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17 Jun 2002
The emerging field of optical micro-electromechanical systems promises to take a key role in telecoms networks. Phillip Hill looks at Europe's strengths in this field.
From Opto & Laser Europe April 2001
A recent report from market-research firm Yole Développement of Lyon, France, stresses that, although Europe has a rich and high-quality R&D environment in optical micro-electromechanical systems, little of the research into these devices has filtered down to the manufacturing floor.
Eric Mounier from Yole Développement commented: "Many research institutes cover the same field of development, but often with insufficient resources."
The optical telecommunications market is growing at a dramatic rate. According to market-research firm
RHK, the fibre-optic-component market will increase from USD 5.5 billion in 1999 to USD 21.3 billion in
2003 (an annual growth rate of 40%).
Deploying DWDM in optical rings in a cost-effective way requires optical add-drop multiplexers and
optical cross-connects to overcome the need for OEO conversion.
Currently there are five competing technologies that are used to produce optical components: integrated
optics, fibre optics, thin films, micro-optics and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)/optical MEMS.
As far as the MEMS technologies are concerned, there are two kinds of microsystems. MEMS are
passive components - V-grooves and alignment parts, for example. Optical MEMS are microsystems for
wavelength handling, either with a wavelength shift (this type of component uses materials other than silicon,
such as InP) or without a wavelength shift, such as micromachined micromirror arrays or optomechanical
switches.
In Europe there are about 10 companies that make optical MEMS products - mainly optical switches. For
example, Ilotron - a spin-off from the Photonic Networks Research Centre at the University of Essex in the UK
- develops all-optical network routers based on optical MEMS. Ilotron also integrates micromirror technology
from several firms, including OMM in the US.
Compared with the US, few European businesses make optical MEMS products. "The development cost
of these technologies is high and can scarcely be afforded by small firms. Ilotron is an exception, because it
does not make components but integrates them into systems," said Mounier.
The other principal companies involved in MEMS are: Amic of Sweden, Optical Micro Devices of the
UK, Optospeed of Switzerland, Piezosystem Jena, Germany, and Sercalo Microtechnology, Lichtenstein. New
players are emerging, including CSEM in Switzerland, TMP in the Netherlands (now Kymata Netherlands) and
Tronic's Microsystems in France.
The most commonly marketed active component is the optical switch. Sales in optical-switching systems
are forecast to grow from USD 247 million in 2000 to USD 4 billion in 2004, according to market-research firm
Pioneer Consulting.
IMM Mainz in Germany makes an optical switch based on polymer technology, while the start-up
company Sercalo Microtechnology is developing a device that is based on silicon micromirror technology.
Piezosystem Jena has optical switches that are based on piezoceramic actuation technology. The company is still
developing its range of optical-fibre switches, with new developments ongoing (for example, a 4 ¥ 4 matrix and a 1 ¥ 16 fibre optical switch). LEOM
(France) is currently developing a tunable filter based on InP material.
According to market-research firm ElectroniCast, the global consumption of optical add-drop
multiplexers will grow from USD 23 million to USD 1.64 billion in 2003 and to USD 7.2 billion in 2008.
MEMS technology is ideal for large (more than 1000 ¥ 1000
inputs/outputs) optical cross-connects that can reconfigure the network in a short time (less than 50 ms) in
response to traffic flow. Moreover, MEMS are free-space devices and each wavelength channel is physically
separate from its neighbour. They could be the answer to the debate on all-optical versus OEO conversion.
Access to manufacturing is a vital issue for companies that are looking for optical MEMS products.
There are two kinds of player: manufacturers with low intellectual property rights (IPR), such as Tronic's
Microsystems, and IPR players without production units, such as Xros in the US.
In Europe, industrial transfer and creation of start-ups are strongly encouraged, even in state-owned
laboratories.
Mounier said: "A European belief is that the creation of employment will emerge from the setting up of
new start-ups by research institutes and laboratories. Europe is aware that optical MEMS added value is in the
system and subsystem and not in the component itself. That is why the marketing position of Ilotron is so
interesting."
Established microsystem foundries are now moving into optical MEMS activities. This is true for Twente
Microproducts in the Netherlands, Gefran Spa in Italy and Tronic's Microsystems (which now makes
micromirrors). Some firms prefer to be component integrators - such as Alcatel, which buys optical MEMS
from OMM in the US.
There are few organizations that develop and manufacture components; this is a crucial point for the
telecoms players that need access to production facilities.
"Companies are being acquired earlier and earlier in their development cycle," said Mounier. "Large
businesses are gambling on not-yet-proven technologies."
US firms have more mature products that use optical MEMS technology than European companies, says
Mounier. "US businesses have made major breakthroughs in optical MEMS. Industrial products that integrate
optical MEMS were presented for the first time at OFC 2000.
"One strength of the US MEMS industry is the presence of 'open' MEMS foundries that offer custom
optical-MEMS devices. Europe lacks such facilities, but there is a trend towards offering customized devices."
In the field of optical MEMS, Europe has an excellent research base, a well qualified workforce and a
strong knowledge base. It also enjoys a top-ranking position in complementary microsystem technologies, such
as micro-optics and replication techniques as well as in packaging and interconnect techniques. In theory,
Europe should be well placed to exploit a booming market.
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