Business briefs

02 Aug 2002

Including news from Cree, Bookham, Anritsu, Fujikura, Emcore and more.

•  Cree, US, has posted fourth quarter revenues of USD 37.8 million, up 13% from the previous quarter. The net loss for the quarter was USD 22.5 million. The company is now anticipating increased revenues of USD 45 million for its next quarter due to higher than expected demand for its LED products.

•  UK-based Bookham Technology has announced second quarter revenues of EURO 11.2 million (USD 11 million), up 27% on the first quarter's EURO 8.9 million and up 20% on the EURO 9.3 million posted for the same quarter last year. Net loss for the quarter was EURO 25.7 million, well down from last year's second quarter figure of EURO 70.9 million.

•  Japanese telecoms equipment giants Anritsu and Fujikura have teamed up to develop Raman optical amplifier systems for long-haul optical transmission systems. Anritsu will supply the high-power pumping lasers, which have operating wavelengths around 1475 nm, while Fujikura will develop the Raman amplifier based on its fiber and passive component range. The team expects samples to be available this month.

•  Teem Photonics, the French maker of erbium-doped waveguide amplifiers, has acquired the technology of former competitor Northstar Photonics, US. In an undisclosed deal, Teem gain access to a series of patents and applications as well as the trademarks behind Northstar's technology.

•  US-based Emcore has won a contract to develop the solar array that will power the European Space Agency's CRYOSAT satellite. This is the first major contract awarded to Emcore for satellite applications since it acquired Tecstar's Applied Solar Division in February.

•  MEMSCAP of France, a developer of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), is to purchase Cronos, JDS Uniphase's MEMS business. The USD 9.3 million acquisition provides MEMSCAP with an established operational unit offering design and foundry services, including the development of optical MEMS. JDS purchased Cronos Integrated Microsystems for USD 750 million in stock in April 2000.