CyOptics Makes Zia's InP Wafers

WALTHAM, Mass. -- CyOptics Inc., a leading provider of Indium Phosphide based active optical components, announced today that it has signed an agreement to provide Indium Phosphide foundry services to Zia Laser. According to the agreement, CyOptics will collaborate with Zia Laser to develop the processes required to productize 1550nm Tunable Gain lasers and 1310nm uncooled lasers based on Quantum Dot technology. Zia Laser will sell to CyOptics 1310nm lasers. The first 1310nm devices are scheduled to be completed and packaged by the end of this year. CyOptics opened its new, ISO 9001 certified InP wafer fab in February of this year. The fab, that includes two MOCVD machines, and full wafer growth and regrowth equipment, produces CyOptics 10Gbps electro-absorption modulated lasers (EML's), as well as 10 and 40Gbps electro-absorption modulators (EAM's) and detectors. Quantum Dot lasers are highly temperature insensitive, have a broad gain spectrum, and ultra low linewidth. Using a combination of these properties, Zia is developing a family of laser products to reduce network cost per bit. The first of these products, a 1550nm Tunable Gain Chip (TGC), is designed as the heart of a tunable external cavity laser system. The 1550 TGC offers efficient lasing over a tuning range that includes the S, C and L bands, provides a gain spectrum at 80% less current density, a flatter bias control across the band, and increased slope efficiency. The second product is the 1310 un-cooled DFB, which provides up to 10Gbps operation with 5mW of output power. This allows component and module designers the ability to create next generation products capable of distances up to 80 km without the need for coolers or isolators, thus simplifying and reducing packaging costs. "Zia Laser is bringing a fabless business model to the optical components industry" noted Tom Brennan, CEO of Zia Laser. He added, "This model enables us to leverage our financial resources, and gives us access to industry leading manufacturing facilities and expertise. The CyOptics combination of state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional process technology will enable us to rapidly bring breakthrough products to market". Under the terms of the agreement, CyOptics will develop the specific technologies required to manufacture Quantum Dot based lasers, fabricate the Indium Phosphide wafers, and package laser samples. CyOptics Inc. Zia Laser Inc.