Oplink announces thin film filter products and two new four-port optical circulators
Oplink Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPLK), a designer and manufacturer of optical components and integrated optical modules, introduced a 50 gigahertz (50 GHz) thin-film filter (TFF) based Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) product line.
The primary application for the new 50 GHz TFF-based subsystems is optical add-drop modules (OADMs) for next generation optical networks. A TFF diverts one narrow band of frequencies (one narrow range of wavelengths) within an optical add-drop module, allowing different wavelengths to be selectively routed within an optical network.
Using 50-GHz filters, Oplink can build OADMs that selectively add or drop a data channel from a multiplexed stream of narrowly spaced channels that differ in length by only 0.4 nanometers (0.4 nm).
Oplink's 50-GHz TFF based OADMs offer a wide pass-band, with high isolation of neighboring channels, and excellent stability. The wide-but-sharp passband ensures selection of only desired wavelength and near-total filtering of neighboring wavelengths, eliminating optical "cross-talk" from neighboring wavelengths.
Simultaneous with the introduction of its new 50-GHz technology, Oplink also today announced improved 100-GHz TFFs and increased in-house TFF-processing capability. Vertical integration of TFF-processes at Oplink manufacturing facilities will allow the company to fine-tune thin film deposition processes, monitor quality, and control turnaround times for integrated modules and subsystems.
In-house capability for volume processing and production of various TFFs means that Oplink can offer customers a wide range of choices in the development of next-generation equipment for optical networks. Oplink can currently fabricate a variety of TFFs for various applications, including narrowband filters for DWDM, CWDM, band separators and amplifier applications.
Oplink components can be customized to meet special application requirements. Product samples of 50-GHz filters will be available in the second quarter of this year with volume production to customer requirements scheduled to begin in the second half of this year. 100-GHz filters are available now.
The company also introduced two new four-port closed circulators that provide dispersion compensation in bi-directional long haul, ultra long haul and ultra high data rate.
Oplink�s four port closed loop optical circulator, combined with fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) is especially useful for dispersion compensation in bi-directional long haul, ultra long-haul and ultra high data rate optical systems. Oplink�s four-port open optical circulator is useful in the design of optical amplifiers.
Oplink has been shipping three-port circulators in quantity. The addition of the four-port circulators allows Oplink to serve the requirements of additional optical applications. The discrete elements in the four-port circulators are packaged to provide an epoxy-free path for the light signals, which minimizes insertion losses and simplifies the design of optical networks. The circulator package features a compact, rugged design, providing high reliability and stability. The most important characteristics of the circulators are low insertion loss, high isolation, high stability and high reliability.
About Oplink Communications:
Oplink designs, manufactures and markets fiber optic networking components and integrated optical modules that expand optical bandwidth, amplify optical signals, monitor and protect wavelength performance and redirect light signals within an optical network. For more information, visit www.oplink.com.