EMCORE Announces 10 Gbps oxide VCSEL, Dramatically Increasing Performance in Emerging Datacom Networks

Source: Emcore Corporation

New Device for Short Reach and Very Short Reach Applications

Somerset, NJ. EMCORE Corporation (NASDAQ: EMKR) debuted its 850 nm 10 Gbps oxide Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference in Anaheim, CA to meet emerging speed and performance requirements in data communication networks. The new device from EMCORE, which is the first 10 Gbps VCSEL on the market, is designed to work in existing optical components and is optimized for high-speed datacom over multimode fiber. EMCORE s Optical Device Division in Albuquerque, N.M., has designed the new device for optical interconnect applications under 300 meters, including Local Area Networks (LANs) such as Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel.

EMCORE commenced shipments of the 10 Gbps oxide VCSEL to fiber optic customers in December 2000 and received additional purchase orders for shipments beginning at the end of March. The 10 Gbps VCSEL features 3 dB bandwidth in excess of 10 GHz, enabling transceiver vendors to develop devices that meet 10 Gbps short-haul multimode standards. The timely availability of the 10 Gbps VCSEL light source will help catapult EMCORE s customers into the next generation of their broadband product offerings.

"EMCORE anticipates that the 10 Gbps oxide VCSEL will create significant revenue opportunities for the Company, as we have already received a strong indication of interest from our customers," said Reuben F. Richards, Jr., President and CEO. "With this new product, EMCORE provides manufacturers of next generation serial and parallel optical transceivers for Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet, OC-192, Infiniband(SM) and other markets with a device that can be easily integrated into their components."

According to recent data from Cahner s In-Stat Group, a digital communications research firm located in Newton, MA, the worldwide Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet market will reach over $24 Billion by 2004 as a result of several trends. Cahner s notes that the 10 Gigabit Ethernet is expected to migrate into the wireless area network (WAN) and become the aggregation technology of choice in network backbones.

The 10 Gbps VCSEL from EMCORE has two topside co-planar contacts to facilitate high-speed packaging. This enables component manufacturers to easily integrate the device into their transceiver modules. Its optical output power range is 1 mW typical, with a numerical aperture of the emitted beam less than .25. The 10 Gbps oxide VCSEL is highly efficient, providing a current threshold less than 1 mA, with nominal slope efficiency of .4 watts per amp.

"The OxideGuide(TM) technology used to develop these devices is the critical enabling component for achieving transmission speeds of 10 Gbps, and is an improvement over VCSELs produced using conventional ion-implanted technology, which are not capable of achieving these high data rates," said Dr. Hong Hou, Vice President of EMCORE s Optical Device Division. "Our oxide VCSELs have higher speeds, lower current thresholds and greater uniformity than conventional ion-implanted VCSELs and are the ideal source for short reach and very short reach datacom applications."

These new VCSEL products, which are available as bare die or can be built into optical subassemblies, are part of the continuing expansion of EMCORE s family of 850 nm VCSELs.

EMCORE Corporation offers a versatile portfolio of compound semiconductor products for the rapidly expanding broadband and wireless communications and solid state lighting markets. The Company s integrated solutions philosophy embodies state of the art technology, material science expertise and a shared vision of our customer s goals and objectives to be leaders and pioneers in the rapidly growing world of compound semiconductors.

EMCORE s solutions include: optical components for high speed data and telecommunications; solar cells for global satellite communications; electronic materials for high bandwidth communications systems, such as Internet access and wireless telephones; MOCVD tools for the growth of GaAs, AlGaAs, InP, InGaP, InGaAlP, InGaAsP, GaN, InGaN, AlGaN, and SiC epitaxial materials used in numerous applications, including data and telecommunications modules, cellular telephones, solar cells and high brightness LEDs. For further information about EMCORE, visit http://www.emcore.com.

The information provided herein may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 relating to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," believes," and "estimates," and variations of these words and similar expressions, identify these forward looking statements. Actual operating results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements and are subject to certain risks, including risks arising from: cancellations, rescheduling or delays in product shipments; manufacturing capacity constraints; lengthy sales and qualification cycles; difficulties in the production process; changes in semiconductor industry growth, increased competition, delays in developing and commercializing new products, and other factors described in EMCORE s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and EMCORE does not assume any obligation to update the reasons why actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

Contact: Corporate Contact: Tom Miehe Tel: 732/271-9090 Fax: 732/271-9686 Email: info@emcore.com or Press Contact: Richartz Fliss Clark & Pope, Denville, NJ Debra Norman Tel: 973/627-8180 Fax: 973/627-8410 Email: norman@rfcp.com