Singapore-based DenseLight Semiconductors has secured a two-year R&D project that is worth several millions of dollars to further develop its strong proprietary technologies in photonics and high-speed communications products. DenseLight, with its initial $30 million funding, has been able to develop robust, high-performance products with multiple functionalities in small footprints that address the sub-component and component levels, drastically reducing cost of ownership for network operators.
The company has already announced its DensePIC technology, which is based on quantum-well intermixing (QWI), a technique for altering the band-gap of a semiconductor so that it can emit or absorb light at a different wavelength. Currently, most methods for creating multiple sections on a single chip have been techniques such as growth and regrowth, and selective area epitaxy, which typically require more process steps and longer cycle times. Through its in-house developed techniques, DenseLight's QWI process is able to engineer different bandgaps in a single process sequence, significantly reducing production cycles and increasing the yields and reliability of the products.
At OFC, DenseLight will showcase its broad range of photonic chips, embedded Optical Channel Monitors (OCMs) with passive and active functionalities integrated on a single InP chip, and Superluminescent Light Emitting Diodes (SLEDs) for telecommunications and biomedical applications.
DenseLight's broad range of photonic chips include FP Gain Chips, DFB Direct Modulated Laser Chips, Raman pumps, integrated laser arrays, and other variations of its proprietary DensePIC chips. The company intends to be more responsive to customers' needs, and to involve them early in joint development projects. The ultimate rationale is to leverage on the company's scalable manufacturing technology, stable manufacturing process, and strong commient to reliability and testing, to enable fast time-to-market, and accurate response to changes in the market and technology.ed economy
Singapore already plays host to 14 wafer fabs, and is endowed with a highly skilled workforce that is able to support a wide range of activities from electronic packaging, automation, electronics design to supply chain management. The country has also attracted a number of well-established optics companies such as electronics giant Agilent (US), Hoya (Japan), telecoms component maker Zolo (US), and technology provider Perkin Elmer (US).
Recognizing the emergence of strong competition from neighbouring countries and increasingly from China, Singapore has been progressing up the value chain, to develop its own technologies and intellectual property assets.
The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) which plays a key role in charting Singapore's next step to becoming a knowledge-driven economy, has outlined ways to boost innovation and enterprise, and has ear-marked the optics/photonics industry as one of the key industries leading the country's economic growth.
Noting the achievements of DenseLight to date, Mr Taik-Him Chua, Assistant Managing Director, EDB, remarked, "DenseLight is a good example of an innovative enterprise with leading-edge expertise in photonics. Singapore is now able to offer comprehensive and sophisticated capabilities for the photonics industry. In addition, our pro-enterprise environment enables our entrepreneurs to start new companies and our enterprises to grow. DenseLight has leveraged successfully on our competitive advantages to reach out to the global market."
OFC 2002 will be an important platform for DenseLight to showcase its technologies and capabilities to many other world-class players. The mega-event represents one of the most authoritative trade events in the optical networking space, one in which many exhibitors will demonstrate their latest ware, and also in many occasions, to engage visitors for closer discussions. Similar to the past few years, the OFC this year is also expected to draw a huge number of delegates from the international optical networking community, who are keen to source for low-cost high-performance products and to strike strategic alliances.
After many months of in-depth discussions with various optical companies relating to their technical requirements, DenseLight has already started product sampling and qualifications with a number of alliance partners, and expect to further link up with many industry players during this important event in Anaheim.
Indeed, with funds in place, a dedicated team, and exciting new products that DenseLight will manufacture on a commercial scale, the company looks set to achieve its plans, and enhance shareholder value. The award of the two-year R&D project to DenseLight with a total value of several millions of US dollars has further enhanced the position of the company in its pursuit of empowering optical networks.