Telephotonics unveils OASIC architecture
Marketed under the umbrella name OASIC (Optical Application Specific Integrated Circuit) the first 2 product families to be released are a family of Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA) arrays, and a family of Optical Channel Monitor (OCM) arrays.
According to William Giudice, Telephotonics President and CEO, "Early customer feedback has been extremely positive. We have learned that our device functionality and cost models will enable the development of Metro products that were previously cost-prohibitive."
Telephotonics' OASIC architecture is a powerful breakthrough technology that substantially reduces the cost while significantly increasing the functionality of DWDM optical subsystems for the Metro market.
"The current optical landscape is filled with discrete, expensive, single-function components, much like the transistors and diodes of 1960's semiconductors. Our technology slashes the cost of optical componentry by implementing highly integrated, tunable optical circuits on a single substrate using a proven very low-cost high yield manufacturing process," according to Louay Eldada, Co-founder and CTO of Telephotonics.
"We've taken a look at some OASIC samples and we are impressed with the overall progress and performance, notes Jerry Hutchison, Director of Optical Networking, Astral Point Communications Inc. "We are very excited about the prospect of significant cost reductions achieved by integrating several functions into one chip. Cost reduction is needed to expand the Metro-Optical market and the
Telephotonics approach promises to have a significant impact on cost."
ASIC Product Description
Telephotonics' innovation integrates multiple optical elements that were previously available only as single, discrete components. This allows customers to compress the equivalent of a component rack onto a single chip.
The OASIC fabrication process utilizes standard lithography to imprint a wide variety of passive optical elements onto our integration platform material in a single fabrication step. Elements such as tunable filters, taps, attenuators, switches, etc. are combined to form high-level integrated optics.
Telephotonics' initial product offering: a family of VOA arrays and OCM arrays are created from the library of passive optical elements that include magneto-optic, electro-optic, and thermo-optic functions.
The advantages of Telephotonics' optical components include:
- Cost-efficient– OASIC Wafer processing time is less than 1 shift. Yields are much better than competing technologies. This provides our customers with predictable deliveries of highly integrated cost-effective optical components
- Process easily scales to mass production – Very high yields and very short fabrication times enable a clear path for scaling to high volume. The current Telephotonics facility can produce >1000 6" wafers per week.
- Highly Tunable, Low Power Consumption – The properties of the material enables highly tunable components that require a tiny fraction of the power required by alternative technologies.
- No Truck Roll – Telephotonics tunable components enable dynamic remote provisioning allowing service providers to optimize services and costs.
Proof
An example of the Telephotonics advantage is their newly released 16-Channel VOA array. This device requires 1/10th the power and is 1/4th the cost of conventional technologies. According to John Butler, Managing Director, SG Cowen Securities, "Telephotonics' OASIC solutions have introduced Disruptive Economics into the DWDM component market."
About Telephotonics
Telephotonics designs and manufactures optical components for the DWDM market and other segments of the global telecommunications and data communications optical networking markets. Telephotonics' family of tunable optical components is based on our proprietary disruptive architecture that will help accelerate the deployment of DWDM systems into the Metro market.
Telephotonics' DWDM components and Integrated hybrid optical devices allow service providers to greatly increase the information carrying capacity of existing fiber at significantly lower cost than conventional DWDM components.
Telephotonics was founded in March 2000 and currently occupies a 23,000 square foot building, which houses their headquarters and wafer manufacturing facility. Telephotonics is located in the Fordham Industrial Park in Wilmington, Massachusetts at 100 Fordham Road. Visit their website at http://www.telephotonics.com/