Lightwave Microsystems, recognized as a leader in the manufacture and marketing of planar waveguide circuits and integrated optical components announces the Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA) Multiplexer 100 GHz in the C and L bands. The VOA Multiplexer is the industry's newest and most powerful solution for dynamic channel equalization, balancing, and grooming. The VOA Multiplexer is remotely programmable at the transmit and add/drop ends of a DWDM network. Lightwave Microsystems demonstrates the VOA Multiplexer's capabilities at the Optical Fiber Communications Conference (OFC), booth No. 1762, Anaheim Convention Center, California.

The VOA Multiplexer is the latest addition to Lightwave's family of integrated optical components. The VOA Multiplexer consists of 40 thermo-optic VOAs and one Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) Multiplexer. This device replaces 79 or more discrete optical elements. Today most of the components sold are made from individual parts using bulk optics. Traditional components are too costly and complicated to effectively manage the unique requirements of advanced communications systems. Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) combine many individual parts together in as what is known as an Optical Integrated Circuit (OIC). The technology used is a waveguide-based Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC). Lightwave Microsystems' proprietary PLC technology is known by the tradename, LightWeaverTM.

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