Alcatel Optronics (Nozay, France) and Corning Photonic Technologies (Corning, NY) announced a set

Alcatel Optronics (Nozay, France) and Corning Photonic Technologies (Corning, NY) announced a set of standards for high-power erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) modules aimed at the long-haul and metropolitan markets. The two firms will now independently manufacture and market a common amplifier platform with standard powers of 14, 17, and 20 dBm. The agreement specifies a mid-stage signal-access port, which permits the addition of add/drop modules or dispersion-compensation units. With such techniques, optical amplifiers can be used for network branching and routing functions. The performance standards specify a very flat gain profile with gain in excess of 28 dB, while limiting gain excursion to less than 1 dB over the entire 30-nm wavelength and to a very low noise figure, below 4.5 dB for the 14-dBm basic unit.