CorActive Erbium Doped Optical Fiber Enables Optical Amplifier (EDFA) Cost Reduction

Press release :

Quebec City, Quebec - April 1, 2003 - CorActive, an independent manufacturer of advanced specialty optical fiber products, announces general availability of a complete family of Erbium Doped optical fibers. CorActive's EDF family of erbium doped optical fibers fully cover the absorption range from 3 dB/m to over 21 dB/m at 1530 nm to address a broad range of CATV and DWDM optical amplifiers and ASE source product applications. CorActive's erbium doped fibers have been specifically designed to address the requirements of existing and next generation intelligent optical amplifiers (EDFAs) that include dynamic gain control (DGC) capabilities. High aluminum content enables a much flatter gain ensuring minimal depth Gain Flattening Filter (GFF) requirements and a resulting lower pump power for uniform gain.

Following extensive EDFA simulation and testing, it has been determined that several of CorActive's EDF fiber products exhibit substantial gain profile similarity with commercially available erbium doped fiber product offerings. This gain profile similarity enables a fast and efficient "drop in replacement" cost reduction opportunity that results in simply the EDF component of an EDFA product being replaced. No other EDFA component changes are required to complete the cost reduction program resulting in substantial engineering and design verification testing savings. The EDF component of an EDFA has typically been viewed as a single source item that cannot be cost reduced through vendor diversity. CorActive's gain profile similarity changes this component sourcing paradigm and allows EDFA manufacturers to cost reduce through vendor diversity or second sourcing.

To further support the drop in replacement cost reduction scenario, CorActive has also perfected a manufacturing process that delivers high spectral uniformity and reproducibility. The spectral uniformity of CorActive's EDF product family meets or exceeds the levels that are currently available in the industry. This added level of spectral uniformity allows CorActive customers to rest assured that they continue to cost effectively deliver high quality EDFA products for CATV and DWDM applications.

CorActive's EDF Erbium Doped optical fiber products have been in full-scale production for several years and are available immediately for sampling. Complete fiber characterization data is provided for every CorActive erbium doped optical fiber that is shipped and our optical design engineers are available to assist in obtaining optimal simulation results.

About CorActive :

CorActive is a well financed independent developer and manufacturer of advanced Specialty Optical Fiber (SOF) products for OEM customers serving the telecommunications, sensor, defense, security, industrial, medical and aerospace industries. CorActive uniquely offers a full line of standard SOF products, including erbium doped, ultra violet sensitive and attenuating optical fiber, plus custom fiber development services for specific applications. At CorActive we pride ourselves in providing technologically advanced specialty optical fiber products that uniquely enable our customers to offer superior products and services. With research & development and production facilities located in Quebec City, CorActive serves a worldwide customer base for standard and custom SOF products. For more information, call toll free (866) 845-2466 in North America or (418) 845-2466 or visit www.coractive.com.