COHERENT DEBUTS EXTENDED C+L-BAND GRISMS WITH UNMATCHED EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE

PITTSBURGH, March 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a leader in optical communications components and subsystems, has introduced a groundbreaking family of advanced, aberration-correcting, high-efficiency grisms and transmission gratings capable of encompassing the entire extended C+L band in a single optic. These enable construction of more cost-effective, efficient, and compact network components that support more communication channels, such as wavelength selective switches (WSS) and optical channel monitors.  

“Both the datacom and telecom segments are experiencing a surge in network traffic driven by the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Meeting this growth, along with market-based pressures for reduction of cost and size, necessitates the use of smaller, more efficient components for network management and telemetry. These forces have driven the need for technological innovation to combine individual C- and L-band WSS systems with extended wavelength coverage. Coherent is the first to develop gratings and grisms that specifically support these needs,” said Steve Rummel, Senior Vice President, Coherent Engineered Materials and Laser Optics.

Coherent achieves these goals through multilayer dielectric diffraction (MLD) gratings fabricated using the same mask projection photolithography processes employed in the semiconductor industry.

Our innovative MLD diffraction gratings enable the curvature and spacing of every individual grating line to be separately and precisely controlled. This results in optics that excel over competitive products in several important ways.  

• Expanded grating functionality past dispersion to include aberration correction and wavefront transformation

• Exceptional efficiency up to 97%, providing reduced power consumption and heat dissipation

• Grating design provides for higher dispersion, which permits tighter channel spacing and improved channel isolation

These same performance factors also combine to deliver broader wavelength coverage over the entire extended C+L band. The manufacturing process excellence enables Coherent to provide this performance-enhancing product at an affordable value to our customers.

The Coherent grism and grating platform is qualified for a broad range of materials and groove densities and can be readily customized to specific customer requirements.

Coherent will exhibit at OFC 2024 in San Diego, March 26-28, booth #3412, showcasing its new products and technology for next-generation optical communications networks and sensing.