JDS Uniphase to Purchase Facility for MEMS Expansion

NEPEAN, ONTARIO and SAN JOSE, CA, June 14 -- JDS Uniphase Corporation has announced an agreement to purchase a 177,000-square-foot building in Research Triangle Park, NC, for expansion of its Cronos MEMS manufacturing operations. The building previously housed a Motorola semiconductor facility.

"MEMS technology is a key strategic resource for JDS Uniphase and our customers," said Charles J. Abbe, president and COO of JDS Uniphase. "This expansion -- less than two months after our acquisition of Cronos -- demonstrates our commitment to this technology."

MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) devices are mechanically controllable silicon microstructures that can be used to switch, attenuate, tune, or otherwise control light. The manufacturing processes are based on well-established techniques used by the semiconductor industry. For many design applications, MEMS devices are believed to occupy less space and consume less power than traditional electrical and electromechanical components, and are less costly to produce in large volumes. MEMS are expected to play a key role in a variety of future-generation optical components, such as optical switches, attenuators, gain equalizers, dispersion compensators, and programmable add/drop modules.

Cronos expects to complete the transaction and occupy the new facility within the next two months, and to start production there during the second calendar quarter of 2001.

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