Vote for your favorite product in each category and you could win an ebook at the end of the show
Welcome to the Lightwave Attendees' Choice Awards balloting for products featured at ECOC 2001. Those attending the show are eligible to vote for their favorite product in each of six categories within this section: Systems, Subsystems, Components, Test Equipment, Manufacturing Equipment, and Design Tools. An additional award will be presented to the company whose product receives the most votes overall. Please use the enclosed ballot included only with the September 2001 issues of Lightwave distributed at ECOC. All ballots should be dropped off at the Lightwave show booth.
SYSTEMSProgrammable OADMThis programmable OADM combines thin-film DWDM and opto-mechanical switch technologies with a user-friendly electronically controlled interface. It can dynamically add or drop any or all operating channels remotely or on the board, using built-in software. A series of programmable OADMs (4x4, 8x8, 16x16, and 20x20) with 50-GHz, 100-GHz, and 200-GHz ITU grid spacing-for both C- and L-bands-is also available.Global Opticom, Sunnyvale, CA
Protocol-agile bandwidth manager
With multiple network element and multiprotocol capabilities, CityStream eliminates the need for separate SONET add/drop multiplexers, digital crossconnect systems, ATM edge switches, and IP routers. It supports data, voice, and video traffic over optical networks with a nonblocking core switching fabric that scales from 100 Gbits/sec. As a single network element designed for metro applications, it is designed to improve bandwidth efficiency. Independent test labs and third-party suppliers validate a blackplane bandwidth capability of 820 Gbits/sec.
Metro-Optix Inc., Allen, TX
VOA demultiplexer
The LightWeaver VOA demultiplexer consists of 40 thermo-optic variable optical attenuators and one arrayed-waveguide-grating demultiplexer. Replacing 79 or more discrete optical elements, this device has total channel isolation required for demultiplexing applications.
Lightwave Microsystems, San Jose, CA
Switching subsystem
The Photon 16x16 is an all-optical switching subsystem that uses the company's planar lightwave circuit technology. With 16 input ports and 16 output ports, this solid-state switch allows system developers to deliver "network aware" switched optical networks. Features include built-in variable optical attenuation for flexible power management, multicasting/broadcasting to support new applications and carrier services, and a sophisticated high-level control and status command language system.
Lynx Photonic Networks Inc., Calabasas Hills, CA
Pre-amplifier gain blocks
Featuring compact size and low power consumption, the EOA-U series of compact pre-amplifier gain blocks are designed for single-channel amplification in metro or long-haul links as well as for signal loss compensation at add/drop nodes. They are available in the C- and L-bands and are designed to accommodate a large dynamic input power range while preserving good gain flatness and low noise figure.
MPB Communications Inc., Pointe-Claire, Canada
980-/1,550-nm WDMDura WDM is ultra-low insertion-loss 980-/ 1,550-nm WDM for optical amplifiers. The product provides significant performance gains over typical optical fused fiber WDMs. Typical WDMs have optical loss figures in the 0.2- to 0.3-dB range. Dura WDM features low insertion loss of <0.1 dB for both the pump channel and the signal channel. Features also include ultra-low PDL, low PMD, and high power handling (>3 W). Operation is over the entire optical C- or L-band, and the components measure 45 mm in length.Oplink Communications Inc., San Jose
Add/drop multiplexer
This Mach-Zehnder-based 50-GHz optical add/drop multiplexer combines twin-core fiber and photo-imprinted Bragg grating technologies. Available in standard or premium models, the units have a wavelength range of 1,530-1,565 nm. The standard size measures 7x7x106 mm3, and the premium model measures13x80x106 mm3. This OADM is bidirectional and fully symmetric.
HighWave Optical Technologies, Cedex, France
Optical flex circuitThe Optical Shuffle offers a custom solution to dense fiber routing with its next-generation optical flex circuit used in routers, switches, and optical-networking systems. The complex fiber routings are compacted into a 4x0.2-inch diameter package, and fiber counts scale to >192 fibers. They are available with or without connectors and with input/output legs of any length and configuration.Schott Communications Technologies Inc., Southbridge, MA
Transmitter/receiver module
The HRFB-712BP transmitter and HFBR-722BP receiver modules are surface-mount-compatible parallel optic modules with industry-standard fiber-optic cables and connectors. They deliver an aggregate throughput of 30 Gbits/sec, while using only 38 mm of the long dimension of printed circuit boards.
Agilent Technologies Inc., Semiconductor Products Group, San Jose
C- and L-band amplifier
The gain-locking EDFA FAW-153-B is a benchtop C- and L-band fiber amplifier. It is designed to fix the gain at a given value, regardless of input power, and keep the gain constant at a 32-channel DWDM system, even if 31 out of 32 channels are dropped (corresponding to a 15-dB dynamic range). It has a flat gain within ±0.3 dB from 1,530 to 1,610 nm over its 15-dB dynamic range. Its gain-locking accuracy is within 1 dB, with a response time smaller than 1 msec.
INO, Sainte-Foy, Quebec
LiNbO3 modulator
This OC-192 LiNbO3 modulator is designed for long-haul and ultra-long-haul DWDM applications. It has low radio-frequency drive voltage and high extinction ratio and can be integrated with forward-error-correction, return-to-zero, variable-optical-attenuator, and fixed-chirp operations. It works in the 1,550-nm wavelength and fits into a three-inch package.
Aeroflex Trilink Corp., Baldwin Park, CA
Fiber connector cleaner The CLETOP-S optical-fiber connector cleaner is a cassette-type cleaner and replacement tape with the capability to clean multifiber connectors with replaceable rubber pads under the tape. Both cassette and tape cartridge are made of antistatic material to decrease the generation of static electricity. New replacement tapes are made of plain fabrics, which are effective for 1.25-ferrule and multifiber pin connectors.NTT-ME Corp., Toshimaku, Tokyo
PLC splitterThis planar lightwave circuit splitter is compact, features high reliability (Telecordia GR-1209-CORE and GR-1221-CORE equivalency), is suitable for ATM PON applications, has a wide operating temperature range (40-75°C), and operates between 1,310-nm (±30) and 1,550-nm (± 60) spectra.Showa Electric Wire and Cable Co. Ltd., Minato-ku, Tokyo
Optical multiplexers/demultiplexers The Chromatica series of high-channel-number optical multiplexers/demultiplexers is based on the company's VPG technology and features compact 16-, 32-, and 40-channel DWDM modules designed and manufactured for OEM integration. These 100-GHz and 50-GHz channel-spacing multiplexers/demultiplexers feature low insertion loss, low PDL, wide passband, good channel-to-channel insertion-loss uniformity, high channel isolation, and low manufacturing cost. They are volume producible, metro-network sensitive, and Bellcore ready. Typical insertion loss is 3 dB.BaySpec Inc., Fremont, CA
Ceramic fiber array
These multichannel ceramic arrays are applicable for fiber arrays and micro-lens arrays in various DWDM optical modules and components. Hole diameter and the size of the arrays can be customized to fit customer needs, and materials can be chosen from ZrO2, SiO2, and AI2O3. Products are produced in different shapes: cylindrical, box, and matrix.
Kohoku Kogyo Co. Ltd., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Test fixture
The ButterflyNet test fixture was designed for life test, burn-in, and characterization of laser-diode butterfly packaged de vices. It provides a repeatable thermal contact between fixture and device, ensuring thermal transfer/uniformity. It does not require bolting the package down; users insert for quick and easy release of up to 16 devices per "net." The product is compatible with standard 14-pin butterfly and custom butterfly packages.
Racal Instruments Inc., Irvine, CA
Epoxy dispenser
The 1500XL dispenser applies epoxies and UV-cure adhesives with greater accuracy and control than hand syringes and other manual applications, according to the company. This dispenser is designed to give fiber-optic manufacturers higher yields with fewer rejects and greater process controls. By using microprocessor-based circuitry to determine the amount of material applied, the product removes variability from dispensing processes and assures the correct amount of adhesive is applied. The product uses a precisely timed air pulse to apply adhesive in consistent amounts.
EFD Inc., East Providence, RI
Simulation software
Artifex 4.4 software is designed to provide a modeling and simulation environment supporting the design and validation of network technologies such as all-optical networks, standard and emerging protocols, switching equipment and architectures, and protection and restoration themes. Features include a new graphic interface, improved management of simulation parameters, and library extension with inclusion of various block/protocols.
Artis Software, San Jose