LIGENT PHOTONICS ANNOUNCES THE INTRODUCTION OF ITS HIGH PERFORMANCE FUSED-FIBER WAVE DIVISION MULTIPLEXERS AND FIBER COUPLERS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS, OPTICAL SENSORS, OPTICAL FIBER AMPLIFIERS, OPTICAL PERFORMANCE MONITORING, OPTICAL TEST EQUIPMENT, FTTH AND CATV SYSTEMS

ST. CHARLES, IL, APRIL 18, 2003 – Ligent Photonics, Incorporated announces the introduction of single and multi mode fused-fiber optical coupler and splitter products in new low cost, compact packages, which provide the optical designer with a complete range of wave division multiplexer (WDM) and fiber coupler products for industrial, military, spacecraft, and undersea applications in telecommunications, data communications, CATV, FTTH, optical amplifiers, optical sensors and optical performance monitoring equipment.

The products are offered in five product categories thereby providing the designer a choice of wavelengths, optical performance characteristics, packaging options, and fiber types in configurations ranging from 1X2 to 1X4 for single mode types and 1X2 to 4X4 for multi mode types.  The devices are available in both "standard" and "premium" grade, the terminology applied throughout the industry.

The devices are mounted in sealed stainless steel tubes, or rectangular aluminum or ABS plastic housings depending upon the model.  Each device can be supplied with or without standard fiber-optic connectors.  The packaging options enable the designer to select models with bare fiber, loose tube fiber or 3 mm jacketed fiber cable and the fiber is matched to the mode of operation and the selected wavelength.  There are approximately 58 basic types of WDM and fiber couplers and 8 options for each base type thereby offering the designer a complete range of products to choose from.?

 "Ligent’s premier range of fused-fiber couplers set a new threshold for PDL and Insertion Loss characteristics in a market driven by demand for low cost and exceptional-performance components,” said Dr. David Li, Ligent’s VP of Engineering.  "These devices are an excellent choice for a wide range of telecom and datacom applications and are ideally suited for the next generation of innovative equipment where cost and performance are key differentiators in a highly competitive market. "

Ligent capitalizes on a powerful portfolio of patents and know-how in fused-fiber technologies.  It offers standard and customer specific fused-fiber components with outstanding performance characteristics.  Custom products with PDL-Free, PMD-Free, and Loss-Free attributes can be incorporated into customer specifications.  The company continues its energetic growth enabled by a team of highly skilled, educated and dedicated professionals.

Ligent Photonics, Incorporated designs, manufactures and markets a comprehensive portfolio of advanced optical components.  Based in St. Charles, Illinois, Ligent is a leading supplier of duplex and bi-directional optical communication transceivers, TOSA/ROSA products, high-performance wave division multiplexers and fused-fiber couplers.