ADC Teams with MEMSCAP for MEMS-Based Optical Communications Components.Business Editors & Technology Writers MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 18, 2000 Three-Year Agreement Paves Way for Joint Development of Critical MEMS-based Optical Components ADC (1) See A/D converter. (2) (Apple Display Connector) A peripheral connector from Apple that combines digital video display, USB and power in one cable. (Nasdaq:ADCT ADCT Adaptive Discrete Cosine Transform ; www.adc.com) a leading global supplier of fiber optics fiber optics, transmission of digitized messages or information by light pulses along hair-thin glass fibers. Each fiber is surrounded by a cladding having a high index of refractance so that the light is internally reflected and travels the length of the fiber , network equipment, software and integration services for broadband, multiservice networks, and MEMSCAP Inc., a leading commercial provider of telecommunications MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) Tiny mechanical devices that are built onto semiconductor chips and are measured in micrometers. In the research labs since the 1980s, MEMS devices began to materialize as commercial products in the mid-1990s. (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) Systems that couple micromechanisms with microelectronics. Such systems are also referred to as microsystems, and the coupling of micromechanisms with microelectronics is also termed micromechatronics. ) components, today announced a strategic co-development and production agreement. The companies will jointly develop family of MEMS-based optical communications Optical communications The transmission of speech, data, video, and other information by means of the visible and the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. components for a number of applications including optical switching. Optical MEMS components, which provide advanced photonic functions such as switching, filtering and attenuation Loss of signal power in a transmission. Attenuation The reduction in level of a transmitted quantity as a function of a parameter, usually distance. It is applied mainly to acoustic or electromagnetic waves and is expressed as the ratio of power densities. , can offer greater integration, significant space savings and lower costs for optical communication systems. The alliance will develop and deliver advanced MEMS-based devices to ADC's optical communication customers as they race to provide businesses and consumers with higher bandwidth and faster transmission speeds for data communications data communications, application of telecommunications technology to the problem of transmitting data, especially to, from, or between computers. In popular usage, it is said that data communications make it possible for one computer to "talk" with another. applications. "The optical components market for optical networking Communications between computers, telephones and other electronic devices using light. An optical network is far more reliable and has far greater potential transmission capacity than networking in the electrical domain. See optical fiber. applications is growing this year alone at a 150% growth rate, to $5.0 billion worldwide," said Jay Liebowitz, director of optical components for telecom research firm Ryan Hankin Kent (RHK RHK Ratahallintokeskus (Finnish: Finnish Rail Administration) RHK Ryan Hankin Kent (RHK, Inc. marketing consulting firm) RHK Rigshospitalets Kollegium (Copenhagen, Denmark dorm) ). "Sustaining this growth requires innovating, not just with the industry's traditional technologies, but also with technologies from other industries as well. With optical switching being essential to the evolution to optical networking, RHK regards the adaptation of MEMS technology to optical switching as an innovation of importance for sustaining the growth of the optical components industry." MEMS is a rapidly emerging chip technology that produces "micro-machines" and structures the size of a grain of sand. MEMS development combines electrical, electronic, mechanical, optical, material, chemical, and fluids engineering disciplines. They are typically fabricated into a substrate that may also contain electronics needed to interact with the MEMS device. In a research report issued last week, Cahners In-Stat Group cites growing excitement about the role of MEMS in the all-optical network A communications network that works completely in the optical domain. It uses optical switches connected by optical fibers. See optical switch and optical computer. of the future and reports that sales of MEMS switches are predicted to help boost the overall MEMS market from $3 billion in 1999 to $7 billion in 2004. "As a specialist in telecom MEMS technology, MEMSCAP anticipated the need for MEMS-based optical communications technologies and has pursued optical R&D to supply the needs of the market," said Jean-Michel Karam, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , MEMSCAP, Inc. "Through our alliance with ADC, we will be able to provide them with a targeted program of component design, manufacture and quality assurance that will help them meet industry demand for integrated, robust optical communications equipment." "MEMS is a key enabling technology that will provide ADC's customers with the most advanced optical networking solutions devices available today," said Rick Masloski, vice president and general manager of ADC's Fiber Division. "MEMSCAP's expertise and unique capabilities in MEMS device development offer ADC the ability to aggressively compete in the MEMS-based optical equipment market. The fruits of our alliance should help provide ADC with enormous growth prospects in this burgeoning niche of the optical communications market." From this alliance, ADC will offer a suite of product offerings including low-port count optical switches, for both existing as well as next-generation optical switching applications; variable optical attenuators, a critical component in next-generation optical amplifiers; and tunable optical filters, a companion technology for applications involving tunable lasers as well as dynamic wavelength monitoring. Additionally, ADC plans to integrate these solutions with other optical companion products through its recently formed Advanced Photonics Integration Center, which develops customized, integrated and fully-packaged photonics solutions for ADC's OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and customers. The Integration Center allows ADC to package client-specific photonics solutions, enabling OEM customers to better meet the dynamic needs of the marketplace in a more sophisticated, cost-effective and timely fashion. About MEMSCAP MEMSCAP, the telecom MEMS company(TM), is the leading commercial provider of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based communications components and supporting design technologies. MEMSCAP's solutions include component libraries for optical and wireless telecommunications, related design tools and methodologies, and design services. MEMSCAP customers include Fortune 500 businesses, major research institutes and universities. More information on the company's products and services can be obtained at http://www.memscap.com. About ADC ADC is The Broadband Company(TM). ADC's fiber optics, network equipment, software and integration services make broadband communications a reality worldwide by enabling communications service providers to deliver high-speed Internet See broadband. , data, video and voice services to consumers and businesses. ADC (Nasdaq:ADCT) has annual sales of over $2.8 billion and employs more than 20,900 people worldwide. ADC's stock is included in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Nasdaq-100 Index. Learn more about ADC Telecommunications, Inc. at www.adc.com. Editor's Note: For a high resolution photo, go to www.adc.com/photos |
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