Coherent Introduces Wavemaker and Waveshaper Instruments to Lower the Cost of Testing Next-Generation Technology for Optical Networks

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a leading provider of test and measurement instruments for optical communications, today announced the introduction of its first instrument from the WaveMaker instrument series operating in the C-band and two new instruments from the WaveShaper instrument series operating in the Super L-band.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are the latest applications driving solutions that lower the cost of ownership of communications transport networks. Coherent launched the WaveMaker instrument series, a highly integrated instrumentation unit that lowers the cost of testing optical communications products, from components to systems. In addition, rapid advances in optical communications technologies are reaching the theoretical limits of fiber‑optic capacity in the L-band, which is driving the expansion of the wavelength range to the so‑called “Super L-band.” Coherent addresses this use case with two new WaveShaper instruments that operate across the Super L-band.

“These series of instruments, which are built on liquid-crystal-on-silicon technology, are unique and continue to grow in popularity with customers,” said Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi, Chief Marketing Officer. “We continue to build out our portfolio of test instruments for both lab and mass-production environments to keep pace with some of the most advanced use cases in the latest transmission technology developments in optical communications.”

• The WaveMaker™ 4000A is a programmable optical spectrum synthesizer that can generate arbitrary spectral shapes in the C-band with widths as narrow as 10 GHz and extinction ratios exceeding 60 dB. It is ideal for generating comb spectra and combining them with modulated signals from external sources to generate a wide range of test cases.
• The WaveShaper® 1000B is a programmable optical filter and the WaveShaper® 4000B is a programmable optical processor. Both products can generate arbitrary filter shapes in attenuation and phase over the Super L-band from 1572.97 nm to 1627.10 nm.

The new WaveMaker instrument is the first in a series of products that will launch over the next few quarters. The latest Super L-band WaveShaper instruments extend the existing portfolio, which now covers a combined wavelength range of 1468 nm to 1640 nm. The WaveMaker instrument was honored by Lightwave Innovation Reviews 2023 in the category of Lab/Production Test Equipment. The new WaveMaker and WaveShaper instruments will begin shipping by the end of calendar year 2023. Coherent will demonstrate its optical test instruments at ECOC 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland, Oct. 2-4, Stand #406.