LightConnect Ships FSO AttenuatorLightConnect Ships FSO Attenuator

NEWARK, Calif. -- LIGHTCONNECT, a leading supplier of dynamic MEMS components for optical networks, today introduced an Ultra Fast Multimode Variable Optical Attenuator for Free-Space Optical (FSO) communications, with a typical response time of 30 microseconds for scintillation compensation. The new Multimode VOA builds upon LIGHTCONNECT’s successful Telcordia qualified Fast VOA 2000 and Fast VOA 4000 currently shipping in large volumes.

Free-Space Optical (FSO) communication is an optical data and voice transmission system using a laser to transmit digital signals through air instead of fiber. One of the major challenges facing FSO communication systems is scintillation or atmospheric turbulence. These fluctuations in the amplitude of the received signals are very rapid. The Fast VOA 3000 is the only Multimode VOA that can provide the necessary power level compensation at a fast enough rate to overcome the effects of scintillation, thereby allowing greater link lengths and more secure communications.

“The Fast VOA 3000 Multi mode VOA has been developed in consultation with a few leading customers in this area and has already been designed in” said Yves LeMaitre President and CEO of LIGHTCONNECT. “This is further validation of our MEMS technology as a flexible platform for building dynamic optical components and is a testimonial to the acceptance of LIGHTCONNECT as a leading supplier of MEMS solutions”.

The Fast VOA 3000 Multi mode VOA is initially being offered in C band in a Telcordia qualified package and is currently being sampled. Other versions can be developed based on customer requirements to achieve superior optical performance in such applications as laser range finding. These devices offer the most stringent optical performance and are designed for reliability, ruggedness and volume manufacturing.

LIGHTCONNECT is the fastest growing VOA supplier and is planning to further increase the capacity this quarter to satisfy the growing demand from more than fifty customers worldwide.LIGHTCONNECT will showcase the industry’s most complete optical MEMS portfolio at OFC, in Booth # 4748 where senior engineering staff and management will be available for discussions.

LightConnect Inc.