Technical Insight
Bandwidth9 adds capacity and collaborates with Corning (Fiber News)
Tunable laser manufacturer Bandwidth9 has acquired a fourth MBE reactor, providing a total production capacity exceeding 100 000 die per month. The company uses a patented MBE process to grow tunable laser structures on 2 inch GaAs wafers, and is able to fabricate lasers and modulators in a single monolithic structure. Bandwidth9 is sampling prototypes of its first product, MetroFlex, an OC-48 transmitter subsystem that is tunable across over 40 wavelengths in the 1550 1600 nm band (see Compound Semiconductor June 2001, p49). "In addition to perfecting our tunable laser technology, Bandwidth9 s other key goal is to build a world-class, high-volume manufacturing capacity," said Hatch Graham, chairman and CEO of Bandwidth9. "Our vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities allow us to make and assemble complete optical subsystems in-house, reducing costs and shortening our customers time to market." In a further move, Bandwidth9 and Corning have announced a collaboration to explore the combination of Corning s MetroCore optical fiber and Bandwidth9 s MetroFlex module. The companies claim that initial test results show that the products maintain excellent optical signal quality over metro application distances. The companies intend to continue advancing the interoperability of their products, making further test results and design information available later this year.
