MILPITAS, Calif. -- Lightwaves2020, an innovative leader in the design and manufacture of fiber optic components, introduces a Normal-Off Liquid Crystal (LC)-based Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA). This newest addition to its extensive line of intelligent VOAs fills a critical gap in the marketplace by enabling the VOA to play a preventive role in optical network protection. High attenuation is achieved when no driving voltage is applied, providing channel blocking and automatic system turn-on protection. This differs from typical normal-on VOAs where the light signal passes through unimpeded when in the off state, leaving system components vulnerable to overshooting.

"Think about what would happen if, when your optical system administrator turned on the system, the power level were too high and the VOA control board were not responding," says Ms. Joy Jiang, Senior Application Engineer for Lightwaves2020. "In that case the signal would pass directly through the normal-on VOA, potentially damaging critical system components. You would then be forced to pay the cost of replacing damaged equipment. This is not an attractive scenario in today's cost sensitive market and is the reason why we have developed the Normal-Off LC-based VOA."

Another unique feature of this VOA, according to Ms. Jiang, is that it is integrated with an LC-based fixed waveplate for flipping the attenuation relative to the driving voltage, which guarantees phase match-up throughout the temperature range. Attenuation also increases monotonically through the attenuation range when voltage is applied. This is due to the special alignment of the two waveplates, which is achieved through Lightwaves2020's stringent and proprietary manufacturing process control.

The Normal-Off VOA also requires a driving voltage of only 0-10 V peak-to-peak square wave, which is half the voltage typically required by normal-on VOAs. This further increases the attractiveness of the LC approach by reducing power consumption costs.

Just like Lightwaves2020's other LC VOAs, the Normal-Off LC-based VOA exhibits a low Polarization Dependent Loss (PDL) and minimal Wavelength Dependent Attenuation (WDL).

The Normal-Off VOA includes a driver designed by Lightwaves2020, eliminating the need for customers to expend internal time and resources developing their own drivers.

Lightwaves2020 Inc.