ANADIGICS Rate-Agile Optical Receiver Solution Enables Fast, Reliable, and Scalable High-Speed Fibre Channel Networks

Source: Anadigics, Inc

Stratos Lightwave selects breakthrough product for use in their small form factor transceivers for storage area networks

WARREN, N.J. ANADIGICS (Nasdaq: ANAD - news), a leading supplier of wireless and broadband communications solutions, today introduced a new rate-agile optical receiver solution and announced that Stratos Lightwave, Inc. has selected the product for use in its small form factor (SFF) transceivers for storage area networks (SANs).

The AMT8301T46F/L offers the unique flexibility to operate at both 1X and 2X Fibre Channel data rates using one high performance solution, enabling network designers to easily scale up capacity in SANs.

``This design win at Stratos represents a significant revenue opportunity for ANADIGICS beginning in the fourth quarter of 2000, remarks Dr. Bami Bastani, President & CEO of ANADIGICS. ``ANADIGICS has developed this rate-agile solution to enable system designers to upgrade capacity without costly hardware replacement. We are pleased to announce that Stratos has selected our rate-agile product, and we believe that this solution will continue to be adopted by several of the major manufacturers of high-speed datacom transceivers.

``Demand for bandwidth continues to double each year and scalability has become a major concern for the providers of high-speed datacom networks, remarks Jim McGinley, President and CEO of Stratos Lightwave, Inc. ``ANADIGICS new rate-agile MSM-TIA delivers optimized sensitivity without sacrificing bandwidth, enabling us to provide a scalable solution that delivers superior performance for both 1X and 2X Fibre Channel systems.

ANADIGICS was able to design this innovative MSM-TIA (integrated photodetector and transimpedance amplifier) by leveraging its LPIII manufacturing process, a newly designed MESFET process that includes MSM photodiodes. The new LPIII process allows high performance circuits to be designed to operate at low voltages with low power dissipation. As a result, the parts demonstrate industry-leading sensitivity of better than -19 dBm over voltage and temperature at 1.0625 and 2.125 Gb/s data rates at a supply voltage of 3.3V with less than 45 mW power dissipation.

``Enabling current and next-generation Fiber Channel applications requires interconnect components with excellent performance, high reliability, and easy scalability in order to achieve maximum throughput, explains Phil Wallace, Vice President of Fiber Communication Products at ANADIGICS. ``By optimizing the bandwidth, maximizing gain, and minimizing the receiver noise, this new MSM-TIA enables our customers to install these receivers in either 1X or 2X Fibre Channel applications without any trade-off in sensitivity or overall performance.

Operating from +3.3-VDC, they feature an integrated 850nm MSM detector and TIA. In order to support the coupling requirements of various transceiver designs, current housing options include either TO-46 ultra-flat window or ball lens packaging. A TO-56 package, well suited for use in SFF modules, will also be available in the future.

The devices are manufactured at the Company s state-of-the-art facility in New Jersey and are 100% tested before shipping. The AMT8301T46F/L is priced at $15.50 in quantities of 1,000 pieces. Samples are available. For additional information, contact ANADIGICS by phone (908) 668-5000 or FAX (908) 668-5132.

About Stratos Lightwave:

Stratos Lightwave, Inc. (NASDAQ: STLW - news) develops, manufactures and sells optical subsystems and components for high data rate networking, data storage, and telecommunications applications. These optical subsystems are used in local area networks (LANs), storage area networks (SANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), and central office networking in the telecommunications market. The company also designs, manufactures, and sells a full line of optical components and cable assemblies for use in these networks. Stratos Lightwave, Inc. is a subsidiary of Methode Electronics, Inc.

ANADIGICS (NASDAQ: ANAD - news) designs and manufactures radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) solutions for growing broadband and wireless communications markets. The Company s innovative high frequency RFICs enable manufacturers of communications equipment to enhance overall system performance, and reduce manufacturing cost and time to market. By utilizing state-of-the-art manufacturing processes for its RFICs, ANADIGICS achieves the high-volume and cost-effective products required by leading companies in its targeted high-growth communications markets. ANADIGICS was the first GaAs IC manufacturer to receive ISO 9001 certification. For more information on ANADIGICS, visit the Company s Web site at www.anadigics.com

Except for historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, order rescheduling or cancellation, changes in estimated product lives, timely product and process development, individual product pricing pressure, variation in production yield, difficulties in obtaining components and assembly services needed for production of integrated circuits, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company and its customers serve, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in the Company s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as the Company ``believes , ``anticipates , ``expects , or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe the Company s future plans, objectives, estimates, or goals are forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Press: Richartz Fliss Clark & Pope Debra Norman/Allan Fliss, 973/627-8180 E-mail: norman@rfcp.com or ANADIGICS, Inc. Tim Blanke, 908/668-5000 E-mail: tblanke@anadigics.com Investor Relations: Tom Shields, Chief Financial Officer, 908/668-5000 E-mail: tshields@anadigics.com Rich Hantke, Director, Investor Relations, 908/668-5000 E-mail: rhantke@anadigics.com