Nov. 5, 2004 – NEC Corp. has developed a tunable laser that it said is cost-effective enough to replace the functions of many lasers used in fiber-optic networks. In addition, the laser could offer other advantages over current MEMS-based and monolithic models, according to IDG News Service.

The Japanese company said its laser, which it plans to have commercially available by October 2005, is built on a large-scale integrated circuit process to make semiconductor chips. NEC said in the report that the process makes it relatively easy to make lasers at lower cost, and powerful and flexible enough to meet the varied needs of fiber-optics communications.

There are two main types of tunable lasers used to send light pulses through fiber-optic cables: a monolithic type that integrates the laser’s components onto a semiconductor chip; and MEMS-based lasers that incorporate movable micromirrors to adjust the laser wavelength.