16 January 2003 -- GigaTera, Zurich, Switzerland has announced the demonstration of a single laser source generating over 32 wavelengths suitable for WDM fiber-optic transmission.
GigaTera's compact pulsed laser produces a multi-wavelength optical spectrum composed of many highly stable individual optical frequencies that can be locked to the standard ITU grid.
Currently, wavelengths are generated using separate lasers that take-up racks of equipment in a telecom operator's facilities and require complex stabilization.
According to Kurt Weingarten, CTO of GigaTera, "Network operators want to add capacity and flexibility in their metro and regional optical networks. Increasing the number of optical channels on a single fibre is one the easiest ways to do this.
However they are also currently under tremendous cost pressure and need to reduce the space and operating expense of WDM systems". GigaTera's multi-wavelength platform technology fills a critical gap for cost-effective WDM transmission by providing the performance of a DFB laser but at approximately the cost per wavelength of a VCSEL.
By combining Silicon Light Machines' (division of Cypress Semiconductors) innovative MEMS-based Dynamic Gain Equaliser with GigaTera's multi-wavelength laser, the companies have also demonstrated a highly reconfigurable as well as low cost alternative for WDM transmission.
Weingarten adds "GigaTera's technology will enable what is currently done with racks of separate lasers to be condensed onto a single linecard".