SPI Announces L-Band Amp

SOUTHAMPTON, U.K. -- SPI today announced its intention to enter the L-Band fiber amplifier market using its patented GTWave(TM) fiber to achieve radical cost savings, typically 50% or better depending on the application, over existing L-band amplifier technology. The L-Band (1565nm to 1605nm) is set to play an increasingly important role in upcoming WDM product releases where it offers a number of technical benefits over the C-Band (1525nm to 1565nm). Its flatter gain profile means less costly electronics for gain correction, and, being further away from zero dispersion wavelength means more dispersion and therefore lower Four Wave Mixing (FWM). These features offer carriers more system flexibility. It is predicted by RHK that by 2003 the L-Band will account for 14 percent of all gain modules (GMs). A limit to this penetration has been the cost of the amplifiers due to an increase in the required pump powers. SPI will use its patented GTWave specialty fiber to produce the L-Band GMs. GTWave uses a central doped-core signal fiber around which one pump fiber is entwined. It offers far better absorption of the pump source energy than other methods currently in use and is therefore capable of producing more efficient and higher power GMs. SPI's new CEO, Dr David Parker, who joined in April 2002 bringing 20 years' experience in exploiting optical technology with Marconi, HP and Agilent Technologies, commented, "The industry is rapidly recognizing that L-Band can offer the carriers many benefits for next-generation WDM systems and this is an excellent time for us to enter this market. Our proven GTWave technology can offer the carriers radical economics as well as pervasive powers and we fully intend to become a serious player in this space." Southampton Photonics Inc.