Press Releases

Is photonics the answer to Moore’s Law? With our growing need for data and the transition to a 5G network, electronic chips may not be able to cut it anymore. Photons (light) can carry more data than electrons, are faster and can reduce the energy consumption in data traffic. Photonics is, therefore, a key enabling technology in this era of digitalization.

The Netherlands is positioned at the forefront of these developments and has a rich history in this field. Dating back to the 60’s Phillips developed optical fiber-technology. It was used in the telecommunications industry and also in the development of CDs, DVDs, and Blu ray. In July 2018 the Dutch government understand the future of photonics and announced an investment of 224 million euros in the development of the technology.

Ton Backx from the Institute of Photonic Integration is positive about this next step into Photonics: “This technology is going to change the world and solve some of the grand challenges we are facing. This technology will enable precision robots, medical sensors, optical variations on ultrasound, autonomous driving, smart cities and more. All these technologies will be based on the fundamentals of photonics.”

New startups in the Netherlands are forming to move this technology forward, specifically in the field of integrated photonic chips. Lionix and SMART Photonics are two examples: both foundries that allow other companies to build made to measure photonic chips. SMART Photonics in September 2018 raised €6 million and turned €4.5 million in loans into shares. This major investment will fund improving their production process whilst giving them a foundation for their next step in building a full production plant.

EFFECT photonics a spinout from TU Eindhoven also secured series A funding in 2018 (amount undisclosed). The funding will bring its Optical System-on-Chip technology to market to meet the soaring demand for bandwidth in cell towers and between datacentres. EFFECT Photonics develops and delivers highly integrated optical components based on InP (Indium Phosphide). Using EFFECT Photonics’ System-on-Chip Technology, port density can be increased by over 6-times and operational expenses reduced by 40% when compared with existing approaches.

The world is paying attention to the Photonics developments happening in the Netherlands. This year Synopsys, the world’s 15th largest software company acquired the Enschede based PhoeniX Software for an undisclosed amount. PhoeniX is a global supplier of photonic chip design solutions and acts as a proof point for the level of Photonics innovation happening in the Netherlands.

Further information can be found here.

Courtesy of Start Up Delta, and Medium.com.

Following on from announcing the narrow tunable Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) SFP+ optical transceiver using their optical ‘System-on-Chip’ PIC technology, EFFECT Photonics are demonstrating their auto wavelength tuning feature at ECOC 2018 (Rome) in their private customer suite.

The EFFECT Photonics’ DWDM optical transceiver commences a sequence of wavelength tuning to establish a link with a transceiver at the opposite end of the link. This functionality is host-independent as the protocol is implemented within the optical transceiver.
Auto wavelength tuning simplifies network provisioning and deployment, which is especially useful for large-scale roll-outs of existing and next-generation mobile networks. It also significantly reduces the operational expenditure during the deployment of remote PHY network infrastructure.

The development of auto wavelength tuning is a result of customer feedback and the need to streamline the deployment and provisioning of new network infrastructure using tunable technology. This additional feature is also useful for system diagnostics and optimizing the link performance for communications equipment located in different environments.

Features of the system include:
– Compatible with 50/100 GHz and flexible grid spaced networks
– Suitable for 10Gbps and 25Gbps
– Distances of 40km or 80km
– Up to 40 bi-directional channels

To book a private meeting to see EFFECTs auto wavelength tuning feature at ECOC 2018 (Rome) from 25-26 September 2018, send an email to: meeting@effectphotonics.com

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Further information:
Email: press@effectphotonics.com

Days after EFFECT Photonics announces the sampling of its low-cost narrow-band tunable DWDM SFP+ optical transceivers for Next Generation Mobile Networks, it enters into an agreement with Skylane Optics to supply lineside optical DWDM tunable SFP+ optical transceivers to Telecom operators across Europe, North and South America.

Leveraging its optical System-on-Chip technology by using its high performance photonic integration platform, EFFECT Photonics offers a narrow-band tunable DWDM SFP+ optical transceiver designed for Telecom lineside applications. The costs associated with using EFFECT Photonics narrow-band tunable optical transceiver enables a reduction in sparing and provisioning costs by over 90%.

Skylane CEO, Philippe Bolle commented, “EFFECT Photonics’ narrow-band tunable optical transceiver addresses a need for Telecom operators to reduce their sparing and provisioning costs. In addition it solves the lack of availability of 10G DWDM fixed wavelength EML optical transceivers.”

VP Sales and Marketing, Robert Hughes commented, “We are extremely excited to be working with Skylane Optics to support them with this opportunity.”

Recently voted winner of the PIC International award for Advances in Photonic Integration, is combining the performance and tunability of indium phosphide with the cost point of full optical integration to deliver transceiver solutions to industry standard module formats which provide savings in operational costs and Capex.

EFFECT Photonics is exhibiting at ECOC 2017 (stand #549) which takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden, between 18-20 September 2017, and will be running a demo of its optical SoC technology.

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Further information:
Email: press@effectphotonics.com
See us at ECOC 2017 stand #549

EFFECT Photonics announces sampling of its narrow-band tunable DWDM optical transceivers targeted at Next Generation Mobile Networks.

As the capacity needed in cell towers soars with the latest Cloud RAN architectures, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing is required, delivering 40 or even 80 wavelengths on the fiber. This brings challenges in operational complexity to manage this many part codes from supply chain and deployment to the cell towers. Tunable wavelength lasers can solve this, but traditional full-band tunable modules are too expensive for this application.

Leveraging its optical System-on-Chip technology with advanced photonic integration and low-cost packaging, EFFECT Photonics provides an optimized solution dramatically reducing the number of part-codes at a cost point which meets the needs of Mobile networks.

EFFECT Photonics combines many optical functions within its PIC platform including, tunable lasers, MZI modulators, waveguides, SOAs, photodetectors, along with integrated wavelength locker to simplify the manufacturing process through integration. This coupled with EFFECT’s low-cost packaging enables the ability to scale in volume cost effectively.

CEO James Regan commented, “We are addressing the need for low cost tunability at the edges of the network by integrating the optical functions and simplifying packaging. This approach enables us to support our customers by reducing inventory and sparing costs by more than 90%.”

Recently voted winner of the PIC International award for Advances in Photonic Integration, is combining the performance and tunability of indium phosphide with the cost point of full optical integration to deliver transceiver solutions to industry standard module formats which provide savings in operational costs and Capex to Data Centre operators.

EFFECT Photonics will be exhibiting at ECOC 2017 (stand #549) which takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden, between 18-20 September 2017, and will be running a demo of its optical SoC technology.

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Further information:
Email: press@effectphotonics.com
See us at ECOC 2017 stand #549

Over 300 people gathered together last Friday in South Devon for the award ceremony hosted by the Herald Express. The purpose of the evening: Celebrating South Devon’s local businesses and, in particular, to reward those businesses and individuals who are helping to push the area forward, both culturally, economically and socially.

EFFECT Photonics entered the competition, hoping to win the award for ‘Most Innovative’. This award was created for businesses that established ground-breaking methods for developing new products or services. Over the past months, judges have been considering all aspects of the innovations process, from research to launch activity and more.

We are pleased to announce that EFFECT Photonics won the award for ‘Most Innovative’!

Paul Rosser, VP operations, said: “We’re hugely privileged to be part of the high-tech background in this wonderful location and we’re keen to grow in the Bay. This award is going to be a great help in promoting the company and recruiting.”

We would like to thank the organisation of Herald Express Business Awards 2017 for the recognition and the wonderful prize!

EFFECT Photonics announces a new, full band tunable optical System-on-Chip to meet the surging demand for inter-connecting Data Centres.  This new optical SoC integrates:

• Extended 40nm C-band fully tunable laser
• Integrated on-chip wavelength measurement and control
• High speed, >32Gbaud Mach-Zehnder modulators

These optical features address the needs of advanced modulation formats and are optimised for the latest electronic ICs. By combining the optical functions in to a single chip, it enables full on-wafer characterisation and to use EFFECTs low cost non-hermetic packaging to reach the ever-decreasing cost points the market is looking for. This design block will also be combined into further, higher-functionality, multi-channel, optical SoCs.

EFFECT Photonics, recently voted winner of the PIC International award for Advances in Photonic Integration, is combining the performance and tunability of indium phosphide with the cost point of full optical integration to deliver transceiver solutions to industry standard module formats which provide savings in operational costs and Capex to Data Centre operators.

CTO, Boudewijn Docter commented, “We are extremely excited about our new optical SoC and EFFECT continues to develop new optical functions which the market is looking for. In addition, we have also combined our low-cost packaging technology to address the need to drive down the costs of optical transceiver modules for the Data Centre and Metro segments.”

EFFECT will be exhibiting at OFC 2017 (stand #1328) which takes place in Los Angeles, USA, between 21-23 March 2017, and running a separate demonstration of its optical SoC technology.

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Further information:
Email: press@effectphotonics.com
See us at stand #1328 at OFC 2017

We are proud to announce we’ve been chosen as a finalist for the PIC Awards 2017. The voting process is open until 21st February 2017. The winners will be announced on the 7th March at PIC International Conference in Brussels. We’d love you to vote for us! To do this and for more information visit the PIC Awards website.

Curious to see how we did? Check out the outcome right here!

Only 6 months after the successful launch of its 100Gbps DWDM transceiver product family in March 2016, EFFECT Photonics is now demonstrating the ability to achieve 500Gbps using PAM-4 (4-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation) up to 75km, with its Optical ‘System-on-Chip’ photonic integration technology. This is the result of ongoing collaboration with the Technical University of Eindhoven, with further developments in the pipeline.

With Internet traffic expected to grow at an annual rate of 22-25% until 2020, the majority of this growth is coming from interconnecting Data Centres and in the Metro-Access segments. The need to reduce cost, power, and size continues to be a major driver of product innovation.

EFFECT Photonics is addressing this need with its Optical ‘System-on-Chip’ photonic integration platform by combining all of the optical functions into a single chip, and packaging this with its own low-cost ‘gold-box free’ packaging technology. The optical functions include: multiple DBR lasers, low-voltage drive MZ modulators, AWG, and wavelength monitoring, all within the single chip.

The powerful combination of EFFECT’s Optical ‘System-on-Chip’ photonic integration platform, unique low-cost packaging, and PAM-4 ticks all the boxes, reducing cost, power, and the physical size of the module – all this without the need for more expensive long-haul coherent optical transceivers.

VP Sales and Marketing, Robert Hughes commented “We knew very early on that combining many optical functions into a single ‘System-on-Chip’ offered a real alternative in the industry. This integration together with our novel packaging technology allows us to differentiate ourselves in the DCI and Metro-Access part of the network.”

EFFECT will be at demonstrating its 500Gbps PAM-4 capable TOSA at ECOC 2016, which takes place in Dusseldorf, Germany, between 19-21 September 2016.

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Further information:
Email: press@effectphotonics.com
See us at stand #625 at ECOC 2016

Interesting article in Venturebeat by Bert-Jan Woertman on how Europe and especially The Netherlands is leading the way in the advancement of photonic technology.