Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Earlier this week, Boudewijn Docter, announced that he was stepping down as President and Director of EFFECT Photonics at the end of January.

Boudewijn co-founded EFFECT Photonics with Tim Koene 13 years ago and since then has been building a company that started out of a lab at the TU/e and has grown into an internationally respected player in the field of photonic integrated technology.

Commenting on his decision, Boudewijn said: “I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved so far. Although the adventure is far from over, I feel that the team is ready to guide the company through the next cycle of growth. For me, this is a natural time to hand over my daily activities in the management team to my colleague Roberto Marcoccia and his team.”

Today it was announced that Boudewijn would be joining HighTechXL, a venture building/start-up accelerator focused on deep-tech technology as their Chief Growth Officer. As Chief Growth Officer, Boudewijn will work to inspire, support, and coach newly created HTXL ventures, helping them become investor-ready by the end of their nine-month venture-building program. While this will be Boudewijn’s main focus, he will still be available in an advisory capacity and also continue to represent EFFECT Photonics in the Dutch photonics ecosystem.

On behalf of everyone at EFFECT Photonics, we want to thank Boudewijn for everything that he has done and meant for the company. We wish him every success in this next chapter and in his new role, and we look forward to continuing the EFFECT Photonics journey with him but then in a slightly different way.

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands—EFFECT Photonics, a leading developer of highly integrated optical solutions, announced today that it has selected Fabrinet (NYSE: FN) as its manufacturing partner for its integrated optical sub-assemblies.

Fabrinet is a global leader in high-precision optical, electronic and mechanical manufacturing services, and a proven partner for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide. As a manufacturing partner, Fabrinet will perform sourcing, procurement, assembly, test, and calibration of EFFECT Photonics’ integrated optical sub-assemblies.

Increased optical bandwidth is needed more than ever before due to a wide range of cloud and cloud edge applications and the increased access speeds enabled by 5G and beyond. Photonics are ideally suited to serve this need, but production currently plays an important role in bringing integrated optics technology to the masses. By leveraging Fabrinet’s leadership in electro-optical and electronics manufacturing, EFFECT Photonics can adapt and scale its integrated optical solutions to meet ever-changing market demands and high-volume requirements.  

“Fabrinet is recognized worldwide for its best-in-class expertise in the field of optical product manufacturing and its ability to support the most demanding markets, technologies, and business models. By leveraging their proven capabilities and longstanding manufacturing prowess, EFFECT Photonics is able to offer our customers increased supply, reliability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

Roberto Marcoccia, CEO, EFFECT Photonics.

“We are pleased to have been selected by EFFECT Photonics as their manufacturing partner to provide production at scale for their optical subassemblies. As a leader in advanced optical packaging and precision manufacturing for complex devices, we are well positioned to support EFFECT Photonics in achieving their business goals.”

Edward Archer, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing at Fabrinet.

About EFFECT Photonics

Where Light Meets Digital – EFFECT Photonics is a highly vertically integrated, independent optical systems company addressing the need for high-performance, affordable optic solutions driven by the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth and faster data transfer capabilities. 

Using our proprietary digital signal processing and forward error correction technology and ultra-pure light sources, we offer compact form factors with seamless integration, cost efficiency, low power, and security of supply. By leveraging established microelectronics ecosystems, we aim to make our products affordable and available in high volumes to address the challenges in 5G and beyond, access-ready coherent solutions, and cloud and cloud edge services. 

For more information, please visit: www.effectphotonics.com. Follow EFFECT Photonics on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Fabrinet

Fabrinet is a leading provider of advanced optical packaging and precision optical, electro-mechanical, and electronic manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers of complex products, such as optical communication components, modules and subsystems, automotive components, medical devices, industrial lasers and sensors. Fabrinet offers a broad range of advanced optical and electro-mechanical capabilities across the entire manufacturing process, including process design and engineering, supply chain management, manufacturing, advanced packaging, integration, final assembly and testing. Fabrinet focuses on production of high complexity products in any mix and any volume. Fabrinet maintains engineering and manufacturing resources and facilities in Thailand, the United States of America, the People’s Republic of China, Israel and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.fabrinet.com.

# # #

Media Contacts:

Colleen Cronin
EFFECT Photonics
colleencronin@effectphotonics.com

EFFECT Photonics’s CEO, James Regan, was delighted to speak to Optics and Photonics News Magazine on an article about: The Post-Brexit Landscape: Photonics Perspectives.

On 24 December 2020, almost literally at the last minute, and more than four years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, the U.K. and the EU finally sealed a trade and cooperation agreement to govern their post-Brexit relationship. The agreement’s stakes were high; in 2019, some 43% of Britain’s exports of goods and services went to the EU.

For a while, the final months of negotiation on a new framework to govern that big chunk of trade seemed impossibly snagged on arcane details of fishing rights in U.K. waters and state aid to industries. In the end, though, the December accord—which guarantees tariff-free trade in most goods between the U.K. and the EU—led to deep breaths and a sense of relief on both sides of the Channel.

The immediate aftermath of the agreement, which came into force 1 January 2021, included some well-reported delays and snarl-ups for imports and exports of trade goods, as businesses attempted to grapple with a suddenly “hard” U.K.–EU border and new paperwork requirements. But now, three months in, much of that dust has settled. To get some insight on the accord’s impact for photonics—and, particularly, on the U.K.’s future participation in the new framework program for EU research funding, Horizon Europe—OPN recently talked with several members of the European photonics community.

Politics and reality
Notwithstanding the eleventh-hour post-Brexit agreement in December 2020, one could be forgiven for thinking that relations between the U.K. and the EU have reached something of a low point in the past several months. Tensions have especially flared over the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, and over the complex post-Brexit status of Northern Ireland. There was even an announcement, in February, that a Cold War-style “emergency hotline” would be set up between Brussels and London to handle post-Brexit tensions.

Yet in the wake of the December agreement, these political twists and turns might prove relatively unimportant to the real-world photonics business.

James Regan, EFFECT Photonics CEO explains: “I think it’s important to pick apart government posturing from teams of people actually working on the ground,” says James Regan, the CEO of the Eindhoven, Netherlands–based company EFFECT Photonics, which develops and manufactures on-chip modules for the communications market. “Our governments do what our governments do, but where there are long-standing relationships, those are largely not affected by that … Business is done between people, not between governments.”

A sense of relief
Regan is particularly well positioned to see both sides of the post-Brexit agreement. While headquartered in Eindhoven, EFFECT Photonics also operates a development lab and manufacturing facility in Brixham, Devon, U.K. (The company has a unit in Taiwan as well, and Regan expects that it will branch into other world regions in the future.) From that broad perspective, he says that one of the biggest benefits of the deal is simply putting an end to more than four years of uncertainty since the 2016 Brexit vote.

“It was very frustrating,” Regan observes. “Like all of business, what we wanted was to have clarity … Nobody likes the inability to plan.” Another frustration, he adds, was that “people will often tend to assume the worst-case scenarios,” an orientation that Regan believes can distract from important issues. “At least now we have clarity,” he says. “We understand what the situation is, and we go forward and build around the landscape that we find.”

Continue reading the entire article: https://www.osa-opn.org/home/newsroom/2021/march/the_post-brexit_landscape_photonics_perspectives/

– About EFFECT Photonics –

EFFECT Photonics delivers highly integrated optical communications products based on its Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) optical System-on-Chip technology. The key enabling technology for DWDM systems is full monolithic integration of all photonic components within a single chip and being able to produce these in volume with high yield at low cost. With this capability, EFFECT Photonics is addressing the need for low cost DWDM solutions driven by the soaring demand for high bandwidth connections between datacenters and back from mobile cell towers. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, with additional R&D and manufacturing in South West UK, with sales partners worldwide. www.effectphotonics.com

For more on our technology, visit: https://effectphotonics.com/technology/

From March 10 to 12 2020, EFFECT Photonics will be exhibiting at the OFC (Optical Networking and Communication Conference & Exhibition) in San Diego, California, USA. OFC is the largest optical communications conference in the world. Representing a range of products, from optical components and devices to systems, test equipment, software and specialty fibre, OFC represents the entire supply chain and provides the premier marketplace where the industry learns, connects, networks and closes deals.

Interested in what EFFECT Photonics is working on right now? We are exhibiting at booth #6012 and will be showing:

Energy-efficient Tunable SFP+ Transceivers for Next Generation Mobile Networks (Live Demo)

EFFECT Photonics is demonstrating it’s new energy-efficient tunable SFP+ transceiver. Optical transceivers equipped with our latest System-on-Chip (SoC) technology consume less than 1.5W of power at 85C. This opens up the use of these transceivers in legacy systems that were previously designed for Class II fixed wavelength devices, allowing our customers more flexibility in the field without changing their installed base. Furthermore, future systems for Mobile Fronthaul, such as the smaller cells required for 5G, are designed to be unobtrusive and smaller, while requiring more transceivers because of the increased capacity. These two requirements together create the need for an energy-efficient transceiver with low power dissipation. This is what the latest addition to EFFECT’s product portfolio provides.

NarroWave enabled SFP+ modules

At OFC 2020 EFFECT Photonics is demonstrating its NarroWave enabled SFP+ modules. NarroWave is a new feature that allows customers to monitor and control remote SFP+ modules from the central office, without making any hardware or software changes in the field. NarroWave is agnostic of vendor equipment, data rate or the protocol of the in-band traffic. The host at the central office can access the remote digital diagnostics and monitoring by reading dedicated memory pages of the local SFP+, which are a mirror of the host device. This feature can also be used to send commands to a remote device, which enables use-cases such as automatic tuning and automatic power-balancing. This makes EFFECT’s SFP+ modules a powerful asset in the toolkit of any telecom provider looking to dynamically control and monitor its telecommunication network. Examples of NarroWave applications will be demonstrated live at EFFECT’s booth #6012.

Register here as our guest today for FREE pass to the exhibition and select “Exhibits Pass Plus” when registering. http://ofc2020.nvytes.co/ofc20/register/1230503.html

For more information please visit www.effectphotonics.com or contact sales@effectphotonics.com

Building on its Full Photonic Integration InP wafer scale platforms, EFFECT Photonics has taped out the Manta chip: the world’s first fully integrated coherent PIC targeted at pluggable coherent transceivers for the edge and metro/access networks.

The Manta PIC fully integrates an ultra-narrow linewidth full band tunable laser, 64Gbaud coherent receiver, 64Gbaud coherent transmitter, wavelength locking and on-chip amplification for the transmit and receive paths. This gives unprecedented OSNR performance with power consumption lower than a stand-alone ITLA.

Tim Koene, VP Engineering at EFFECT Photonics, describes the benefits of the approach: “Full Photonic Integration means including all of the needed functions for coherent. In some approaches, the most costly functionalities, notably the laser, amplification and wavelength locking, are not integrated, and this creates optical loss, higher cost and higher assembly complexity. Truly integrating everything allows us to overcome those hurdles and create a high-performance, low-power consumption, low-cost solution for coherent.”

EFFECT Photonics will build small form-factor coherent pluggables optimised for industrial temperature operation. They will be deployed in next generation access networks and be able to provide turnkey coherent transmission over 120km of unamplified links.

James Regan, CEO at EFFECT Photonics, comments on the achievement: “Being able to deliver this single-chip solution in the same industrial-temperature specification, non-hermetic platform, with which we are shipping our tunable SFP+ targeting 5G wireless connectivity, is a game changer. It enables us to execute on our strategy and take the benefits of coherent technology closer than has been possible before to the end user in high-volume applications.”

The Manta PIC is fabricated on EFFECT Photonics’ 3″ InP platform and will be ported to 4″ fabrication later this year. It is set to drive a revolution in cost optimisation for the next generation of coherent networks.

-End-

About EFFECT Photonics
 
EFFECT Photonics delivers highly integrated optical communications products based on its Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) optical System-on-Chip technology. The key enabling technology for DWDM systems is full monolithic integration of all photonic components within a single chip and being able to produce these in volume with high yield at low cost. With this capability, EFFECT Photonics is addressing the need for low cost DWDM solutions driven by the soaring demand for high bandwidth connections between datacenters and back from mobile cell towers. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, with additional R&D and manufacturing in South West UK, with sales partners worldwide. www.effectphotonics.com

For further information please contact sales@effectphotonics.com

EFFECT Photonics announces the 2020 planned market launch of its new NarroWave – enabled SFP+ modules for plug-and-play remote commissioning and control of telecoms networks. Not only will the tunable transceivers allow customers to commission an entire telecoms network from the central office and monitor critical parameters in the field, but they will do so with no loss in data capacity of the 10G SFP+ Transceivers . Additionally, no hardware upgrades for customers are required.

Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) has proved itself indispensable when it comes to adding capacity to existing networks. Tunability increases that flexibility and simplicity of use even further and reduces operating costs. EFFECT Photonics’ SFP+ transceivers combine tunable DWDM capability in a photonics System-on-Chip integration, a unique combination that simplifies production and testing, and results in enhanced optical transmission and low-energy consumption.

As Director of Product Line Management Joost Verberk explains, “With all the optical components on a single die, you don’t lose any light as you would in with lasers, mirrors and prism connected through air (free space optics). This is a big advantage because generating the laser light requires energy. Our chips transmit light with high efficiency, or low-energy consumption. Basically, we get a lot of light out of the module for the electrons we put in.” That means tunable DWDM capability in a photonics System-on-Chip integration creates further reductions in operating costs and enhanced functionality, as well as performance relative to fixed-wavelength systems built in manual processes from individual components.

Additionally, EFFECT Photonics has created NarroWave technology that can be enabled on all EFFECT Photonics’ tunable SFP+ modules. Now customers will be able to remotely monitor and control their added capacity without diminishing it. According to Verberk, “NarroWave is a means for two of our SFP+ transceiver modules to talk to one another without interfering with our customers’ data channel by essentially creating an auxiliary channel between the two modules. You just plug it in. It can then be tuned manually from the central office or, with an ‘auto-tune’ feature, it can automatically find its way into the network and connect.”

Very few companies produce DWDM SFP+ modules, even fewer produce tunable ones, and EFFECT Photonics is the only one in Europe to do so. In that narrow field, EFFECT Photonics is already establishing itself as an important competitive option for telecoms providers. As the only company in the world that offers remote control and monitoring of System-on-Chip tunable SFP+ modules without loss of data capacity, EFFECT Photonics intends to lead the pack in the global 5G rollout and beyond, interconnecting humanity through fast, affordable, accessible, integrated communication technologies.

About EFFECT Photonics

EFFECT Photonics delivers highly integrated optical communications products based on its Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) optical System-on-Chip technology. The key enabling technology for DWDM systems is full monolithic integration of all photonic components within a single chip and being able to produce these in volume with high yield at low cost. With this capability, EFFECT Photonics is addressing the need for low cost DWDM solutions driven by the soaring demand for high bandwidth connections between datacenters and back from mobile cell towers. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, with additional R&D and manufacturing in South West UK, with sales partners worldwide. www.effectphotonics.com

For further information please contact: sales@effectphotonics.com

EFFECT Photonics, a leading developer of high-performance dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical components based on its optical System-on-Chip technology, today announced an investment from PhotonDelta.
EFFECT Photonics has secured €5M in funding to support its growing 5G and data centre business. The funds will be used to further accelerate product development and business scale-up, and thereby strengthens the integrated photonics ecosystem.

EFFECT Photonics’ CEO James Regan says the Internet of Things, virtual reality, and cloud services are growing in popularity every day, increasing the demand for the best service possible. “These applications all depend on the next generation of connectivity, and 5G mobile infrastructure relies on the backing of a world-class optical network enabled by EFFECT Photonics. We are extremely proud that PhotonDelta shows this confidence in us, and are certain that the investment will support our ongoing work to enable this next era of photonics connectivity.”

EFFECT Photonics CTO Boudewijn Docter adds: “At EFFECT Photonics, we integrate all of the optical functions into a single chip and combine it with low-cost, non-hermetic packaging and automatic tuning. Thus DWDM – the proven solution for core and metro networks – is now simple, cost-effective and scalable enough for 5G infrastructure rollouts around the world. This funding allows us to really push forward our next-generation products to bring even more powerful optical systems to the edges of the network”.

PhotonDelta CEO Ewit Roos explains: “EFFECT Photonics is a key player within our ecosystem, a frontrunner that develops and delivers complex integrated optical products in a high-volume global market that demands 5G connectivity now. To this end, we are thrilled to fund EFFECT Photonics in developing their products and scaling up their business. Their products are supported by many other companies in the field of photonic integration services and components. Thus, the business growth of EFFECT Photonics has a profound impact as it leverages the scale of activity and innovation of the entire supply chain of integrated photonics in the Netherlands.”

– Ends –

About EFFECT Photonics
EFFECT Photonics delivers highly integrated optical communications products based on its Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) optical System-on-Chip technology. The key enabling technology for DWDM systems is full monolithic integration of all photonic components within a single chip and being able to produce these in volume with high yield at low cost. With this capability, EFFECT Photonics is addressing the need for low cost DWDM solutions driven by the soaring demand for high bandwidth connections between datacenters and back from mobile cell towers. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, with additional R&D and manufacturing in South West UK, with sales partners worldwide. www.effectphotonics.com
For further information please contact us:
press@effectphotonics.com
+31 40 3041359

About PhotonDelta
PhotonDelta is a growing ecosystem in Europe that covers a network of companies and knowledge institutes that intensively co-operates for the last 25 years in the research, design, development and manufacturing of integrated photonics technologies and components. Mainly focused on the Netherlands, such a collective and long-standing effort has led us to acquire unique competences and assets in the domain of photonics integrated circuits (PICs). Integrated photonics is a key enabling technology to create scalable solutions for societal and technological challenges the world faces today. By working together within a mission-driven ecosystem, we innovate, reduce time-to-market and create economy of scale that benefits us all. PhotonDelta provides access, knowledge, business development and funding to our partners. Our goal is to further establish and grow the integrated photonics ecosystem by 2026. Funding is made possible by substantial financial contributions from our partners as a result of our ‘partnerconvenant PhotonDelta’ and the “RegioDeal Brainport Eindhoven”. www.photondelta.eu
For further information please contact:

Ewit Roos
info@photondelta.eu
+31 85 112 43 37

EFFECT Photonics, a leading developer of high performance DWDM optical components based on its optical System-on-Chip, today announce the launch of the new company logo.

EFFECT Photonics has grown and developed and as a result of this we have evolved the logo to reflect our journey so far.

Our new evolved logo reflects the following core elements:
• We have retained the warm red and will continue to do so
• The bolder font for the EFFECT logo reflects the evolution and growth of the company
• The horizontal lines of the graphic below the ‘EFFECT’ logo has been simplified
• The fonts have been updated to make it legible for both screen and printing purposes

Over the coming months, EFFECT Photonics will be updating all of its marketing materials, both online and offline, to reflect the new logo. For those who require our new logo and usage guidelines, kindly send an email to: marketing@effectphotonics.com with ‘new logo request’ in the subject header.

About EFFECT Photonics

EFFECT Photonics, a leading developer of high performance DWDM optical components based on its optical System-on-Chip technology. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, the birthplace of Philips, with additional R&D and manufacturing in South West UK, with sales partners worldwide.

The journey to 5G & beyond

How will 5G impact optical networks? What are the big operational plays that carriers and operators will need to take to ensure their architecture is fully equipped for 5G? Hear about the technologies and strategies to equip your network.

NGON & DCI World 2019

Join us this 21-23 May at NGON & DCI World 2019, Nice France – the number one meeting place for the optical networks industry. Don’t miss three packed days of content from the world’s leading thinkers in the space. For more information on the agenda, please visit: https://tmt.knect365.com/next-generation-optical-networking/agenda/1

EFFECT Photonics Join the Panel discussions:

• Where: NGON & DCI World 2019, Nice France
• What: Track A – 5G Evolution & Network Transformation
• When: Thursday, 23 May 2019 12:05 – 12:45
• Speaker: James Regan – CEO EFFECT Photonics
• Topic: The Vendor Roadmap /  What is the view from the solution and technology providers on 5G?

In this unique format, EFFECT Photonics lines up with some of the key players on the vendor side facing a unique line-up of question masters, played by carriers. Hear the panel answer questions and see EFFECT’s views on 5G and where the optical networking industry can support.
1. How do we see 5G – what are the opportunities & challenges that we see?
2. What do we predict to be the key economic benefits?
3. What are the preparations we would advise to undertake to prepare for 5G?
4. What does wireless means for optical networks?

Interesting in attending our session? Please register here: http://bit.ly/2YfWh4T or contact info@effectphotonics.com

Bringing affordable DWDM to the edges of the network

From March 5 to March 7 2019,  EFFECT Photonics will be exhibiting at the OFC (Optical Networking and Communication Conference & Exhibition) in San Diego, California, USA. OFC is the largest optical communications conference in the world. Representing a range of products, from optical components and devices to systems, test equipment, software and specialty fiber, OFC represents the entire supply chain and provides the premier marketplace where the industry learns, connects, networks and closes deals.
Interested in what EFFECT Photonics is working on right now? We are exhibiting at booth #2647 and will be showing:

Narrowband Tunable SFP+ Transceiver for Fronthaul (LIVE DEMO)
Based on our ‘Optical System-on-Chip’ technology EFFECT Photonics is launching their first product into the market. Our Narrowband Tunable SFP+ can be used for Mobile Fronthaul applications. It supports Industrial Temperature operation, allowing customers to use in it in outdoor environments. With a reach of up to 40km, it can be used in virtually any Fronthaul network. This tunable solution brings flexible and affordable DWDM to the edges of the network.

Autonomously Tunable SFP+ Transceiver
Network traffic at the edge of the network will grow exponentially over the next few years. As operators strive to configure services and deploy applications dynamically, robust and operationally simple fibre networks become critical. Modules that autonomously tune to the required wavelength are an essential component of these low-cost access networks. EFFECT Photonics technology allow operators to rapidly and economically scale their optical networks.

For more information, please contact info@effectphotonics.com

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

– Ends –

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.

-Ends –

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.

-Ends –

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.

-Ends –

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

During the Optical Networking and Communication Conference & Exhibition (OFC), a three-day series of Market Watch panel discussions is organized. The discussions focus on the latest application topics and issues in the field of optical communications and feature esteemed speakers from industry, research and the investment community.

Photonic Integration Business Case – Reality Check.

James Regan will join the fifth discussion panel for a discussion called: Photonic Integration Business Case – Reality Check.  The panel members have over 120 years of combined experience in the photonics business, so the discussion will get interesting, very quickly. The specialists aim to address the fundamental questions about the current key challenges in the field and the differences between InP, GaAs and Silicon technologies.  Future market opportunities, along with topics such as packaging solutions will also be discussed.

What, where, when?

Interested to see what the experts have to say? Come see James and his industry peers in the LA Convention Center, Theater 1 on Thursday March 23. The discussion starts at 10:30 AM. For more information, check out the OFC panel V page.

Speakers:

James Regan; CEO, EFFECT Photonics B.V., Netherlands
Rick Dodd; SVP, Open Architecture, Ciena, USA 
Martin Guy; Sr. Director, Packet Optical Platforms, Ciena, Canada
Frederick Kish Jr.; Sr. VP of the Optical Integrated Circuit Group, Infinera Corp, USA
Radha Nagarajan; CTO, Optical Interconnect, Inphi Corporation, USA
Tom Williams, Sr. Director of Marketing, Acacia Communications, USA

In less than two weeks, EFFECT Photonics will be exhibiting at the Optical Networking and Communication Conference & Exhibition in Los Angeles, US. OFC is the largest optical communications conference in the world. It’s a conference you cannot afford to miss! Think OFC is just about fibre optics? Think again! OFC has in-depth coverage of photonic integrated circuits, optical networking, free-space optical communications, quantum optics, and more.

Interested in what EFFECT Photonics is working on right now? You can find us at booth #1328!

On March 7-8, the annual PIC International Conference takes place. The 2nd PIC International Conference will build on the success of its predecessors, with industry-leading insiders delivering more than 30 presentations spanning five sectors.

Together, these talks will detail breakthroughs in device technology; offer insights into the status and the evolution of compound semiconductor devices; and provide details of advances in tools and processes that will help to drive up fab yields and throughputs.

This year, EFFECT Photonics will be contributing to the PIC International Conference. On Tuesday March 7^th, EFFECT Photonics CEO James Regan will present at the conference. His presentation will focus on Indium Phosphide as a platform for photonic integration. Come and join us for this interesting talk, it will start at 10.05 AM! For more information and the agenda for the PIC International Conference 2017, please visit the PIC International Conference website.

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!

Read the article how Eindhoven takes position on the world ranking for expats.

Learn more about Eindhoven!

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.

-Ends –

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.

Internet Service Providers around the world are facing the increasing challenges of delivering more services to their data-hungry customers at a faster speed and a lower cost. Dutch High-Tech company launches its photonic integration technology targeted at mobile networks and Data Centers to address this growing demand, fueled by exceptional market growth at a rate of 58% CAGR for Data Centre interconnects and 45% for mobile.

Eindhoven, 18 April 2016. Eindhoven University spin-out, EFFECT Photonics, has recently launched and is sampling its first product family based on its optical ‘System-on-Chip’ photonic integration technology. The successful launch took place in March at a leading global industry trade show, OFC, in Anaheim, USA and generated strong interest with customers, analysts and trade media.

With the existing internet infrastructure unable to support the end-user demand, EFFECT’s photonic integration technology will address the increasing need for optical fiber bandwidth at low cost. With this revolutionary technology, an entire optical system can be integrated into a single chip, the size of a grain of rice, and manufactured cost effectively into a module that fits into the palm of your hand. Another advantage of this technology is its energy efficiency over existing solutions. This significantly reduces energy consumption, contributing to the overall sustainability of the Internet.

EFFECT’s optical ‘System-on-Chip’ technology will extend the edges of the Internet to help deliver high speed broadband to users at home, in the office, and on the move by improving broadband connection speeds and from mobile cell towers into the core of the Internet. The opportunity in this market is forecasted to grow to €30 billion by 2025.

EFFECT’s technology is integrated into a module which can handle many simultaneous data connections, greatly reducing the cost, physical space and power needed per connection. This technology makes it very attractive for Internet Service Providers and will ultimately benefit end-users. EFFECT’s products also support industry standard equipment, which means they can be used in existing and future communication systems.

CTO and founder, Boudewijn Docter commented “The last years have been very exciting; building our company from scratch, forming a great team, raising funds and making the technology ready for mass production. It’s a great adventure and recognizing the positive impact this will have on end-users around the world, makes it even more rewarding!”

Further information:
Email: press@effectphotonics.com

If you can’t make it, come and visit us at Booth 2833. #OFC2016

Photonic integration start-up, EFFECT Photonics is launching its first product family based on its optical ‘System-on-Chip’ technology platform which integrates all the active and passive components of a DWDM system within a single chip, without traditional gold box packaging.

EFFECT Photonics’ proposition addresses the soaring demand for affordable bandwidth between Data Centres and back from mobile cell towers by bringing Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing technology to the edges of the network. By using the high integration ‘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 product family includes transceivers for transmission of 100Gbps over 80km at lowest cost and power, together with high density solutions containing many wavelengths for emerging WDM Access markets in fronthaul, backhaul and NGPON2.   Industry standard sockets are supported including CFP and CFP2, meaning the products can be used in existing and future systems.

James Regan, CEO commented “We could see a bandwidth crunch coming at the edges of the network and knew that DWDM could be the answer, but it had to be done differently, so we developed a holistic solution from the ground up. We have completely re-thought how to tackle the issues of cost, power and density.  As well as integrating many optical functions into a single chip, we have reduced the cost and complexity of our packaging resulting in a commercially viable solution.  Regan added “We’re now at the sampling stage which is a very exciting time for us, after all the hard work we’ve put in in the past years”.

Andrew Schmitt, founder and analyst at Cignal Al, said “100 Gbps over 40km to 80km is a significant market opportunity that has no cost effective solution today. This is the next battleground for 100G solutions.”

EFFECT Photonics will be showcasing its new product family at the forthcoming industry event OFC, booth no 2833, taking place in Anaheim, CA, between 20-24 March 2016.

Dutch company enables photonic integration technology for mobile networks and datacentres and revolutionizes density, cost, and power.

EFFECT Photonics today announced that it has closed its Series-A funding to bring its Optical System-on-Chip technology to market to meet the soaring demand for bandwidth in cell towers and between datacentres. The first close of the investment round was led by investment company b-to-v Partners, and included the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and Optidob. EFFECT Photonics develops and delivers highly integrated optical components based on InP (Indium Phosphide) which is the material of choice for combining efficient laser light sources, waveguides, modulators, amplifiers, and photodiodes used in optical communication systems throughout the world. 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.

EFFECT Photonics is a spin out from the prestigious Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e) which has been at the forefront of European photonic integration research. EFFECT Photonics, the recent winner of the Invest in Photonics Best Company award combines a team of integration technology innovators and experienced photonics industry veterans with backgrounds in Bookham, Nortel Components, JDSU and Agility.

James Regan, CEO, commented: “Dramatically increasing consumer demand for mobile video is driving a wave of data through cell towers and between datacentres that is expected to rise ten times over the next four years, creating a capacity crunch that only Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) can solve. With our DWDM Optical System-on-Chip and advanced packaging technologies we enable the cost structure network providers need in a competitive market environment.”

Dr. Christian Reitberger, joining the board of the company on behalf of b-to-v Partners, commented: “We are excited to work with the EFFECT Photonics team to deliver on the vision of highly cost effective photonic integration, combining the intellectual capital of Eindhoven and the South West UK know-how clusters. The photonic manufacturing ecosystem has finally evolved to make capital-light photonic hardware companies a reality.”

Miriam Dragstra, Managing Director of BOM Capital added: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to support EFFECT Photonics as a high-potential photonics start-up in our region, which has established itself as world-leading in the area of Integrated Photonics. Our investment will contribute to increasing that critical mass and its spin-off to the community further.”

For more information about EFFECT Photonics, visit: www.effectphotonics.com.

Source: EFFECT Photonics.

About EFFECT Photonics
EFFECT Photonics B.V. is spin out from the Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e) and is a leader in the in the design and development of optical components using multichannel Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) in Indium Phosphide for mobile networks and datacentres. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, the birthplace of Philips, with additional R&D in South West UK and sales partners worldwide. For additional information, visit: www.effectphotonics.com.
Media contact
Email: press@effectphotonics.com

About b-to-v Partners
Based in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Berlin, Germany, b-to-v is one of the leading networks of private investors in Europe. The company also acts as an independent investor and invests in start-ups, mid-size companies and special investment opportunities in the areas of Internet&Mobile, Life Sciences and Clean Technologies. b-to-v’s investment philosophy is based on creating sustainable added value for its portfolio companies while leveraging the industry expertise and entrepreneurial know-how stemming from the b-to-v’s network of private investors.

Media contact
Lennart Meyer
HOSCHKE & CONSORTEN Public Relations GmbH
Tel: +49 40 36 90 50-32
E-Mail: l.meyer@hoschke.de

About BOM
The Brabant Development Agency (BOM) promotes business development in a number of ways, with a particular focus on innovative companies and cross-industry initiatives that give the Brabant economy a lasting and competitive edge in a rapidly globalizing world and place the region among the top in Europe in terms of knowledge and innovation. BOM employs themed funds to invest venture capital in concepts with a promising future and encourages other public and private partners to come on board. In addition to venture capital and business development, BOM encourages knowledge-intensive and other foreign companies to establish themselves in Brabant. BOM also revitalizes existing economic potential, primarily by means of overhauling aging commercial sites.