GigOptix announces successful Telcordia high temperature operating lifetime testing results for its 40G DPSK optical modulator
PALO ALTO, USA: GigOptix Inc., a leading supplier of high performance electronic and electro-optic components that enable next generation 40G and 100G optical networks, announced that as part of the ongoing productization of its Thin Film Polymer on Silicon (TFPS) line of Mach-Zehnder Modulators (MZM), that its LX8401 40G DPSK MZMs has successfully passed prequalification assessment with over 1000hrs of Telcordia’s GR-468 demanding High Temperature Operating Lifetime (HTOL) testing without degradation in operating performance.
The HTOL test is a key milestone in the required suite of Telcordia GR-468 reliability assessments. The HTOL test assesses the reliability of the TFPS MZM by stressing the device at a temperature of 85C while the device is modulating a 1550nm laser and is driven by a high speed electrical RF signal. This test simulates an accelerated 25 year lifetime of the product.
After 1000 hours, the pre-qualification modulators showed no degradation in performance. The performance parameters measured included insertion loss, drive voltage, extinction ratio, and bandwidth. This successful result builds on previously announced reliability assessments by GigOptix of its TFPS optical chips, which have been measured successfully for over 7000hrs at 85C to date.
element14 collaborates with artist Ben Innes to construct “Exploded Electronics Art” installation showcasing evolution of electronics
LONDON, UK: From a Tandy TR-S80 to an iMac, punch cards to terabyte hard drives, or super-8 movie projectors to Blue-ray DVD players, the evolution of electronic technology is undeniable, unstoppable and awe-inspiring.
In an effort to underscore the impact of technology advancements on our daily lives, element14, a collaborative engineering community and electronics store for design engineers and electronics enthusiasts, today kicked-off a community-driven art installation with artist Ben Innes to construct an exploded electronic device mobile that depicts the monumental progression in electronic technology.
Innes, a Minneapolis-based artist and photographer, is best known for his hanging mobiles made of deconstructed electronics that reveal the interactions taking place among the various components of a device. The concept for the installation commissioned by element14 is to showcase the juxtaposition of two analogous pieces of modern and legacy technology. The entire artistic process – from conception to production to installation – will be captured documentary-style and shared on the element14 community.
The subject matter of Innes’ piece will be determined by the element14 community, where engineers and enthusiasts will have the opportunity to vote on the past and present technologies to be deconstructed. In addition to documenting the artistic process, the project will also provide in-depth technical insight from professional design engineers on what makes the parts work together, how the technology has evolved from when it was originally introduced, as well as viewpoints on future innovations.
AnalogicTech launches small, quiet, serial, step-up LED backlight drivers for handheld devices
SANTA CLARA, USA: Advanced Analogic Technologies Inc. (AnalogicTech), an analog semiconductor company focused on powering innovative solutions in consumer, industrial, and communications markets, has introduced the AAT14XX family of 31 mA step-up single-channel light-emitting diode (LED) drivers capable of driving up to 10 LEDs in a single string.
The drivers’ small size and quiet operation make them ideal LED backlight solutions for single cell Lithium-ion battery-based equipment, including mobile and smart phones, MP3 players, portable media players (PMPs) and portable navigation device-type applications with larger screens.
The AAT14XX family enables larger displays, allows higher efficiencies and offers filtered pulse-width modulation (PWM) dimming to eliminate interference with the radios in cell phones and other handheld devices. With a 1.15 x 1.55 mm wafer-level chip scale package (WLCSP) size, the devices require only 0.7 cm2 of space on a printed circuit board, making them one of the smallest solutions available.