DuPont Photonics Announces 48-Channel VOA Arrays On A Single PLC Chip

Wilmington, MA - DuPont Photonics Technologies, a provider of practical integrated optical components and a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont, announced the iVOATM 4800, a 48-channel variable optical attenuator (VOA) array on a single chip based on planar lightwave circuitry (PLC). As a new member of DuPont's iVOATM family, the 48-channel VOA arrays are ideal for channel equalization in reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) nodes, terminals and for pre-emphasis applications before multiplexers.

Based on DuPont's proven and Telcordia-qualified library of optical building blocks, the iVOATM family of products integrates up to 48 channels of variable optical attenuators on a single chip, significantly reducing cost and footprint. DuPont's VOA arrays operate across the C and L bands with low insertion loss, low polarization dependent loss (PDL), low wavelength dependent loss (WDL), low power consumption, and simple electronic control. The iVOATM chips are hermetically packaged to provide excellent reliability. In addition, the iVOATM products have no moving parts and are stable to mechanical shock and mechanical vibration.

"The new 48-channel VOA arrays provide a higher channel count without compromising performance," said Marcelo van de Kamp, general manager of DuPont Photonics. "This product demonstrates the power of our proprietary polymer technology platform, and we are only just starting to tap it." DuPont has been shipping VOA arrays of 8-40 channels in commercial volumes since early 2005.

SOURCE: DuPont Photonics Technologies, LLC