Oplink obtains patent for optical circulator, adds fiber Bragg grating capability for new FBG-based components and modules

Oplink Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPLK), a designer and manufacturer of optical components and integrated optical modules, announced it has been issued a U.S. patent for its wavelength optical circulator process. Wei Li, Oplink's CTO and Yan Tang, Ph.D., both Oplink scientists, are the inventors of the Optical Circulator patent.

The patented optical circulator process simplifies the manufacture of optical circulators by using fewer components in their production. The simpler design shortens manufacturing times, increases quality and makes Oplink's circulators cost-effective. Oplink's optical circulators feature less optical loss and better overall performance than competing products.

Oplink's optical circulators are available commercially. The U.S. Patent number is 6,178,044 for "Method and System for Providing an Optical Circulator."

In other Oplink business, the company added fiber Bragg grating capability for new FBG-based components and modules, including DWDM, OADM, GFF and other key optical components and modules.

FBG-based components made by Oplink will be used for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), intelligent Optical Add Drop Multiplexing (OADM) and Gain Flattening Filters (GFF) as well as optical elements for dispersion compensation, optical monitoring and various other functions. FBG technology is suited for building the tunable filters that are critical to the systems architectures envisioned for future optical networks.

Fiber Bragg gratings will be fabricated in Oplink's manufacturing facilities and packaged in several lines of Oplink components. The FBG-based components will be housed in standard or athermal packaging. They offer high-isolation for OADM applications and a precise center wavelength. FBG-based components offer the advantages of a flat-top response with high side-lobe suppression and a low-noise floor.

The manufacture of FBG-based components complements existing product lines and broadens the range of design choices for customers. In addition to FBG-based components, Oplink manufactures components based on dielectric thin film filters. Also, Oplink is a volume producer of optical circulators that often are used in conjunction with FBG technology.

All Oplink components can be customized to meet special application requirements. Product samples will be available in the second quarter of this year with volume production to customer requirements scheduled to begin in the second half of this year.

About Oplink Communications:

Oplink designs, manufactures and markets fiber optic networking components and integrated optical modules that expand optical bandwidth, amplify optical signals, monitor and protect wavelength performance and redirect light signals within an optical network. For more information, visit www.oplink.com.