News

11 June 2009

 

u2t acquires GaAs optical modulator business

u2t Photonics AG of Berlin, Germany, which manufactures indium phosphide-based ultra-high-speed photodetectors and receivers (up to 100GHz), has acquired the assets of a UK-based high-speed gallium arsenide optical modulator business for an undisclosed sum.

GaAs modulator technology is seen as being key to the cost-effective deployment of 40 and 100Gb/s fiber-optic communication systems to meet the ever-increasing demands of global internet traffic.

Since GaAs can use 6-inch wafer processing capabilities, the process control that is available can be much better than that employed for the smaller wafer sizes normally employed for optoelectronic components used in optical communications applications, u2t says. This will in turn enable higher levels of monolithic integration in GaAs, helping to create the high-performance and cost-effective components that are required for the complex modulation schemes needed by 40 and 100Gb/s systems.

Founded in 1998 as a spin-off from Heinrich-Hertz-Institut in Berlin, u2t expects that the addition of the GaAs modulator business will add to its capabilities in 40 and 100Gb/s optical communication products, which are amongst the fastest-growing areas in the optical networking market.

With this acquisition, u2t gains access to GaAs-based optical components and adds another platform to its technology portfolio. u2t says that it will continue its close partnership with Heinrich-Hertz-Institut on components based on indium phosphide technology, enabling the exploitation of whichever material system is best suited for each application.

“We see very strong synergies with our existing 40 and 100Gb/s receiver products,” says u2t’s CEO Andreas Umbach. “It will allow us to enhance our offering by delivering high-performance yet cost-effective transmitter functionality,” he adds.

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