Marconi Optical Components Announces an Innovative Wideband Tunable Laser

Marconi Optical Components (MOC) announces a radically new wideband tunable laser, with improved tuning characteristics that enables real-time wavelength reconfiguration and higher reliability than conventional four-section DBR lasers.

The new Digital Supermode - Distributed Bragg Reflector (DS-DBR) InP laser marks a breakthrough in the development of tunable lasers. This innovation provides high power, full ITU C-band coverage.

The benefit of the MOC approach manifests itself in two significant ways. First, the characterization, set up and control of the device is greatly simplified. The operation of the front section reduces the tuning map of the device to effectively only two dimensions: a tuning current and a phase current. Second, the output power and tuning uniformity of the device are also greatly improved, eliminating the need for additional costly, power-hungry Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers sections. Only a short grating at the front has to be excited so there is very little induced optical loss when the Supermode is selected, or when the device is tuned.

"The DS-DBR is a significant addition to the range of new technologies that we have announced to-date. It enhances the family of differentiated solutions that we are bringing to market," said Dr David Parker, Marconi Optical Components, President and CEO. "It is consistent with our philosophy of innovation for both performance and the ability to scale in manufacturing."

MOC will further enhance its family of transmitter products by integrating the DS-DBR laser. These will provide equipment manufacturers with wideband tunable 10G and 40G subsystems at less than one third the size of discrete optical assemblies and will eliminate the need for costly fiber splicing.

"This is a world first in tunable transmitter subsystems," said Carla Feldman, Marconi Optical Components, Executive VP Sales and Marketing. "The new laser, combined with MOC s unique GaAs modulation architecture, will provide telecoms manufacturers with unrivalled performance, real-time reconfigurability and power uniformity. Business benefits will include much simpler inventory management and the simplification of card level assembly set-up and control."

MOC will be shipping products incorporating the DS-DBR laser in volume by mid 2002.

Note to editors: The DS-DBR device has all the advantages of monolithic fabrication - low cost, proven scalable manufacturing processes and high power - with a simple, pseudo digital, tuning mechanism. This has been achieved by designing a new grating configuration which can effectively be turned on by the application of current. In the new device, several such invisible gratings covering different wavelength bands are included in the front of the device. The rear grating in the laser is based on a novel multi-phase shift comb reflector, which reflects at a discrete number of wavelengths, with very high finesse and uniformity. Coarse tuning - to a desired supermode or band of wavelengths - is achieved digitally by exciting a particular front grating. Fine tuning -to give complete coverage -is achieved by tuning the rear grating. The fabrication steps and processes used in the device are all industry standard, which MOC believe will result in high reliability and rapid product qualification.

About Marconi Optical Components Marconi Optical Components (MOC) is an independent business unit within Marconi that focuses on providing an advanced portfolio of photonic components and module solutions to network builders. Launched in March 2001 , Marconi Optical components has the pace and edge of a start-up operation but the credibility, technology portfolio and operational infrastructure of an established player.

Marconi Optical Components brings together unique capabilities in materials sciences and the design and development of optical components, which will be supported by expanded production capacity for optical amplifiers and active optical devices.

Additional information about Marconi Optical Components can be found at www.moc.marconi.com.

About Marconi plc Marconi plc has research and development facilities in 19 countries, manufacturing operations in 16 countries, and serves customers in over 100 countries. Marconi delivers innovative solutions that transform communications networks. Marconi plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange Nasdaq under the symbol MONI.

This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to products, partners, customers, future growth and other matters. Please refer to the Form 20-F report and Form 6-K reports filed by Marconi plc with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements.