WaveSplitter's Pump Laser Combiner Demonstrates Exceptional Reliability

WavePump Handles >11 Watts, Passes 4500 Hours in Damp Heat and New Shorter Package Passes Telcordia GR-1221 Qualification

FREMONT, CA - July 9, 2001 - Today at the NFOEC show, WaveSplitter Technologies, Inc., a worldwide supplier of fiber-optic components and modules for advanced optical networks, announced several important milestones in the reliability testing of its fused fiber WavePumpTM pump laser combiner. First, a second generation shorter package has successfully passed what is believed to be the world's most demanding power handling testing for a pump combiner, handling 11 Watts for greater than 20 hours and 2 Watts at an elevated temperature for greater than 2000 hours. The WavePump has also passed all the Telcordia GR-1221 qualification requirements for an uncontrolled environment. Finally, as part of ongoing reliability testing, the pump combiner has passed the milestone of 4500 hours in an 85°C and 85% relative humidity environment.

"WaveSplitter has implemented rigorous testing procedures and quality checks throughout our organization to ensure the highest level of quality and reliability for our products," said Thomas Adda, Vice President of Quality Assurance at WaveSplitter. "For the WavePump, WaveSplitter has gone beyond the typical Telcordia reliability requirements by testing the pump laser combiner to extrem power levels for both short-term power handling capability and long-term endurance, since we anticipated customers' need to understand the high-power handling capability of amplifier components. We believe our pump combiners have demonstrated the optimal reliability performance required by the new Raman and EDFA amplifier designs."

The WavePump provides a cost-effective way to increase amplifier power by combining the output of multiple pump laser diodes. By using an all-fiber design, the input power always remains in the fiber, resulting in low insertion loss, low polarization dependent loss and extremely high power handling capability. The channel spacing and desired wavelengths can be easily customized during the manufacturing process, creating flexibility in testing new amplifier designs. WaveSplitter has also automated key steps of the manufacturing process, allowing large-scale production with tightened process distributions.

About WaveSplitter Technologies, Inc.

WaveSplitter Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets reliable, highly scalable, cost-effective components for optical amplifier and DWDM systems for both long-haul and metropolitan area network applications. WaveSplitter's high-performance fiber and planar lightwave circuit components increase network bandwidth capabilities and offer a unique combination of low signal loss and modular expandability at an economical value. WaveSplitter was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Fremont, California. WaveSplitter is a trademark of WaveSplitter Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

For more information, reporters can contact:

Lisa Blair
WaveSplitter Technologies, Inc.
Phone: 510-651-7800 x 243
Fax: 510-580-1395
E-mail: lisa_blair@wavesplitter.com