Cierra Enhances Component Production

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- Cierra Photonics Inc. today announced significant enhancements in fiber optic component production efficiency through greater capacity and lower costs offered by its proprietary AED III (Advanced Energetic Deposition) process. AED III is a unique thin-film deposition technology that enables rapid, high uniformity optical coatings to be grown on wafers with industry-leading loss characteristics. "The increased capacity and performance enabled by the AED III process puts Cierra Photonics in a strong position to increase production volumes while developing new products and exploring new markets, which is essential in today's industry environment," Mike Scobey, Cierra's president and chief technology officer, said. "Our ability to increase production volumes without additional capital investment in equipment provides customers with a strategic advantage in per unit cost." Cierra Chairman and CEO Glenn Yamamoto added, "I am excited about the performance of AED III, especially in combination with our existing factory automation and our advanced robotics. Our existing and future customers will see strong positive impacts from our application of the AED III process." Scobey said the productivity and low-cost benefits of AED III are directly applicable to CMDW (Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing) and fiber-to-the-home applications, which are among the potentially most promising areas of the fiber optics communications industry in the near term. Cierra is in Booth #2534 at the 2003 Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) Conference and Exposition this week at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The exposition runs Tuesday-Thursday. Cierra Photonics Inc.