Here's a start:
From Lightreading, a general look at the sector:
lightreading.com
Articles on SDLI from Investor's Business Daily:
Message 13060733
Message 11760336
A good way to get a feel for a company is to read through their press releases. You'll see who their customers are and what they're doing in terms of acquisitions. You'll also see their numbers in abbreviated form.
From SDL's website: sdli.com
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The growing demand for bandwidth in all types of communication networks is causing an increase in the performance, quality and cost requirements of the equipment used to build these networks. The development of fiber optic amplifiers and the implementation of dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) are the primary innovations which have enabled fiber optic networks to expand quickly and economically to meet the bandwidth needs of increasing Internet, data, video and voice traffic.
SDL offers a growing selection of high-performance products that are key elements in optically amplified, DWDM networks for terrestrial and undersea deployment. SDL combines world class development, manufacturing and reliability expertise in high power semiconductor lasers, fiber lasers, fiber amplifiers, fiber Bragg gratings and active integrated optical components to create product solutions that advance the performance and value of fiber optic networks.
Fiber Amplifier Pumps
Erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) exhibit superior noise figure performance when pumped by 980 nm lasers. This means longer span distances can be designed between repeater amplifiers, which means fewer amplifiers are required for a given link distance, resulting in lower network cost. SDL started manufacturing single mode 980 nm lasers for pumping EDFAs in 1990. Since then, our pump lasers have been used by major telecommunications and CATV equipment manufacturers around the world. SDL has established a substantial reliability history at both the laser chip and fiber-coupled module level with millions of device hours of field deployed products.
SDL also pioneered the use of fiber Bragg gratings by developing a patented grating stabilized pump module. Grating stabilization delivers superior wavelength stability and enables precise wavelength specification. Both of these performance characteristics are increasingly important as channel density increases in EDFAs for DWDM networks. Wavelength stability is also critical for demanding underseas deployment of 980 nm pumped EDFAs. All SDL standard pump modules feature fiber Bragg grating stabilization.
SDLO-1500 Series is a new product line of low cost pump modules for use in erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) used in DWDM fiber optic networks, utility preamplifiers or medium power EDFAs for metropolitan area fiber networks. The SDLO-1500 Series is designed to meet the performance and cost requirements for low to medium power multi-purpose EDFAs known as utility amps. Major applications for these utility amps include pre-amps for high data rate receivers used in long haul DWDM networks and broadband CATV networks.
SDLO-2500 Series of pump modules is currently deployed in many of today's DWDM systems and CATV distribution systems. This module has proven reliability with Bellcore GR-468-CORE qualification and more than 100 million field deployed hours of operation.
SDLO-2600 Series of pump modules utilize a planar construction with chip on subcarrier. The new package is hermetically sealed and meets the stringent requirements of Bellcore GR-468-CORE for hermetic 980 nm pump modules. The design with chip on subcarrier has improved thermal performance allowing higher power performance from SDL's proven 6530 chip with over 100 million field deployed hours of operation. Wavelength selection is available for applications requiring the highest performance in spectrum control with the highest powers available.
SDLO-2700 Series of pump modules represent the latest in chip and module technology. It utilizes SDL's new 6540 chip that offers the highest power with improved efficiency. The new planar package with chip on subcarrier has superior performance for operating powers and operating current. The new package is hermetically sealed and meets the stringent requirements of Bellcore GR-468-CORE for hermetic 980nm pump modules. The combination of planar packaging with excellent thermal performance and the new high performance 6540 chip is expected to set the trend for next generation of EDFA designs requiring the ultimate in distance and bandwidth.
SDL-RL30 is a revolutionary step in high power pumping options for telecommunications. The pump system consists of a double-clad fiber laser, pumped by an array of SDL's telecommunication qualified pump modules, followed by a Cascaded Raman Resonator that shifts the light from the fiber laser to the emission wavelength.
The RL30 opens up new opportunities in extending the reach of long-haul optical links. It can be used as a pump for distributed Raman amplification, where the transmission fiber itself acts as the gain medium. One very important benefit of Raman amplification is that it can be used over a wide range of wavelengths, rather than within a fixed wavelength region as with erbium-doped fiber technology. The RL30 is available in all wavelengths required to cover today's entire transmission band (1528-1610 nm).
The 1480 nm version of the RL30 can also be used as a high powered pump for standard EDFAs. In repeaterless submarine systems the RL30 can be used to pump submerged erbium-doped fiber gain blocks. The high power of the RL30 (1.7 W nominally) makes it ideal for "pump sharing" architectures, where one high-powered pump source is used for several erbium-doped fiber gain blocks.
High Power Multimode Pump Lasers
SDL has been the worldwide leader in delivering multimode pump lasers for a diversity of applications for many years. As new high power optical amplifier technology has developed based on fiber lasers, SDL has developed a pump laser and fiber-coupled module to meet the needs of this emerging technology. Multimode lasers can deliver optical powers much greater than single-mode lasers. However, useful operating powers are limited to a range that also delivers high operating reliability. SDL has conducted extensive lifetesting to establish operating conditions that will yield the reliability performance needed for long haul telecommunications deployment.
SDLO-4000 Series is a fourteen (14) pin butterfly package that features high reliability at up to 750 mW. By combining our extensive experience with 980 nm single-mode pump lasers for EDFAs and 800 nm multimode lasers for diode pumped solid state lasers, we have developed 920 and 970 nm multimode pump lasers for pumping Ytterbium doped fiber lasers used in Raman amplification and double-clad fiber amplifiers.
SDL-6360 Series of multimode laser diodes feature a wavelength range from 920-980 nm with reliable laser facet powers up to 1.2 W.
Optical Amplifiers
SDL has focused exceptional engineering and design on optical amplifiers for specific applications. This focus has yielded amplifiers with exceptional performance such as the SDL-FM30 with up to +30 dBm output power and noise figure of 6.0 dB. This same engineering approach delivers tremendous value in amplifiers at lower output powers and enables SDL to offer an unparalleled level of flexibility and performance.
SDL-FM30-1 is a major advance in high power optical amplification for telecommunications applications. Typical telecommunications grade EDFAs today can provide up to 200 mW of output power, while the FM30-1 offers up to 1 Watt (30 dBm). Cladding pumped fiber technology used in the FM30-1 can provide higher optical power more economically than existing technology, further enabling networks to increase capacity.
This single fiber output amplifier is designed for applications where high power amplification is required to extend transmission distance, such as repeaterless submarine systems, single-span terrestrial links or in free-space transmission applications. The amplifier is designed to provide up to 33 dB of gain in the 1545-1560 nm range, with a gain flatness of 1.5 dB and typical noise figure of 5 dB.
SDL-FM30-8 is a high-power amplifier designed for use in CATV transmission systems that utilize DWDM technology. The cladding-pumped fiber optical amplifier is designed to provide 800 mW of optical power split among eight fibers.
The FM30-8 will allow new advances in high power optical amplification architectures for broadband CATV distribution systems. Typically, a single EDFA is required to provide amplification to each receiver location. The FM30-8 allows the system designer to use one amplifier module to transmit broadband data to up to eight receiver locations.
This split output amplifier is designed for applications designed to distribute transmission data, such as broadband CATV transmission. The amplifier provides up to 100 mW of output power per fiber, with a gain flatness of 1.5 dB and typical noise figure of 5 dB in the 1545-1560 nm range.
Modulators
DWDM transmitter design is an extremely demanding occupation, requiring expertise in both optical and microwave disciplines. SDL's OC192 modulation products offer the best optoelectronic solution. Operating over the entire C and L bands, these devices provide the ultimate in wavelength insensitivity for DWDM systems.
For more information on these products, please visit the SDLio Modulators section of our website.
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SDL optical pump products are designed to meet the rigorous reliability, performance and environmental requirements associated with optical pumping of advanced solid state lasers, micro-lasers, optical amplifiers and fiber laser systems. SDL laser diodes have become the recognized solution of choice in today's rapidly expanding market for high reliability optical pumps. Not only do SDL optical pump products represent the leading edge of high power semiconductor laser technology, their unsurpassed reliability sets the benchmark for the lowest cost per watt/hour available in the industry today.
Optical Pumps for Diode Pumped Solid State Lasers (DPSSL) and Micro-Lasers
(SDL-2300, SDL-2400, SDL-3400, SDL-3400/6400-P6).
DPSSL systems address an ever widening variety of new industrial applications such as: precision cutting, welding, drilling, hardening, heat treatment and surface texturing. It is now possible with DPSSL technology to process a broad range of materials including metals, plastics, ceramics and exotic materials. SDL optical pump products enable the cost effective design of efficient, long life DPSSL systems to address these industrial end uses with maximum production throughput and minimal down time.
The SDL optical pump products listed above offer specific benefits to the DPSSL designer: Highest reliability in the industry (greater than 109 shots), highest available efficiency (greater than 35% electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency), excellent beam characteristics, ultra-compact size, convenient liquid and conductive cooling options and wide range of available standard solid state pump wavelengths for Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, CrLiSaF, Er.
Optical Pumps for use in Optical Amplifiers (EDFAs) See also: Communications
(SDLO-1500, SDLO-2500, SDLO-2600, SDLO-2700, SDLO-4000, SDL-6360 Series).
Optical amplifiers have revolutionized the telecommunications and CATV industry. Power amplifiers, boosters, receiver pre-amplifiers for digital and analog fiber optic transmission applications are commonplace elements in the architecture of modern lightwave communications systems. SDL optical amplifier pumps offer a unique set of features giving rise to superlative overall system level performance.
Specific benefits of SDL's optical amplifier pumps include: Highest available reliability and kink free output power, high efficiency, stabilized wavelength options, low noise, industry standard package options, ruggedized fiber coupling, advanced WDM-combined pumps and the most comprehensive warranty package in the industry.
Optical Pumps for Fiber Lasers See also: SDL-FL10/20, SDL's FiberLaser systems
(SDL-6360, SDL-6460-P6).
State-of-the-art fiber laser systems represent one of today's most exciting emerging technologies. End pumped, actively-doped fiber cavity lasers have achieved the highest CW brightness and power density of any semiconductor laser based system to date. This breakthrough achievement has led to the design of ultra-compact and efficient portable industrial lasers to replace out-moded and costly conventional flashlamp pumped laser systems. Advanced fiber laser technology, enabled exclusively by SDL optical pump products, continues to provide opportunities for new and unique uses in scientific, communications and industrial markets.
SDL optical pumps for fiber lasers provide the following benefits to the fiber laser design specialist: High brightness, high reliability, optimized beam shape for coupling to the active fiber gain media, low noise, standard active fiber pump wavelengths, high conversion efficiency, compact & ruggedized package configurations and much more.
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And, finally, read the latest 10-K:
freeedgar.com
The easiest method is to read Item VII, "MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999, 1998, AND 1997
Here you'll get the best description of current business. Don't miss their balance sheet. It's a beauty!
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