Posted to News on 29th Oct 2021, 00:00
Fibre optic variable attenuators from Laser Components
Electrical and manual fibre optic variable attenuators are available from Laser Components for a broad range of applications. MEMS, electro-optical, optomechanical versions are available offering ultra-low loss (0.2dB), high attenuation (>65dB), ultra-high-speed (100ns), programmable, and a vast range of wavelengths and fibre types including large core fibre (up to 1mm ) and polarisation maintaining fibre. Applications include power equalisation in multi-channel optically amplified network, transmitter and receiver power control, and gain-tilt control in optical amplifiers OADM power balance.
In respect of thermal actuated MEMS variable fibre optic attenuators (VOAs), Laser Components claims these have the smallest size, the highest attenuation level and ultra-high reliability. The fibre-fibre MEMS VOAs are said to offer high performance near-lossless, ultra-broadband, and all-type fibres. The high-precision programmable VOAs (0.1dB accuracy 1-40dB, 0.6dB accuracy 40-65dB, 80dB attenuation) are based on piezo actuation they have a built-in position sensor achieving high stability/repeatability as well as linearity. For high-speed operation, there are solid-state VOAs with low loss, vibration insensitive, fast rise/fall times in addition to variable splitting ratio/splitter.
