be conveniently packaged into an array with any channel number of choice. It is especially suited for all-optical power control functions in metro networks. Primanex Corp., Fremont, CA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 318 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
10-Gbit/sec transponderThe VIT5000 DWDM transponder with 100-km reach for metro and long-haul markets can be configured for SONET/ SDH at data rates from 9.953 to 10.664 Gbits/sec or 10-Gigabit Ethernet at 10.3 Gbits/sec. For SONET/ SDH applications, it can be used with or without forward error correction systems. It uses a high-power continuous-wave laser with a lithium niobate modulator for extended-reach applications. Output power is adjustable between 0 and 6 dBm. The standards-compliant transponder has an integrated electrical multiplexer/demultiplexer to enable the conversion from parallel electrical signals to serial optical signals and serial optical signals to parallel electrical signals.Vitesse, Camarillo, CA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 322 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Integrated VOAsThe integrated variable optical attenuators (VOAs) use PLC Mach-Zehnder interferometers with thermo-optic phase-shifters. The VOAs have no mechanical parts, are lightweight and compact, and offer high stability and reliability. Integration is available (up to eight), application to 2x2 switch, and design is customized.Showa Electric Wire & Cable Co. Ltd., Tokyo FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 326 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Dynamic spectral equalizerThe AgileWave dynamic spectral equalizer (DSE) is designed to be a programmable optical filter that can operate with spectral resolutions suitable for tilt, profile, banded, or channel-by-channel gain/power-level balancing. Based on Digital Light Processing technology from Texas Instruments, the device provides fast, dynamic reconfiguration as well as reliability. The DSE offers true, continuous spectral attenuation control with very high spectral resolution and excellent attenuation granularity. Applications include erbium-doped fiber-amplifier and Raman-amplifier gain/shape control and power balancing of added/dropped channels in dynamically routed networks.CiDRA Corp., Wallingford, CT FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 330 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Clock-signal amplifierFiber Optic Clock Driver Amplifier for 10- and 40-Gbit/sec applications uses interchangeable thin-film gallium arsenide FET modules and can be customized to customer needs with short lead times. It amplifies clock signals at any phase and gain to drive a lithium niobate or other optical modulator. Optional internal analog phase-shifters can be used to phase-lock clock signals to data for synchronous transmitters or receiver clock recovery. Optional gain control and power detectors allow for use in closed-loop AGC systems. Standard features include 5-, 10-, 20- and 40-GHz versions, output power to 30 dBm, an output filter, and a single power supply.L3 Communications, Narda Microwave-East, Hauppauge, NY FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 333 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
VCSEL arrays
At 2.5 Gbits/sec per channel, the 850-nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting-laser (VCSEL) arrays support an aggregate data rate of 30 Gbits/sec for easy integration into parallel optical transceivers in very-short-reach, Gigabit Ethernet, and InfiniBand applications. The arrays provide high reliability (well over 3,000 hours 85/85), low threshold current, low-divergence beam, and high power output. Proprietary device design and refined manufacturing process offer "oxide VCSEL-like" performance and "implant VCSEL-like" reliability and yield.
LuxNet Corp., Fremont, CA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 335 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
LC connectors
The LC PANDA connector features a cord diameter of 0.4, 0.9, and 2 mm, an insertion loss of 0.5/0.25/0.22 dB, a return loss of 40/50/55 dB, and an extinction ratio of 25/28 dB. Also available are an LC four-port adapter for SC duplex adapter (F) footprint (PB/Zr sleeve); LC duplex adapter for SC simplex adapter footprint (PB/Zr sleeve); LC APC connector for cable TV, etc.; and LC connector kit for a cord diameter of 3 mm.
NTT-ME Corp., Tokyo FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 338 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
40-Gbit/sec LiNbO3 modulator driver
The model 5885 40-Gbit/sec lithium niobate (LiNbO3) modulator driver delivers high-quality, clean, 43-Gbit/sec nonreturn-to-zero eye-diagrams with low jitter. It provides LiNbO3 drive capability with as little as 300 mVpp of input and includes crossing-point control, output-level control, radio-frequency power detection, and temperature-stabilized output. The extremely broadband driver is targeted for the OC-768/STM-256 (40-Gbit/sec) telecommunications market.
Picosecond Pulse Labs, Boulder, CO FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 339 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
1300-nm SOA
The OPB10-1300, a 1300-nm semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), will be housed in an industry-standard 14-pin butterfly package with integral thermo-electric cooler, thermistor, and input and output isolators. Pinout will be MSA-compliant. The SOA provides a high-gain, high-output-power, low-noise solution to amplification requirements in the 1300-nm window. Applications are likely to include SONET/SDH reach extension (plus emerging standards such as very-short-reach and coarse WDM), passive optical networks, and 10-Gigabit Ethernet.
Kamelian Ltd., Oxford, UK FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 341 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Instructional video/CD-ROM
A training tool for new staff development, "Introduction to Fiber Optics Video/CD-ROM" provides an understanding of the basics of optical theory and its relationship to optical fibers, teaches fiber-optic terminology, and shows how fiber is being used. It features high-quality graphics, onsite location shots, and close-up filming. Areas covered include optical fiber's evolution, fiber manufacturing, optical theory, and fiber types and structures: 50/125, 62.5/125 multimode fiber (MMF), MMF for Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel, and singlemode fiber (dispersion-shifted, nonzero dispersion-shifted, and DWDM). Issues covered include modal, chromatic, and polarization-mode dispersion; graded and step index fiber structures; and specialty fibers.
The Light Brigade, Kent, WA FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 344 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
BER tester
The OPX-192 bit-error-rate (BER) tester, part of the AX/4000 product family, is specifically designed for the stringent testing requirements associated with core and metro-area networks. It verifies that network devices meet BER requirements and conform to the SONET/SDH standard, including reporting alarms/errors and protection switching, before deployment. The tester also enables the mapping of payloads from STS-192/AU-4-64 down to STS-1, in any valid combination, and can test up to 192 channels simultaneously and independently. The OPX-192 helps accelerate time-to-market and ensure network and equipment performance, allowing better use of engineering resources and reduced testing time and space requirements.
Spirent Communications, Rockville, MD FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 354 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Dispensing pen system
The Mikros dispensing pen system improves fluid control and minimizes waste in fiber-optic assembly processes where precise amounts of two-part epoxies, UV-cure adhesives, and other expensive fluids are required. Used with air-powered dispensers, the dispensing system produces consistent micro-deposits as small as 0.007 inch in diameter. Disposable reservoir tips with 0.25-cc capacity reduce waste by allowing expensive adhesives to be mixed in small batches and consumed before working time expires. Silicone-free reservoir tips have 30-, 32-, or 33-gauge needles and block UV wavelengths between 280 and 390 nm.
EFD, Bedfordshire, UK FOR FREE DATA, enter NO. 358 at www.onlinecenter.to/lw
Lightwave is a monthly international publication focusing on fiber optics and optoelectronics, the technologies driving the growth, convergence, and improved performance of telephony, computer communications, and video. Lightwave provides technology news as well as applications and product information for corporate and technical managers and staff engineers. Lightwave's editors emphasize analysis and interpretation in their reports on the technological impact of fiber-optic components, systems, and networks in these markets.