Apogee Photonics and Vitesse Offer Breakthrough Optical Transmission Performance for 10 Gbps Optical Module OEMs

Apogee Photonics and Vitesse Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:VTSS)today announced a joint reference design that extends 10 Gbpstransceiver performance to an industrial temperature range. The newreference design allows customers to quickly and confidently deployhigh-speed optical links in the most demanding environmentalconditions, including the outside plant associated with PON backhaulapplications, while maintaining exceptional XFP transceiver SONET eyemask margins of 20 percent average over case temperatures ranging fromminus 40 degrees C to +85 degrees C.

Apogee Photonics, a pioneer in the development of advancedphotonic integrated circuits and high-speed lasers for next-generationoptical transceivers, and Vitesse, a provider of innovative integratedcircuit designs for optical communications, are leading the industryin the development of more robust performance for 10 Gbps opticalmodules. The joint Vitesse and Apogee Photonics reference designoffers transceiver manufacturers reduced product development costs andsignificantly higher scalability and throughput in manufacturing dueto simplicity of calibration over the temperature range.

Since the initial deployment of 10 Gbps optical modules, industrydemand for higher module performance over industrial temperatureranges is rapidly growing. At elevated temperatures, directlymodulated laser (DML) technology has proven asymmetrical performanceresulting in reduced eye mask margin and degradation in overall linkbudget even with increased signal amplitude. Module manufacturers nowlook to Electroabsorption-Modulated-Laser (EML) technology to providethe stable and symmetric performance they require based on the robusttemperature insensitivity of EML bandwidth.

"We are pleased with the performance of the combination of theApogee EML and Vitesse driver IC under extreme temperatureconditions," commented Dr. Rang-Chen Yu, vice president ofDatacom/Telecom PLG at Fiberxon Inc., one of the world's leadingsuppliers of opto-electronic components, modules, and subsystems forcommunication networks. "Our system OEM customers are increasinglydeploying high-speed optical broadband solutions closer to customerpremises, and require environmentally hardened high-speed opticaltransmission performance. Our i-temp 10G XFP transceiver product is anexcellent fit to meet their demanding requirements."

The joint reference design solution includes Vitesse's proven XFPPRO(TM) PCB layout with its VSC7982 Driver IC and the Apogee Photonics10T3081 EML TOSA. The VSC7982 supports case temperatures up to 100degrees C and the 10T3081 up to 95 degrees C TOSA case temperature.Industrial XFP solutions using the above combination, together withthe Vitesse VSC8239 dual signal conditioner and VSC7978 transimpedanceamplifier IC, achieve less than 2.5W total power consumption, lowerthan comparable DML solutions.

The Apogee Photonics 10T3081 EML is built using the company'spatented Asymmetric TwinGuide(TM) (ATG) technology, a highly scalableplatform for monolithic photonic integration, enabling uncooled EMLmanufacturing with high chip and TOSA yields and lower cost thancompeting uncooled DML platforms. The Apogee Photonics 1310 nm EMLplatform also provides industry-leading reliability in an uncooled 10Gbps laser source.

"The Vitesse XFP PRO chipset was designed and characterized tosupport the natural progression to industrial temperature rangeoperation. By working closely with Apogee Photonics we have been ableto offer customers a solution that meets the rising performancedemands of extended temperature 10 km modules," said RichardInterrante, manager of applications engineering for the NetworksProducts Division at Vitesse.

Aaron Bond, vice president of Marketing and Business Developmentat Apogee Photonics, said, "Customer demand for industrial temperaturerange products is growing and is a logical next step in our productroadmap. With the new reference design, customers can now upgradetheir modules to support industrial temperatures, without alteringexisting designs based on the Vitesse chipset and Apogee Photonicsuncooled 1310 nm EML."

The Vitesse VSC7982 XFP PRO driver is in production and availablenow, along with an evaluation board and the reference design with theApogee Photonics 10T3081 TOSA. The Apogee Photonics 10T3081 TOSA withLC-receptacle is sampling now and will be generally available incommercial quantities in the fourth quarter of 2005. Apogee Photonicsis offering the TOSA in a Telcordia-qualified, low-cost, TO-41 basedpackage that will also be available in a RoHS compliant option.

A joint white paper is available through the Vitesse Web site XFPTechnology Center (http://www.vitesse.com/xfp) that details the SONETand 10 GbE data over temperature measurements taken with the driverand TOSA solution. Both Apogee Photonics and Vitesse will beexhibiting at the China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE)in Shenzhen, China, September 6 - 9, 2005, in booths B122 and B070,respectively, located in Hall 1.

About Vitesse Semiconductor

Vitesse designs, develops, and markets a diverse portfolio ofhigh-performance, cost-competitive semiconductor solutions forcommunications and storage networks worldwide. Engineering excellenceand dedicated customer service distinguish Vitesse as an industryleader in Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Ethernet-over-SONET, AdvancedSwitching, Fibre Channel, Serial Attached SCSI, Optical Transport, andother applications. Vitesse innovation empowers customers to deliversuperior products for Enterprise, Access, Metro, and Coreapplications. Additional company and product information is availableat www.vitesse.com.

About Apogee Photonics Inc.

Apogee Photonics, an ISO9001 registered, privately heldcorporation, designs, develops, and produces integrated IndiumPhosphide solutions for optical transmission systems that exceed thedistance-extinction-power (DEP) product for other opticalsemiconductor technologies. A leading supplier of integratedhigh-speed optical sources to the communications industry, ApogeePhotonics provides wide variety of cooled, semi-cooled, and uncooledproducts for 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps transmission to tier-one system OEMsand module vendors. Apogee Photonics' Asymmetric TwinGuide (ATG(TM)),EAMP(TM) (amplified EA modulator) and arrayed waveguide (AWG)technologies provide a highly-scalable platform for monolithicphotonic integration that delivers unprecedented levels of functionalintegration, low cost, and world-class optical performance. Additionalcompany and product information is available atwww.apogeephotonics.com.