Fibre optics

Cutting-edge fibre optics

Typically used for long-distance and high-performance data networking; the transmission of information as a light pulse along a glass or plastic fibre holds a number of advantages over the use of traditional coaxial or copper cables. Fibre optic cables bring with them higher bandwidth and faster transmission speeds and are lighter, thinner, more flexible, and unaffected by electromagnetic interference. Traditionally used within telecommunications services such as the internet and telephony, fibre optics are now used across a variety of other industries such as industrial, medical, LiDAR and sensing and defence applications due to an exponential growth of technology adoption.

We partner with world-leading manufacturing brands and deliver state-of-the-art, high-reliability and innovative fibre optic solutions as part of our portfolio. We cover all the main components of fibre optic communication technologies, from devices including; optical fibres and cables, connectors, transceivers, splitters, FTTX through to fully-fledged, board level and speciality solutions for medical, aerospace, industrial networking or harsh environments.

With an extensive choice of reliable, cost-effective fibre optic solutions, enabling efficiency and solving the challenges of mission-critical and complex applications, you can meet the growing demands of bandwidth.

Support services and expertise

We understand the complexities of fibre optics applications. With over 25 years’ experience of application engineering for fibre optical components, module design, and system solutions, we can help you integrate the right technology and develop innovative fibre optic solutions, no matter how complex.

We offer both standard and custom fibre optic solutions, as well as high level support, testing and modifications for a multitude of issues that you may face with integrating fibre optic technologies. These range from validation, failure analysis, debugging and testing as well as fault finding.

From our European, in-house Fibre Optics Technology Centre you can speed up the turnaround of your design application using our specialist test equipment and facilities and recreate environments for specific applications.

Find out more about our Technology Centres or reach out to our team of experts today to discuss your fibre optic requirements.

Our technologies

Discover our range of technologies

Analogue

High-performance applications, such as sensing, RFoG, cable television, mobile networks, and satellite transmission and monitoring, that require the transmission of signals to remain in the analogue domain are enabled using laser and receiver components within our portfolio.

Laser diodes are available both packaged in either coaxial or butterfly footprints, allowing deployment into challenging environments without diminishing linearity or optical performance over wide temperature ranges.

Photodiodes complement the line-up allowing our customers to match the performance requirements on the receiver side creating extremely stable and robust links.

Our flexibility in the choice of wavelength, output power, and linearity specifications provide a broad portfolio of components; not only for deployment into traditional applications such as telecom but also for complex solutions including DWDM, CW, and interferometry, where low RIN and narrow linewidths are key. For higher performance analogue solutions, talk to our experts to define your exact requirements. Whether the solution is using single or dual-stage isolators, standard single mode or polarisation maintaining fibres, special packaging, or connectors we will stand up to any challenge.

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Digital

Many digital applications require specific challenges to be solved at component level where transceivers would not provide enough flexibility or direct access to control certain performance characteristics. For this reason, we can offer you a range of optical components for digital applications; including telecom/datacom systems, CWDM/DWDM modules, and instrumentation.

These LED, laser and photodiode components can be provided as TOSA, ROSA, BOSA components with or without pigtails and connectors.

Alternatively, a range of receptacle packages are available allowing direct connectorisation with standard connectors such as SC, ST, FC, SMA, and LC. Custom connectors and packaging are also available on request.

Integration of WDM components either inside of BOSA or externally, as a module or assembly solution, is possible. Solving your challenges is key, hence the provision of dual, triple, or even quad lasers or photodiodes inside of a single OSA with pigtail is possible. We are able to assist with any challenge and make use of our partner’s expertise and flexibility in design and production from small sample quantities to high-volume manufacturing.

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Specialty fibre

Optical fibres vary enormously, in the type of fibre core, the construction, and materials used in coatings and buffers. Selecting the right fibre for your application will help lower overall system costs, as characteristics such as lower loss, maximum distance, optimised dispersion, and tight bend performance will affect your choice of fibre.

We partner with leading and innovative manufacturers of optical fibre, FTTx and speciality optical fibre solutions for telecommunications, medical, industrial, energy, sensing, government, aerospace, and defence industries.

Our portfolio covers a large choice of specialty fibres all of which are available with a selection of core/cladding diameters, non-standard operating wavelengths, numerical apertures, and coatings to include pure-silica, step-index, graded-index, medical-grade, hollow core, dual-core, polarisation maintaining, HCS, Carbon, Polyimide coated, and plastic optical fibre (POF).

If you are looking for a specialty multimode, single-mode, or polarisation maintaining fibre, our custom range will likely fulfil most performance requirements. Whether the choice of fibre is dictated by resistance to extreme temperatures, shock and vibration, chemicals and solvents, radiation, or resistance to harsh environments, our experts will provide the best-fit recommendation to ensure performance and reliability remain unaffected.

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Fibre optic cables, connectors and assemblies

We provide high-performance fibre cables, connectors and assemblies for use in various industrial, indoor, and outdoor applications. Offering unique properties and benefits for different types of use, our fibre optic cable products can easily meet complex application requirements and specifications and provide better immunity, faster, reliable connections, with greater bandwidth across greater distances and more flexibility for the future.

Our leading portfolio of specialist fibre technology partners means we can offer you an extensive choice including solutions for:

FTTx networks
Plastic optical fibre installations
Telecom and datacom
Other demanding industries

With an extensive product range covering specialty/hybrid (industrial and medical-grade), closures and terminals, connectors and adapters, crimp and Cleave components and kits, high-density interconnects, jumpers, patch cords, fan-outs, pigtails, attenuators, custom assemblies, and rackmount fibre enclosures and cassettes.

For a wide variety of applications, where fibre optics may need to endure higher temperature conditions or chemical exposure, we can create customised solutions from a wide selection of coatings, buffers, and cabling materials to meet specific conditions such as abrasion, chemical, and solvent exposure, high-temperature, shock, and vibration.

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Passives

Passive fibre optic components are found in a wide range of applications including telecom/datacom networks, aerospace, defence, and LiDAR and sensors, and medical. The core components are fused optics, WDM filters, collimators and hybrids.

Key specification requirements including optimised bandwidth, low-losses, wide temperature performance, and excellent environmental mechanical stability are important building blocks in delivering on custom solution challenges. Our specialist partners have many years of experience in providing engineering support on-demand for highly customised modules and systems.

Standard and custom products include panels/racks, splitters/couplers, multiplexers/demultiplexers, isolators/circulators, switches, collimators, PM products, and attenuators/patch cords.

Our passive fibre optic solutions are cost-effective yet focused on delivering on exact performance requirements. Our passive components’ flexibility in configuration of key parameters have been proven as industry-leading, with many customers depending on our expertise to guide them through this maze of innovation.

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Transceivers

Combining both a transmitter and receiver into a single housing, we cover a selection of transceivers that are suitable across many applications including industrial, harsh environments and high noise. Our transceivers offer compact, reliable, durable and flexible options that are resilient to vibration, yet still allowing operation in an optimal wavelength range and directly modulated at high frequencies covering both digital and analogue options.

All products have been designed with a focus on achieving low-power consumption over a wide operating temperature range, and beyond and are available with conformal coating, additional shielding or special mechanical robustness demanded of rugged installations.

We have been long-standing partners with the leaders in fibre optic transceiver technologies and provide a wide range of high-quality products. Their strength in product customisation and flexibility of design enables also allows our fibre-optics experts to meet any bespoke requirements.

Covering a choice of either multiple supplier agreement (MSA) form factors, such as 1x9, SFF, SFP/CSFP, SFP+, XFP, QSFP+/QSFP28/QSFP-DD or customised footprints. Our technical consultants will also work with you to ensure optimum performance and usability through our test and support services and for custom solutions.

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Systems

In many applications, a ready-to-go solution is a necessity for saving time in development, planning and installation costs as well as reducing timeframes before go-live. To fulfil this requirement at system level, we have partnered with leading manufacturers of network electronic equipment. By offering media converters, switches, and other system-relevant components we can support installations into a telecom/datacom and FTTx environment with equipment tailored to exact bandwidth and network requirements.

A choice of protocols from Ethernet at 100 Mb/s to 100 Gb/s or complex Passive Optical Network (PON) systems allow customers to design and support networks of various topologies.

Fibre media converters that support multi-mode, single mode and CWDM allow extension of network nodes converting Ethernet from a copper domain into a fibre network using both managed and unmanaged devices. Power over Ethernet options allows for new and legacy equipment connectivity options.

Talk to our experts to find out more about the various options available including high port counts, 19” rack-mounted variants, industry compliant devices to meet your exact network needs.

How Can We Help?

The Fibre Optics Technology Centre is the driving force behind our ability to develop solutions requiring custom fibre capabilities.

When standard components don’t suit your requirements, we will support the design and development of custom software or hardware to fit your unique needs. The facility is also experienced in running diagnostic testing, fault finding and modification of components.

So, whether you need to analyse the performance of your optical components or understand your current power levels, our highly trained team of engineers are on hand.

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Our approach

When it comes to developing custom solutions for tomorrow's technologies, we trust our approach to deliver the best possible outcome.

Our engineers will skilfully guide you through each stage of your project, working with you to understand and identify a solution that meets your technical and commercial needs before designing and integrating your solution.

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