Oclaro to Show Highest Power, Broadest Wavelengths at LASER 2009

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At LASER World of Photonics, Oclaro, Inc. (Nasdaq: OCLR - News), a provider of optical components for industrial applications, will show its extended portfolio of high power laser diode bars, including the 100W 808 nanometer (nm) bar, the 200W bar with new 1030 and 1070nm capability, and a new series of 150W bar products at 9xx nm and 10xx nm. The new products are aimed at directed energy, DPSS laser and multi-kilowatt direct diode applications.

The new 200W bar - the highest continuous wave (CW) power laser diode bar commercially available - features a wall plug efficiency of 65 percent and is designed for single-sided cooling on a micro-channel cooler at a configuration allowing low pitch when stacking. Extending up to 1070nm adds two more colours to scale multi-kilowatt direct diode systems by wavelength multiplexing, enabling direct laser system manufacturers to directly compete with fiber lasers and CO2 lasers in material processing applications.

The 808nm 100W bar on micro-channel boasts a wall plug efficiency of 60 percent and a 50 percent fill factor to enable higher power output from a larger emitter area. For conduction cooling a 60W 30 percent fill-factor version, released at Photonics West earlier this year, is also available. Here the extended wavelength range also includes 793nm, important to eye-safe applications based on thulium laser systems.

"The Oclaro industry leading 200W bars are aimed at the high end direct diode system manufacturers, while the 150W bars offer an alternative for those customers who are not quite ready to handle drive currents in the 200A range," said Senior Product Line Manager Christian Naumer. "With our new 808nm products we are clearly targeting defence related pumping and directed energy applications as well as solar cell and flat panel display processing applications. Overall, this is a very strong portfolio for us, and we are excited to introduce these products to our major customers at this show."

Yves LeMaitre, EVP and General Manager of the Oclaro Advanced Photonic Solutions Division, added: "LASER 2009 is going to be a very important event for Oclaro as we launch our new brand, and confirm our position as the leader in providing high power laser diode bars for direct diode, fiber laser and CO2, systems with these high performance bar offerings."

Like all Oclaro high power laser products, the front facet of the bar is protected against Catastrophic Optical Damage (COD) by the Oclaro E2 mirror passivation process. Telecom grade AuSn (gold tin) hard solder makes the product suitable for demanding industrial and defence applications in CW and hard-pulse operation mode.

Oclaro was formerly Bookham, Inc. prior to its merger with Avanex Corporation last April. The company also recently announced entering into a definitive agreement with Newport Corporation which, if the deal closes, will, among other things, provide Oclaro with a portion of the Newport Spectra Physics high power laser diode business. Oclaro will continue to leverage its cutting edge, high reliability laser diode manufacturing facilities to service industrial, defense and medical markets with high power lasers and VCSELs.

About Oclaro

Oclaro, with headquarters in San Jose, California, is a tier 1 provider of high performance optical components, modules and subsystems to the telecommunications market, and is one of the largest providers to metro and long haul network applications. Oclaro, the result of the combination of Bookham, Inc. and Avanex Corporation on April 27, 2009, leverages proprietary core technologies and vertically integrated product development to provide its customers with cost-effective and innovative optical devices, modules and subsystems. The company serves a broad customer base, combining in-house and outsourced manufacturing to maximize flexibility and drive improved gross margin. Its photonic technologies also serve selected potential high growth markets, including industrial, defense, life sciences, semiconductor, and scientific, with diversification providing both significant potential revenue streams and strategic technological advantage. Oclaro is a global company, with leading chip fabrication facilities in the U.K., Switzerland and Italy, and manufacturing sites in the US, Thailand and China.

Oclaro, the Oclaro logo and all other Oclaro product names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oclaro, Inc. in the USA or other countries.