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2023 Innovators Awards: Meet the honorees

Aug. 1, 2023

For the sixth straight year, Laser Focus World held its Innovators Awards program, which celebrates the disparate and innovative technologies, products, and systems found in the photonics market.

Peter Fretty

Gold: EFFECT Photonics

The EFFECT Photonics Pico Tunable Laser Assembly (pTLA) is the world’s first continuous-wave, tunable laser source specially designed for coherent applications in the optical network edge. It supports both C-temp and I-temp operating ranges and offers an ideal combination of power efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility to enable a seamless upgrade to a more scalable 100 Gbit/s pluggable coherent solution in a QSFP28 form factor.

Key features include:

Narrow linewidth, suitable for 100G performance

Compact, fits in QSFP28 form factor

Low power consumption

Offers design flexibility through modularity

Commercial and industrial temperature ranges

Command interface compliant with OIF-ITLA-MSA-01.3

Full C-band tunability

Includes on-board calibration data, controlling firmware, and hermetic laser assembly

pTLA will be used in 100G coherent pluggables, enabling the optical edge to scale from 10G to 100G DWDM or from 100G grey to 100G DWDM optics without forklift upgrades.

Business Service: P2P single-span link with reach of up to 120 km, controlled environment.

Fixed Access: P2P single-span link with reach of up to 120 km, in uncontrolled environment.

Mobile Midhaul: P2P single-span link with reach of up to 120 km, in uncontrolled environment.

Mobile Backhaul: P2P multi-span link with reach of up to 500 km, in controlled environment.

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Congratulations to all of the honorees of the 2023 Laser Focus World Innovators Awards. Each year, this program has a panel of judges review each of the submissions and rate the level of innovation and its perceived benefit to the further evolution of the industry.

While we provide recognition at various levels (Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze), it is important to note innovation at any level is important in pushing the market forward to further immerse photonics technologies into the applications and products improving our lives.

Be sure to run through the slideshow to learn more about the honorees.

About the Author

Peter Fretty | Market Leader/Group Editorial Director, Laser & Military

Peter Fretty began his role as the Market Leader, Laser & Military in June 2023; the group encompasses the Laser Focus World, Military & Aerospace Electronics, and Vision Systems Design brands. He also serves as Group Editorial Director, Laser & Military (effective spring 2023) and served as Editor in Chief of Laser Focus World since October 2021. Prior to that, he was Technology Editor for IndustryWeek for two years.

As a highly experienced journalist, he has regularly covered advances in manufacturing, information technology, and software. He has written thousands of feature articles, cover stories, and white papers for an assortment of trade journals, business publications, and consumer magazines.