Corning Contracts with SDL for 980-nm Pump Modules

SDL Inc. in San Jose, Calif., will supply 980-nm pump modules to Corning Inc., a manufacturer of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers used in dense wavelength division multiplexing WDM networks. The value of the contract is contingent on the number of units and the product mix that the Corning, N.Y.-based manufacturer will require throughout the life of the agreement.

In the last 12 months, the demand for SDL's 980-nm pump modules has doubled, according to Donald R. Scifres, chairman and chief executive officer. The increase comes in the wake of construction of long-haul terrestrial and undersea communications systems.

Corning also announced it has granted licenses for its semiconductor packaging patents to SDL and to Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. of Tokyo. The patents relate to the high-reliability packaging of semiconductor pump lasers, an integral component in optical amplifiers.