Kyocera develops industry's first crystal etalon filter

KYOTO, JAPAN: Kyocera Corp. has developed a crystal etalon filter, a component in optical telecommunications systems for large-volume data transmission, that prevents dense wavelengths of light from interfering with each other by sensing deviations between multiple wavelengths.

This is the industry's first crystal etalon filter that allows users to select a wavelength temperature coefficient within the range of 5.4 to 15.7pm/ C*1. From October 1, Kyocera will offer samples of this product in two temperature coefficient types (5.4pm/ C and 15.7pm/ C).

With the Internet's rapid expansion in recent years and the drastic increase in volume of information transfer from the exchange of large-volume data such as movies, optical telecom now face demand for handling a greater volume at a higher speed.

The WDM*2 transmission system, with its capacity to send more optical signals (information) per single optical fiber, is becoming the mainstream method of meeting such demands. Tunable laser modules are developed in a range of configurations to further increase optical signals, leading to the need for crystal etalon filters, which possess wavelength temperature coefficient ranging from low to high and are optimal for any configuration.

The new product was created by Kyocera Kinseki — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyocera engaged in the development and manufacturing of crystal devices — with the company's advanced technology for analyzing at sub-pm levels (1×10-12 meters or smaller), data on optical characteristics accumulated over years of research, and its technology for developing high-definition, high-quality synthetic crystals.

With the development of this new product, for the first time in this industry, a crystal etalon filter is able to assign arbitrary figures as a wavelength temperature coefficient ranging from 5.4 to 15.7pm/ C.

This development enables more flexibility in designing tunable laser modules capable of increasing optical signals emitted, while contributing to higher precision, and better wavelength stability and reliability.