BREINIGSVILLE, Pa. -- Agere Systems, formerly known as the MicroelectronicsGroup of Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU), today announced a small-form-factorpolarization controller that can be used by system manufacturers to helpreduce distortion caused by polarization changes in high-speed opticalnetworking systems.Developed using lithium niobate technology, Agere's polarization controlleris intended for use in a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensator,which maintains a specific polarization of light as a signal travels acrosssingle-mode fiber in high-speed, 10- and 40-gigabit-per-second (Gbit/s)optical networks. The controller is targeted for use in high-speedlong-haul applications and can change polarization modes in real time duringoptical transmission.

"Maintaining the correct polarization is critical in 10- and40-gigabit-per-second systems, since high-speed data transmissions are verysensitive to light's polarization," explained Doug Herr, technical managerfor Agere Systems. "Agere's polarization controller is an electro-opticsolution for changing the polarization mode, offering a faster response timeand smaller size than other mechanical-based polarization controllers."

http://www.lucent.com/micro/