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THREE COMPANIES DEFINE MSA FOR ELECTRO-ABSORPTION TECHNOLOGY
Electro-absorption technology is used in electro-absorption
modulators, electro-absorption modulator lasers, and other
compact products. EA technology helps reduce power consumption
and allows tighter integration within system cards because
of its high bandwidth and low drive voltage. Alcatel Optronics
(Paris, France), CyOptics (Waltham, MA), and Oki Electric
Industry Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) have announced their intentions
to define a multi-source agreement (MSA) for 40 Gb/s electro-absorption
(EA) modulator-based products. Defining the MSA will consist
of multiple phases. The companies expect the first phase -
covering pin-out and footprint standardization - to be completed
by year-end. Standardization of the performance specification
(phase two) will immediately follow. The three companies will
independently develop and market products based on this standard.
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TECHNOLOGY OF THE MONTH
Optical processors, light valves, and a variety of other
optical devices use linearly polarized light. Linearly polarized
light, or plane-polarized light, refers to light with its
electric field lying entirely within one plane. Two methods
are used to produce polarized light: reflection and absorption.
By using a polarizing beam splitter, the light consisting
of the second polarization state deflects away from the primary
optical path and allows it to dissipate. Employing a polarizing
sheet causes the energy of one of the polarization states
To be absorbed. Both of these methods cause an energy loss
totaling almost half of the initial light source.
This technology employs a method of polarization recombination
to increase the efficiency in the conversion of non-polarized
light into polarized light. Combining a collimating lens with
a half wave plate, a polarizing beam splitter, and imaging
optics forms a simple optical system that recovers energy
normally discarded during conversion. This technology enables
increased performance - increased brightness of projected
images - of large projection systems, without the corresponding
increase in size and cost.
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The Technology of the Month describes inventions offered
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$2.5 billion of licensable technologies at http://www.nasatech.com/techsearch
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WORKSTATION IMPROVES YIELD AND LOWERS MANUFACTURING COSTS
Developed in conjunction with photonics component manufacturers,
EXFO
Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. has launched the ProAlign™
5000 Component Assembly Workstation. This semi-automated assembly
workstation for array-type devices is designed to increase
yield, product quality and throughput thereby lowering the
cost of manufacturing complex photonics components. Applications
include one-sided, two-sided and right-angled planar lightwave
circuits (PLCs); optical switches; pitch converters; transceivers;
echelle gratings and arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs); and
devices with 90-degree as well as angled faces.
The ProAlign 5000 system includes automated first-light detection
(patent pending) and incorporates a single six-axis NanoRobot
unit - used to move the device being assembled. Other features
are machine vision using motorized optics and force sensors
for absolute determination of part separation.
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STARTUP ADDRESSES SOE PRODUCTION OBSTACLES
Many researchers have considered Nano-optics, or the use
of subwavelength optical elements (SOEs), as an area with
great commercial potential, according to a representative
of NanoOpto
Corporation, a New Jersey-based startup. The obstacle
has been producing subwavelength optical elements (SOEs) using
a cost effective, scalable, and high-speed fabrication process.
NanoOpto asserts that their nano-manufacturing technologies,
which include a proprietary nano-imprint lithography technique,
are the first to successfully address these issues.
The company plans to use subwavelength techniques in order
to develop new classes of integrated components and manufacture
better traditional optical components. In fact, the company
recently announced the availability of samples for the first
three members of its polarization management family of optical
subcomponents: the NanoWave Polarizer, the NanoWave Polarization
Beam Splitter, and the NanoWave Polarization Beam Combiner.
These devices are suitable for fiber amplifier, isolator,
circulator, optical switch, and general optical processing
applications that require light polarization.
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