Optical components vendors have suffered enormous upheaval over the past few years, with the result that the competitive landscape has changed out of all recognition. Indeed, out of the four largest components vendors in 2002, only one – JDS Uniphase Corp. (Nasdaq: JDSU; Toronto: JDU) – remains active in the market today (see Could Components Rebound in 2003?).
Many factors have contributed to the changes. Here are the main ones:
The emergence of independent components suppliers, coupled with the downturn in the market, has pushed many systems houses to offload their captive components divisions.
A huge injection of venture capital in late 1999 and early 2000 gave companies the chance to explore new product ideas, but money ran out before many of these products got to market.
Over-optimistic market forecasts led components vendors to over-produce their wares, which then ended up sitting idle in warehouses, and to invest in mass-manufacturing equipment that was never needed.
Priorities have changed. Carriers have realized that "all-optical" isn't the solution to all their problems, and are now looking for a combined solution that plays to the strengths of both optics and electronics.
All this adds up to a market that's tough to keep track of, especially in terms of which companies to list as potential suppliers, and how to compare vendors in terms of price, product performance, and so on. Which components vendors are the likely winners and losers of the future?
That's where this report comes in. On the following pages, we've identified and described 36 different categories of optical components, grouped under seven headings (one per page). Each page kicks off with a brief definition of the product group and then lists the vendors that fall into each category.
Your Input
As with other Light Reading taxonomies already published (see Who Makes What: Electronic Chips), this is just a starting point. We now need you to dive in and suggest additions, corrections, and revisions to this report, which is a living document. We'll update it regularly to reflect your input.
To make suggestions, we'd prefer you use the message board, so that everyone can participate in discussions. However, if you need to keep your communications private, please send them to [email protected] and include "Who Makes What" and your company name in the subject field.Feel free to go beyond pointing to company names we may have mistakenly omitted. We're also interested in suggestions for further product categories and refinements to the category structure.
Market Perception Survey
As with the chips and equipment taxonomies, this report is Stage 1 of a project. Stage 2 will be an online market perception survey that aims to find out which vendors are considered to be market leaders in each product category.
We'll roll out the survey once we've given you plenty of time to help us ensure that this report delivers the most comprehensive taxonomy of the optical components market ever published.
Click on these hyperlinks to go directly to the section of interest:
Transceivers
10-Gig Ethernet/Fiber Channel
Mux/Demuxes
Optical Amplifiers
Switches & OADMs
Small Switches (1x2, 2x2 etc)
Matrix Switches (8x8 and above)
Signal Conditioning
Performance/Channel Monitors
Tunable Dispersion Compensators
Sub-Assembly Components
Fiber, Cables & Connectors
— Pauline Rigby, Senior Editor, Light Reading
Passive components control light in a pre-determined way; their function is fixed during manufacture and cannot be changed later. Examples are collimators, isolators, circulators, fixed attenuators, polarizers, couplers, and splitters. Simple WDMs, which combine two channels of light, usually at 1310 and 1550 nm, are also included here.
These are the simplest type of components to manufacture, and have reached commodity status.
Attenuator -- reduces the intensity of the optical signal by a fixed amount
Circulator -- a multiport device that routes one incoming optical signal from port 1 to port 2 and another signal from port 2 to port 3.Collimator -- a lens that converts light from a point source into a parallel beam
Coupler -- enables power transfer from one optical path into another
Isolator -- allows light to pass in one direction but not the other
Polarizer -- acts on light of only one polarizationSplitter -- splits the optical power from one path into two (or more) paths according to a power ratio e.g. 50:50 or 30:70
WDM (wavelength division multiplexer) -- combines or breaks apart two optical signals by wavelength, usually 1310 and 1550 nm.
Attenuators (Fixed)
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc. (AFOP)
Fiber Optic Communications Inc. (FOCI)
Hopecom Optic Communications Co. Ltd.
Senko Advanced Components
SK Opto-Electronics Inc. (SKOE)
Sun Telecommunication Co. Ltd.
Circulators
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc. (AFOP)
Fiber Optic Communications Inc. (FOCI)
Koncent Communication, Inc. (Photop)
O-Net Communications Ltd.
Oplink Copmmunications Inc.
Senko Advanced Components
Sun Telecommunication Co. Ltd.
Collimators
Fiber Optic Communications Inc. (FOCI)
Koncent Communication, Inc. (Photop)
Senko Advanced Components
Sun Telecommunication Co. Ltd.
Isolators
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
Fiber Optic Communications Inc. (FOCI)
Hopecom Optic Communications Co. Ltd.
Koncent Communication, Inc. (Photop)
LightPath Technologies Inc.
O-Net Communications Ltd.
Oplink Copmmunications Inc.
Senko Advanced Components
Sun Telecommunication Co. Ltd.
Polarization components
Splitters
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
Fiber Optic Communications Inc. (FOCI)
Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
Hi-Optel Technology Co. Ltd.
Hopecom Optic Communications Co. Ltd.
Koncent Communication, Inc. (Photop)
Oplink Copmmunications Inc.
Senko Advanced Components
SK Opto-Electronics Inc. (SKOE)
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
Sun Telecommunication Co. Ltd.
WDMs
Multiplexers/demultiplexers and interleavers combine and separate wavelengths in DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexed) systems. Vendors are divided according to technology type: thin-film filters (TFFs), Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), Arrayed Waveguide Gratings (AWGs), and bulk grating-based devices.
Thin-Film Filters
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc. (AFOP)
Fiber Optic Communications Inc. (FOCI)
Hopecom Optic Communications Co. Ltd
Hi-Optel Technology Co. Ltd.
Koncent Communication, Inc. (Photop)
O-Net Communications Ltd.
Oplink Communications Inc.
Senko Advanced Components
Sun Telecommunication Co. Ltd.
Fiber Bragg Gratings
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Southampton Photonics Inc.
Planar Waveguide (includes AWG & Echelle gratings)
Avanex Corp. (Kymata) to be aquired by Gemfire
Fiber Optic Communications Inc. (FOCI)
NTT Electronics Corp. (NEL)
Bulk Grating
Confluent Photonics (Lightchip)
Yenista Optics SA (acquired HighWave's bulk grating business)
Optical amplifiers boost the signal strength of the pulses of light as they travel down the Optical Fiber.
Even though optical fiber is incredibly low loss (around 0.2 dB/km), loss effects are cumulative, so become noticable after pulses have traveled tens or hundreds of kilometers. An amplifier placed in the middle of the link can restore the signal strength to its former level. This is called "in-line amplification". In DWDM systems, in-line amplifiers must be able to boost the strength of all the channels.
Optical signals can also get a boost just after they have left the laser, which is known as “power amplification.” A final boost may be required as the optical signals reach the detectors: Such amplification at the end of the system is called “pre-amplification.”
There are several different types of optical amplifier:
Erbium Doped-Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs)
Erbium-doped waveguide amplifiers (EDWAs)
Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs)
EDFAs
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Bookham Technologies plc.
Dowslake Microsystems Corp.
Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
Highwave Optical Technologies
Photon Technology Co. Ltd.
Red-C Optical Networking Ltd.
EDWAs
NKT Integration AS (merger of Ionas and Cilias)
SOAs
Finisar Corp. (acquired Genoa)
Raman
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
Red-C Optical Networking Ltd.
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
WaveSplitter Technologies Inc.
Archive of Related Light Reading Webinar:
Optical Amplifiers: Putting the Power Into Metro Networks
Related Light Reading Report:
Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers
This category includes all-optical switching subsystems, from 1x2 to huge multiport devices, as well as configurable optical add/drops and related components.
The list below segments the market according to technology. These technologies are described in more detail in a couple of Light Reading reports – All-Optical Switching Tutorial, Part 1 and All-Optical Switching Tutorial, Part 2. The second tutorial also matches technologies to different switching applications.
Small Switches (1x2, 2x2 etc)
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
DuPont Photonics Technologies LLC
Oplink Communications Inc.
SK Opto-Electronics (SKOE)
Matrix Switches (8x8 and above)
Advanced Optical MEMS Inc.
Chromux Technologies Inc.
DuPont Photonics Technologies LLC
Reconfigurable OADMs
Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc. (AFOP)
DuPont Photonics Technologies LLC
Wavelength Blockers
Chromux Technologies Inc.
Tunable Filters
Chromux Technologies Inc. (partnered with NP Photonics)
Oplink Communications Inc.
Related Light Reading Reports:
All-Optical Switching Tutorial, Part 1
All-Optical Switching Tutorial, Part 2
Signal conditioning components measure and adjust variables such as signal power, gain across DWDM channels, and dispersion, to keep them within set limits. Components include optical channel monitors, variable optical attenuators (VOAs), gain-flattening filters/spectral equalizers, and dispersion compensators.
Optical Channel Monitors (OCMs)
ASIP Inc. (aquired ThreeFive Photonics)
Dowslake Microsystems Corp.
DuPont Photonics Technologies Inc.
Oplink Communications Inc.
VOAs
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
Broadnet Technologies Inc.
Chromux Technologies Inc.
Dowslake Microsystems Corp.
DuPont Photonics Technologies Inc.
VMUX (integrated VOA & MUX)
DuPont Photonics Technologies Inc.
Dynamic Gain Equalizers (DGE)
Tunable Dispersion Compensators (TDC)
Accumux Technologies Inc. (bought by Oplink)
Polarisation Control
Related Light Reading Report:
Photonic Integrated Circuits
This category is composed of all the parts components vendors use to build optical subsystems like transceivers and amplifiers. This includes commodity parts such as splitters, combiners, and fixed attenuators.
Lasers (Chips & Packaged)
Agilent Technologies Inc.
Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI)
DenseLight Semiconductors Pte Inc.
Fujitsu Quantum Devices Ltd.
Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
Hi-Optel Technology Co. Ltd.
Innovative Processing AG (IPAG)
NTT Electronics Corp. (NEL)
Oki Optical Components Inc.
SK Opto-Electronics Inc. (SKOE)
TriQuint Semiconductor Inc.
VCSELs
Honeywell VCSEL Group (to be aquired by Finisar)
Modulators
Oki Optical Components Inc.
TriQuint Semiconductor Inc.
Wavelength Lockers
SpectraSensors (bought Tunable Photonics Corp.)
Detectors (Chips & Packaged)
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Agilent Technologies Inc.
Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI)
Fujitsu Quantum Devices Ltd.
Hi-Optel Technology Co. Ltd.
Innovative Processing AG (IPAG)
NTT Electronics Corp. (NEL)
Oki Optical Components Inc.
SK Opto-Electronics Inc. (SKOE)
TriQuint Semiconductor Inc.
Pump Lasers
Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
Circulators
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc.
Isolators
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc.
LightPath Technologies Inc.
Oplink Communications Inc.
O-Net Communications (ShenZhen) Ltd.
Couplers/Splitters
Alliance Fiber Optic Products Inc.
Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
Hi-Optel Technology Co. Ltd.
SK Opto-Electronics Inc. (SKOE)
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
Attenuators (Fixed)
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc.
SK Opto-Electronics Inc. (SKOE)
Polarization control
Transmission Fiber
OFS (Furukawa subsidiary, formerly Lucent)
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Company Ltd. (YOFC)
Specialty Fiber
OFS (Furukawa subsidiary, formerly Lucent)
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
Cable Assemblies & Patchcords
Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
Agilent Technologies Inc.
OFS (Furukawa subsidiary, formerly Lucent)
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
Connectors
Agilent Technologies Inc.
Photon Technology Co. Ltd.
Senko Advanced Components
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.