K2 Optronics ECLs Pass Telcordia

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- K2 Optronics, Inc., a provider of lasers for the telecommunications, cable television, sensing, and test and measurement industries, announced that its EC-48 Series external cavity lasers (ECLs) have met and exceeded the reliability assurance standards outlined in the Telcordia GR-468-CORE specification. This standard calls for passage of a series of stringent benchmark tests in order to demonstrate required reliability for laser modules. K2 Optronics is the first high-volume Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)-based ECL manufacturer to announce the attainment of this significant milestone.

"This is a very important achievement for K2 Optronics, as well as for the industry itself," said John Major, Director, New Product Introduction. "Our EC-48 Series external cavity lasers deliver outstanding value. In telecommunications applications for example, these lasers provide 8 mW output power with a directly modulated reach up to 650 km, making them the only transmission lasers that combine both high power and long reach."

"Now, for the first time, K2 Optronics has demonstrated the ability to achieve high-volume manufacturing in an industry-standard, 14-pin butterfly package of an FBG-based ECL that exceeds the rigid Telcordia standard," Major said. "FBG external cavity lasers were first demonstrated many years ago and never made it to the product stage because robustness for commercial applications has always been an issue. By achieving this milestone, K2 Optronics has provided a powerful demonstration of the reliability of its packaging technology and long term operating margins for its EC-48 Series product line."

"Our external cavity lasers have been met with widespread interest across a number of industries including telecom, CATV, RF photonics, and sensing," said Raj Kapany, President and CEO. With the attainment of Telcordia qualification, our customers can be assured that the EC-48 Series product family meets the highest levels of robustness and quality, while exceeding the performance of traditional distributed feedback and electro-absorption modulated lasers. This achievement once again establishes K2 Optronics as a leader in the development and manufacturing of external cavity lasers for a wide variety of applications."

K2 Optronics Inc.