Global specialty optical fiber consumption to net $4.38 billion by 2010

Global consumption of selected specialty optical fiber in communications products is expected to jump from $239 million in 2000 to $4.38 billion by 2010, asserts a new study from market researcher ElectroniCast Corp. (San Mateo, CA).

"Specialty fibers are available in prices ranging from a few dollars to nearly a thousand dollars per meter, depending on the material, manufacturing process, quantity, and application," explains research analyst Catherine Rondeau. "This study provides data detailing price per meter/kilometer and the major application for each fiber type," she adds.

ElectroniCast's report includes separate forecasts for the following types of specialty fiber:

*Erbium-doped fiber--used within erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs)

*High-index fiber--used in fused couplers; short wavelength laser and LED sources, sensors, DWDM components, and other communication systems

* Polarization-maintaining fiber--an optical fiber in which the polarization planes of lightwaves launched into the fiber are maintained during propagation with little or no cross-coupling of optical power between the polarization modes. PMF is used for pigtails, integrated optics and Gyros/sensors.

* Photosensitive fiber--used for increasing the offset of cladding modules from the Bragg wavelength. The fiber is also used for low-loss splicing to standard singlemode fiber.

* Flouride glass fiber-- has a transparent wavelength area that spreads on the long wavelength side, a feature that is expected to make fluoride glass optical fiber ideal for fields where silica fiber is difficult to use.

For more information about ElectroniCast's report, "Specialty Optical Fiber Global Market Forecast," call (650) 343-1398 or visit the company's Web site at www.electronicast.com.