Genoa ramps production of linear optical amplifier with AIXTRON InP VCSEL technology

Sept. 17, 2001

Sept. 17, 2001--AIXTRON announced that Genoa Corporation, a next-generation optical semiconductor company based in Fremont, California, has selected and installed two AIX 2000 Planetary Reactors for use in the production of its recently launched linear optical amplifier.

AIXTRON announced that Genoa Corporation, a next-generation optical semiconductor company based in Fremont, California, has selected and installed two AIX 2000 Planetary Reactors for use in the production of its recently launched "linear optical amplifier" (LOA). The linear optical amplifier is a chip-based amplifier capable of simultaneously amplifying multiple wavelengths of light in fiber optic communications networks. AIXTRON's AIX 2000 Planetary Reactor is used to grow the 100-plus epitaxial layers that the device requires during its fabrication.

Genoa's LOA solves a number of problems that have precluded the use of semiconductors for amplifying light in optical networks. A critical part of the solution is the incorporation of a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser, or VCSEL, in the heart of the Indium Phosphide (InP) semiconductor chip. The AIXTRON Planetary Reactor utilizes metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) techniques to achieve epitaxial growth in semiconductor materials. According to Gold, it is ideal for the creation of VCSEL-based devices and structures because of its inherent uniformity and reproducibility.

About AIXTRON:

AIXTRON offers epitaxial systems for MOCVD, VPE and LPE from R&D-oriented systems up to large-scale Planetary Reactor production systems for up to 25x4" or 9x6' wafers. For more information, visit www.aixtron.com.