Mitsubishi Electric Expands Short-Reach Performance Capability With New Low-Cost, Uncooled CWDM Distributed Feedback Laser Diodes

Uncooled Design Reduces Cost, Power Consumption, and Mounting Size

Sunnyvale, CA. The Electronic Device Group of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc., introduced a series of eight new low-cost, uncooled distributed feedback (DFB) laser diodes that are capable of increasing data communication up to speeds of 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) in metropolitan area networks. The uncooled design allows these new coarse wavelength divisional multiplexing (CWDM) laser diodes to operate without the need for a temperature-control apparatus, resulting in devices that cost less, consume less power, and have a smaller mounting size than cooled devices.

Traditionally, short-reach applications in the 1530- to 1565-nm range (C-band) have used dense wavelength divisional multiplexing (DWDM) laser diodes. DWDM devices require cooling elements to deliver stable wavelength performance. Since the market demands of Ethernet applications have become increasingly cost sensitive, Mitsubishi Electric developed uncooled CWDM devices that offer a 20-nm interval wavelength spacing throughout the 1470- to 1610-nm range, making DWDM devices unnecessary for short-reach applications. With the new CWDM DFB laser diodes, customers can achieve 10-Gbps performance by multiplexing eight wavelengths, each with a 1.25-Gbps data transmission rate, spaced at 20-nm intervals throughout the 1470- to 1610-nm range. Mitsubishi Electric has adopted a standard, low-cost CAN package for each of the devices.

"With this new series of diodes, Mitsubishi Electric is bringing long- and intermediate-reach performance to the short-reach market at a lower cost compared to DWDM devices," said Daniel Chen, assistant vice president of optoelectronic and high-frequency products at Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc. "We are seeing increased customer demand for greater performance from Ethernet and short-reach communications networks at a lower cost requirement. This suite of products meets this market demand on all fronts, with high performance, low cost, reduced power consumption, and small size."

The device families are manufactured in an indium gallium arsenide phosphate technology, using a multiple quantum well active layer and a selective growth buried hetero structure facet that is fabricated in a metal oxide chemical vapor deposition process technology.

The new ML9XX11 is a series of three DFB laser diodes operating in C-band wavelengths of 1510 nm, 1530 nm, and 1550 nm. The new ML9XX16 is a series of two DFB laser diodes operating in S-band wavelengths of 1470 nm and 1490 nm. The ML9XX22 series of three DFB laser diodes cover the L-band wavelengths of 1570 nm, 1590 nm, and 1610 nm. Data transmission rates vary from a maximum of 1.25 Gbps when using one laser diode to a maximum of 10 Gbps when multiplexing eight laser diodes throughout the entire 1470- to 1610-nm range.

Operating in a wide temperature range of 0 to 85 degrees Celsius, the ML9XX11, ML9XX16, and ML9XX22 feature a low typical threshold current of 10 milliamps (mA), a low typical operating current of 30 mA (at 5 milliwatts of output power at 25 degrees Celsius), a high typical side-mode suppression ratio of 40 decibels, and a high-speed response time of 0.2 nanoseconds.

Availability Samples of the ML9XX11, ML9XX16, and ML9XX22 families of DFB laser diodes will be available in December 2001, with volume production scheduled for January 2002. Product numbers are as follows: · ML9XX16 - 1470nm · ML9XX16 - 1490nm · ML9XX11 - 1510nm · ML9XX11 - 1530nm · ML9XX11 - 1550nm · ML9XX22 - 1570nm · ML9XX22 - 1590nm · ML9XX22 - 1610nm # # # About Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation offers a diverse range of optoelectronic products for SDH, SONET, DWDM, data communication, FITL, as well as passive optical network systems, test and instrumentation applications, and CATV distribution. The company markets its optoelectronic products in North America through the Electronic Device Group of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and its North American affiliate, Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc. are world-class suppliers of semiconductors and electronic products for communications, industrial, Internet-enabled, automotive, and visual applications. Mitsubishi Electric combines its systems-level expertise and high-level silicon process technologies to provide chip, chipset and system-on-chip solutions. The company is ranked among the top-tier worldwide semiconductor suppliers and offers an extensive range of semiconductor and computer system components for the North American marketplace, including DRAM, flash, SRAM, ASIC, ASSP, MCU, microwave/RF, and optoelectronic devices.

Additional information on the Mitsubishi Electric Semiconductor Group is available at http://www.mitsubishichips.com/.

Trademark Information Mitsubishi and the Mitsubishi logo are registered trademarks of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in the U.S.A., Japan, and other countries.

Contact: Positio Investor & Public Relations Dave Richardson Tel: (650) 815-1006, Ext. 108 dave@positiopr.com or Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA, Inc. John Garner Tel: (408) 774-3191 garner_john@edg.mea.com