GigOptix (GGOX) Moves 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s Polymer Modulators to Production

Mar. 24, 2010 (Business Wire) — GigOptix, Inc. (OTCBB:GGOX), disclosed this week the company’s progressive plans to commercialize its proprietary polymer based modulator for all 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s modulation formats during 2010. The company has partnered with Sanmina-SCI (Nasdaq NM: SANM) to contract manufacture the modulators.

Over the last year, since the acquisition of Lumera by GigOptix, the company’s Bothell, Washington based LX Product Line group has made unparalleled developments in polymer material thermal–related electro-optical and mechanical stability; enabling the first-ever achievement of the required 85C, 25 years electro-optical stability of the polymer-coated silicon modulator chip. The design rules that were deployed allow the smallest overall modulator foot print for all speeds and formats.

The GigOptix LX modulators use standard semiconductor production flows and industry standard modulator package assembly technology, allowing for a smooth transfer of the product to a mass production partner like Sanmina-SCI.

The company announced that the first Telcordia qualified volume production of 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s DPSK modulators, will be available in the fourth quarter of 2010. Engineering samples of 40Gb/s DQPSK and 100Gb/s DP-QPSK modulators will be also be available in the fourth quarter of 2010, with Telcordia qualified volume production available in the first quarter of 2011.

Dr. Raluca Dinu, Vice President and General Manager of GigOptix LX Modulator business will present the company’s modulator program and roadmap, tomorrow, March 25, 2010, at OFC/NFOC in San Diego, California, with special emphasize on the following aspects:

• GigOptix’s electro-optic polymer is now meeting the telecom industry reliability standards of stable operation for 25 years at the temperature of 85C. The polymer itself upholds structural integrity up to 240C.
• The technology is inherently low cost and physically robust. Being built as a layer of only a few microns on top of standard silicon wafer it can leverage standard high volume silicon manufacturing techniques. The advantages of GigOptix’s optical polymer material makes the company’s modulators dramatically smaller and faster than the current industry Lithium Niobate and much faster and more robust than InP based solutions.
• The manufacturing agreement with Sanmina-SCI, announced this week, will bring a world class packaging capability to ensure that the company’s modulators will be competitively priced.
• Unlike Lithium Niobate and InP, the material properties of the polymer enable the production of 10G, 40G and 100G modulator chips at the same small footprint, hence the overall modulator package to be a similar size for all speeds and formats.

Pushing the speed barrier beyond what is possible with other technologies, GigOptix is collaborating with partners on a “beyond 100Gb/s” modulator demonstration which may be a viable option for enhancing network capacity. For more information, CLICK HERE for Dr. Dinu’s presentation, or visit Presentations & Webcast under the Investor Tab at www.gigoptix.com.

About GigOptix, Inc.

GigOptix is a leading fabless manufacturer of electronic engines for the optically connected digital world. The Company offers a broad portfolio of high speed electronic devices including polymer electro-optic modulators, modulator drivers, laser drivers and TIAs for telecom, datacom, Infiniband and consumer optical systems, covering serial and parallel communication technologies from 1G to 120G. For more information, please visit www.GigOptix.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements made in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including any statement that refers to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances and those which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “expects,” “plans,” “may,” “should,” or “anticipates” and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, which might cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include whether the appropriations bill will receive legislative approval and ultimately become law, whether GigOptix will receive any funding, whether the modulator developed by GigOptix will be used by the Air Force, and those risks described in GigOptix’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, and in news releases and other communications. GigOptix disclaims any intention or duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this release.