NFOEC 2000 Product Showcase

Compiled by Sue Boyle

SYSTEMS & SUBSYSTEMS

CityLIGHT had been designed in response to high demand from carriers and service providers for a managed, highly reliable, edge-access solution that is economically priced. It connects to all common cluster-equipment interfaces and transmits data over singlemode fiber at distances up to 60 km. According to the manufacturer, CityLIGHT has the most extensive range of protocols of any edge-access system of its type, including Gigabit Ethernet, ATM-155, ATM-622, Fiber Channel, and Fast Ethernet. To accommodate copper legacy equipment, support for T1 and E1 is available. CityLIGHT is designed as a carrier-class system, offering hot-swap dual-redundant AC and DC PSU options and NEBs approval. It offers savings on existing access systems and provides state-of-the-art SNMP management of the link. Up to 16 links (32 ends) can be managed from a single SNMP card.First Fibre LimitedYork, England

These 100- and 200-GHz DWDM multiplexer and demultiplexer modules incorporate the company's MICS filter DWDM technology and are designed for ITU channel-spacing applications such as DWDM telecommunications transport and access systems, optical add/drop multiplexing, and broadband DWDM systems. The MICS filter DWDM series of products utilizes proprietary thin-film-filter components to achieve a state-of-the-art wavelength passband, isolation, and stability. They also offer low insertion loss and low PDL in a full range of ITU channel wavelengths. The multiplexer and demultiplexer modules are available in standard ITU wavelength groupings in 4-, 8-, and 16-channel configurations.Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc.Sunnyvale, CA

The PowerExchanger reconfigurable add/drop-multiplexing processor bypasses the more complex current solutions to wavelength management and addresses the needs of network operators to deliver a high number of wavelengths economically. It operates in a switchless environment, while offering real-time configuration of optical add/drop multiplexing. PowerExchanger's reconfigurability gives network designers greater flexibility and enables scalability, as network needs increase. Because it operates in the optical domain, it allows much higher utilization of available bandwidth. It features an integrated configuration that enables a compact footprint and reduces fiber-connection complexity. PowerExchanger also features built-in dynamic equalization, drop-and-continue functionality, and built-in individual dispersion and dispersion-slope compensation functions for add/drop/express paths.Avanex Corp.Fremont, CA

OptSim 3.0 software for the design and simulation of optical-fiber transmission systems upgrades its fiber model with the Raman effect and offers a new data post-processing and display interface for the intuitive management and display of complex simulation results. Depending on system design, the Raman effect can be an impairment or a benefit in optical- transmission systems. OptSim 3.0 accurately models Raman-induced noise and crosstalk in DWDM systems and offers a distributed Raman amplifier module supporting co- and counter-propagating pumps and single- and double-Rayleigh scattering of noise. Custom gain profiles are definable through an external file. The data-display interface implements features such as interactive cursors to read out data and define eye masks, automatic peak detection, and the ability to combine and plot simulation data from different runs. Beta evaluators estimate that these features will reduce the time required to optimize and document a design by 50-60%.
ARTIS Software Corp.
San Jose, CA

The DMAX1120 is a high-density broadband multiservice access platform designed for enhanced Internet and telephony services. It provides an end-to-end, integrated broadband-access solution that delivers transport and service capabilities for high-density DSL over ATM. The platform does not require new transports to support ATM backhaul of DSL service-all traffic can be groomed onto existing TDM transport facilities, including fiber optics. The DMAX1120 provides liberal bandwidth, combining all the data functionality of a multiservice DSLAM with all the battle-hardened attributes of a legacy broadband NGDLC. The cost-effective platform is easy to deploy and simple to maintain.
Advanced Fibre Communications Inc.
Petaluma, CA

FlashWave OADX is an optical add/drop platform capable of transmitting more than 1.7 Tbits/sec over great distances without regeneration. It makes flexible, highly survivable, all-optical networking a reality for service providers evolving their networks to an all-optical architecture that minimizes the need for optical-to-electrical conversions. The product uses DWDM and takes advantage of 176 channels in the C- and L-bands, with spacing of 50 GHz between channels. It supports 10-Gbit/sec transmission and will support 40-Gbit/sec signals as they become available. The systems can transmit more than 3,000 km without regeneration because of advanced optical amplification and dispersion control, which minimize loss and pulse spreading of the optical signal to achieve greater distances. FlashWave OADX offers flexibility with fully reconfigurable OADM capability. It operates in a variety of network configurations, including point-to-point, ring, and mesh.
Fujitsu Network Communications
Richardson, TX

The ONS 15900 series wavelength router architecture intelligently networks the point-to-point long-haul optical pipes created by DWDM. Wavelength routers interconnect IP routers and switches across an optical-transport network, providing fast provisioning and restoration of end-to-end paths. Service providers can traffic engineer and rapidly scale up survivable mesh-optical cores without introducing immediate ATM switches or proliferating legacy SONET multiplexers and crossconnects. Scalable in service to beyond 160 Tbits/sec of nonblocking service-port capacity, the Wavelength Router creates an efficient optical-core network that allows instant provisioning and 50-msec restoration of end-to-end paths across the network. The Wavelength Router is optimized as a very fast and reliable optical-transport platform for traffic at wavelength granularities (OC-48 and OC-192).
Cisco Systems
Richardson, TX

COMPONENTS

This evolving product line is based on the company's glass/polymer-based components. They include multimode WDMs, coarse WDM, dense WDMs, optical switches, and planar waveguides for the 10-Gigabit Ethernet and enterprise networks. The latest introduction is the 8-channel multimode WDM with <4-dB insertion loss and >35-dB crosstalk.Radiant Research Inc.Austin, TX

This line of hybrid isolators is a combination of a WDM or tap filter and a polarization-insensitive optical isolator. They have low polarization sensitivity, low insertion loss, and high optical isolation. The isolators are designed to be compact and easy to install and eliminate splices and extra fiber routing, thus reducing loss when compared to installing these components individually. They are also designed for optical-amplifier applications.
CASIX Inc.
Fuzhou, Fujian, China

The fused-fiber singlemode WDMs combine or separate light at two different wavelengths with low insertion loss, high wavelength isolation, and low polarization dependence. All products can pass thermal cycling tests from -40°C to +85°C for six cycles in-factory. The company can also supply a chart of the optical spectrum analyzer results for every product. The WDMs are ideal for capacity expansion in telecommunications systems, monitoring systems, and EDFA applications, including 980/1,550 nm, 1,480/1,550 nm, and 1,310/1,550 nm WDM.Pearl Communication Technology Co. Ltd.China

These MT-RJ and SC mini connectors are for 1.8x3.7-mm zipcord with a 500- to 600-micron tight-buffer 62.5/125-micron or 50/125-micron fiber cable.Insert Enterprise Co. Ltd.Taipei Hsien, Taiwan

The MF50 MultiFilter splits a 50-GHz DWDM channel stream into two 100-GHz-spaced DWDM channel streams. The MF100 splits a 100-GHz-spaced DWDM channel stream into two 200-GHz-spaced DWDM channel streams. One fiber contains the odd channels and the other fiber contains even channels. The modules are assembled using proprietary packaging techniques-no external temperature control is required. When used with the company's FiberFilter products, the MultiFilter allows scalable, dense wavelength spacing as well as ultra-low insertion-loss DWDM filtering. The MF50 and MF100 are suitable for both OC-48 and OC-192 systems. Features include flat passband, high wavelength stability over a wide temperature range, passive temperature-compensation, and Bellcore 1221 qualification. Arroyo OpticsSanta Monica, CA

This range of subminiature components for use in fiber amplifiers and other networking equipment are designed to enable customers to produce equipment with a reduced footprint for emerging metro and optical-crossconnect applications. The range includes tap couplers 25 mm in length and pump/signal WDMs 32 mm in length. Optical performance of these 3-mm-diameter components is equivalent to that of the company's low-loss products. Features include <0.1-dB insertion loss for 980-nm pump/signal WDMs.SIFAM Fibre OpticsTorquay, Devon, UK

The Polarization-beam combiners (PBCs) are highly reliable, low insertion loss, all-fiber components designed for use in EDFAs and Raman amplifiers. Continuous improvement in the gain spectra of optical amplification is critical in supporting ever-increasing channel counts and bit rates of DWDM telecommunications systems. Raman amplifiers have emerged to complement EDFA designs for long-haul signal transport. Raman-amplifier design requires several high-powered pump lasers to be combined, necessitating a combiner that is able to handle the total power. High pump power levels are handled by the all-fiber design, and available wavelengths incorporate 980-nm, 1,480-nm, and Raman pump lasers. The center wavelength of the company's PBC can be customized. Alcoa Fujikura Ltd.Spartanburg, SC

The SMU connector series features a miniature sub-optic-assembly design. The new singlemode connector series reduces the number of component pieces required from seven to five, offering significant cost savings in both piece cost and assembly time for large installations and system upgrades. The MU optical-connector assemblies offer core-concentricity adjustment in four positions and comply with flammability test standard UL-94 V-0 for high performance and reliability. The connectors can be used in a variety of fiber-optic applications, including high-speed data communications, voice networks, telecommunications, and high-density DWDM applications in central offices. The connector's small size is valuable in backplane or connector applications where space constraints are at a premium. Availability of simplex, duplex, 8-way, and 16-way connector adapters further complement backplane-type situations. The connectors feature an insertion-loss rate as low as 0.25 dB, providing improved transmission capabilities over existing standard connector types. Depending on the polishing method, typical return loss ranges from 50 to 55 dB.
Seiko Instruments USA Inc.
Torrance, CA

The WaveProcessor F3T is an all-fiber component with flat-top spectral response, which intrinsically offers a wide passband with extremely low insertion loss and excellent crosstalk that fills up to 55% of the channel spacing with <1 dB of insertion loss. The product has a typical dispersion response of <10 psec/nm at ±10 GHz and offers cost-effective solutions for growing capacity demands while futureproofing for upgrading networks to 40 Gbits/sec. The all-fiber construction provides enhanced reliability and environmental performance over a wide range of operating conditions. An optimized small footprint enables easy integration at system board level and offers a range of fiber and electrical terminations to suit user system configurations. WaveSplitter Technologies Inc.Fremont, CA

This MEMS-based switch uses a movable mirror process to allow light to pass through the switch on activation or be blocked/diverted when the switch is deactivated. The switch is well suited for fail-safe network bypass, restoration, and protection applications. Other applications are optical routing for networks, test equipment, and loopback testing. The switch is small in size, printed-circuit-board mountable, and available in on/off, 1x2-, 2x2-, and 2x2-bypass (high attenuation path) configurations. The standard switch includes status-monitoring electrical contacts and 62.5/125-micron fiber pigtails. A variety of fiber and connector options are available.Litton Poly-ScientificBlacksburg, VA

The PolarWave optical slicer is a family of interleave filters. As a demultiplexer, the optical-slicer filter separates a single stream of optical channels into two or more complimentary sets of periodic channels. As a multiplexer, it combines two or more streams into a single stream. Offering very-high-channel isolation, low insertion loss, and a very wide passband, the company's line of optical-slicer filters revolutionizes long-haul and metro DWDM systems by enabling multiterabits of capacity on a single fiber. A variety of configurations and options are available. Chorum Technologies Inc.Richardson, TX

The Type-37 Micro-Core, High Strength Micro-Core Alignment, and the Type-37 PM Rotary Chuck fusion splicers have a high-resolution direct-core monitoring-image-processing software that estimates splice loss upon the degree of fiber alignment. The battery-operated Type-37 Micro-Core and Type-37 HS splicer's footprint measures 150mm x150mm and an has an approximate splicing time of 18 seconds. The Type-37 is designed to work with virtually all fiber types for fully automatic low-loss optical-fiber splices in both field and factory environments. The Type-37 HS features a new fiber holder system that improves splice performance for factory splicing applications. The Type 37 PM increases splice performance with a variety of polarization maintaining fiber types with different coating, cladding, and core sizes.
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corp.
Research Triangle Park, NC

INSTALLATION

This 19-inch optical-fiber distribution frame is equipped with 720 distribution-capacity ports. Both FC- and SC-type adapters and ribbon-optic cable and non-ribbon cable can be installed in the frame. The frame is a wholly enclosed structure equipped with a cable inlet unit for fiber jumping between frames, stripped optic-cable fixing and protection device, and fiber storage unit. All products have received the Network Access License for telecommunications equipment issued by the Ministry of Information Industry.
Sun & Sea Comm Equip Co. Ltd.
Shenzhen, China

TEST EQUIPMENT

ECL-210 has been developed to meet customer demand for an electronically tunable external-cavity laser. The optical design is utilized and ensures that all wavelengths can be selected accurately and with excellent stability in both wavelength and power. The 19-inch rack houses up to eight channels and allows for full control through either the GPIB of RS-232 interfaces. ECL-210 has a full 80-nm tuning range complemented by high output power up to 10 mW and wavelength and power stabilities of >0.01 nm and >0.01 dB, respectively. ECL-210 provides both the ease and flexibility required when designing and testing high-channel-count DWDM systems. It will be used in both research laboratories and production and installation environments.
Santec Corp.
Komaki, Japan

771RH (single-channel), 772RH (dual-channel), and 773RH (triple-channel) optical power meters are based on a proven 2-mm InGaAs photodetector specifically manufactured for the company. Offering an extended measurement range from +27 dBm to -60 dBm, all three of the optical power meters are ideal for testing DWDM transmission systems, cable-TV systems, and high-power output devices such as EDFA amplifiers and pump lasers. The 770RH series optical-power meters provide higher measurement speed and resolution of 0.001 for logarithmic (dB) and linear (W) units. The compact design of the 770RH optical power meters permits up to 11 of the units to be installed in a standard 9-inch rack with a 700R controller module. RIFOCS Corp.Camarillo, CA

The SSB-9200 high-density source bank is the first member of this family of products designed in response to the increasing complexity and demands of WDM component, amplifier, and system testing. It can accommodate up to 48 individual DFB laser sources for high-channel-count systems. The DFB modules offer customer-specific center wavelengths between 1,528 nm and 1,610 nm with ±0.85-nm tuning available in powers of 10 mW or 29 mW. The SS-810 source shutter is available for applications where the light must be extinguished without turning off the drive current to the laser. The mainframe has a fast GPIB/IEEE 488.2 communication platform. The new digital design ensures robust GPIB operation with the speed demanded by mission-critical test applications. ILX Lightwave Corp.Bozeman, MT

The MW9076 series OTDR offers the fastest trace acquisition found on any mini-OTDR, according to the company. The OTDR offers up to 45-dB dynamic range and high resolution (<8-m dead zone). These features allow the fiber network installer or provider to locate a fault in seconds. An internal or external fiber switch makes splice verification a quick process even for mass ribbon splicing. The MW9076 mini-OTDRs have two, three, or four wavelengths: 1,310, 1,450, 1,550, or 1,625 nm. The MW9076D model uses four wavelengths to measure chromatic dispersion in a fiber span. This single-ended measurement is useful in installed fiber plants where both ends of the fiber are not accessible. The MW9076D calculates delay, chromatic dispersion, and dispersion slope for wavelengths from 1,300 to 1,660 nm.
Anritsu Co.
Richardson, TX

This handheld optical loss tester for fiber network verification combines light source and power meter in a single unit for automatic bidirectional testing of fibers in the field. Automatic measurements can be initiated from either end of the cable for better productivity over traditional loss techniques using standalone instruments. Test-time savings are typically of the order of 85%. The tester offers all the standard loss and link return loss measurements at 1,310 and 1,550 nm and fiber-verification functions. According to the company, it is the first instrument of this kind to provide a fiber length measurement. The instrument checks all results against predefined thresholds and qualifies the total fiber link with clear Pass/Fail.
Wavetek Wandel Goltermann
Munich, Germany

The Model 6427 Step-and-Measure Telecom-Test Laser offers tuning rates up to 100 nm/sec, or 10 times faster and short settling times (<50 msec) enabling shorter measurement times and increased manufacturing throughput. The StableWave cavity platform delivers ruggedness and reliability 24 hours a day so passive component manufacturers can decrease if not eliminate laser downtimes due to re-calibration needs. Priced at $30,000 the laser includes GPIB compatibility and labview drivers. It also offers an innovative hand-pad interface for easy remote-control capability without the use of a PC. The hand-pad interface has up to multiple user-programmable wavelength-scanning routines that allow for fast wavelength access. New Focus Inc.Santa Clara, CA