Zurich, Switzerland-based Albis Optoelectronics AG, a manufacturer of photodiodes for analog and digital applications, announced this week that it has developed a new technology that protects biased photodiodes in hot and humid environments. The technology enables bare die photodiodes to operate for more than 1000 hours in an 85 °C, 85 percent relative-humidity environment. Company officials said hermetic photodiodes reduce packaging costs and allow non-hermetic modules to pass Telcordia GR-468 requirements. The technology is especially beneficial for PLC-based di- and triplexers, officials said, and the photodiodes can be manufactured on the wafer level with high yields. Albis Optoelectronics said it expects to extend the photodiode lifetime to 2000 hours by the end of the year.