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In this Issue:
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On Swapping out Data Centers Like Laptops
Facebook declared at the OSA Executive Forum in March that the optics in its data centers only needs to last 5 years because it swaps out its components before then anyway. Facebook's swapping out an entire data center is like your company swapping out your business computer every 3 years. Changing out a data center is expensive--one estimate is $500 million for each data center, and Facebook has several data centers. And Facebook is just one company: there are many hyperscale data center companies, with needs overlapping in nature and in time, helping to even out the demand for optics. Indeed, sales of datacom transceivers are currently booming, and we can expect healthy sales into this sector for some time.
This sounds like a 21st century Web 2.0 paradigm, but how long can it last? After a few slow quarters there will be pressure to slow capital spending. Delays in upgrades to data centers would mean slower component sales. Nothing lasts forever, and if you don't believe that, just ask Nokia, Siemens, Alcatel, or Lucent. All were industry players, reduced by mergers and acquisitions to one.
To be precise, Facebook might only swap out some components; for example, keeping single-mode fiber strung throughout the building but swapping out the transceivers at each end, or microprocessors on pooled boards. Disaggregating the components in this way could help limit the cost of upgrades to affordable levels. OIDA held a workshop on this topic at OFC, and will be publishing the findings and roadmap for disaggregated networks in coming weeks. Presentations from OSA Executive Forum are available here.
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Enabling Stepping Stones to Billion Dollar Markets
The JePPIX 2015 Roadmap that OIDA sent to members last month hinted at a challenge of ramping integrated photonics manufacturing to volume manufacturing. It's not enough to believe in a killer volume application, there has to be a path to get there.
The JePPIX model points out that a small volume InP fab today might require $20 million per year to yield 200,000 chips of 25 square millimeters, amounting to a manufacturing cost of $200 per chip. While a fab with a volume of 10 million chips might reduce the chip cost to $20 each, it would require $200 million to operate. And don't forget the packaging. Today the packaging and testing might cost at least 4x the chip manufacturing cost. Add to that other operating costs and a respectable profit, and the manufacturer may require an end-product revenue of $2 billion to be profitable and gain a return on investment.
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OSA Industry Development Committee
Thank you to the volunteers who oversee the programs and services available to the Industry Community.
• Jean-Michel Pelaprat,
Figulus, Chair
• Alex Fong,
Gooch & Housego,
Chair-Elect
• Allan Ashmead,
Coherent
• Henrik Skov
Andersen,
Ibsen Photonics
• Simin Cai,
Go!Foton
• John Dexheimer,
Lightwave Advisors
• James Fisher,
Newport
• Steve Grubb,
Infinera
• Fred Leonberger,
EOvation
Technologies, LLC
• Claudio Mazzali,
Corning, Inc.
• Mike Mielke,
Trumpf
• Jerry Rawls,
Finisar
• Martin Seifert,
Nufern
• Costel Subran,
Opton Laser
International
• Christoph Harder,
Harder and Partner |
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One solution is to reduce the chip manufacturing cost. Advocates suggest that silicon photonics can leverage an existing high-volume silicon CMOS fab, essentially getting to the $20 chip cost without having to bear the entire volume and operating cost on the photonics chips alone. It might reduce the end-product revenue hurdle to $200 million. That's the promise, but the reality depends on how much specialization is necessary to fabricate the photonics on a large-volume silicon CMOS line.
The key to the future of integrated photonics--whether on silicon or InP--is a reduction in packaging and testing costs, as OIDA pointed out in a report last year. The new U.S. integrated photonics institute currently in the final phase of competition is intended to reduce the cost of assembly and test by collaborating on technology on which manufacturers will not differentiate. Reducing the manufacturing cost to them reduces barriers for everyone, allowing companies to profitably address and share markets of $100 million or less. Smaller opportunities make easier stepping stones to get to volume markets than trying to jump to billion dollar products all at once.
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U.S. R&D Funding Update and Call for Action
Did you know that nearly half of the members of the current U.S. Congress have held the position for less than five years? OSA Industry Development Associates needs your assistance in telling them about the importance of federal investment in research and development (R&D). Please write to your members of Congress by using the OSA template letter that you can personalize with your experience. Now is the perfect time as the House of Representatives and Senate are in the early stages of considering the FY16 funding bills.
President Obama's budget proposal, released in February, calls for increases for most science R&D accounts including the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, Department of Defense (DOD) 6.2 applied research, DOD Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and National Institutes of Health. The President's budget, however, does call for a decrease of almost $200 million for the DOD 6.1 basic research account.
For more information on science and technology funding levels in President Obama's Budget, please see the White House fact sheets on R&D funding.
The full House of Representatives is now taking up the first of the funding bills. As Congress progresses through its consideration of FY16 funding, please visit the OSA Washington Updates webpage or contact Laura Kolton, OSA Director of Government Relations, for the latest information.
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Welcome New Industry Development Associates Members
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Export Controls for the Optics and Photonics Industry are Being Revised—Your Company May be Impacted
Make your voice heard! Attend a free panel presentation and learn what you can do. U.S. Export Control - Review of Government Rules and Open Discussion of Possible Changes, 14 May, 13:00-14:30 at CLEO Market Focus. Check out all the free industry programming at CLEO Market Focus and plan to attend.
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CLEO Innovation Award Winners Announced—See Presentations at CLEO
Join the winners of the 2015 CLEO/Laser Focus World Innovation Award as they showcase their award winning products. Award Winners Presentations — Wednesday, 13 May 2015, 13:00 — 14:00 in the Market Focus Theater.
Winner of the Analytical Instruments or Systems Category:
AUREA Technology - Booth 1435
For the first "all-in-one" Time Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) analyzer with fully integrated picosecond laser source and novel time-to-digital-converter technologies that delivers ultra-high photon detection efficiency and low-dark-count-rate within the 400 nm to 1700 nm range in a compact package with an easy to use customer-centric graphical user interface.
Winner of the Lasers and Sources Category:
Northrop Grumman - Cutting Edge Optronics - Booth 2312
Gigashot-HE all-diode-pumped Joule class laser system
The Gigashot-HE diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) Nd:YAG laser system outputs more than 2 J of 532 nm energy in each sub-10 ns pulse at 10 Hz with a near-field flat-top beam profile. Using long-life QCW pump laser diodes operating for more than 10 billion shots, this system is scalable to repetition rates greater than 100Hz and is an ideal pump source for Ti:Sapphire amplifiers, OPOs and OPCPAs, and for terawatt/petawatt high-energy science.
Winner of the Optical Components Category:
Inrad Optics - Booth 1917
Stilbene crystals for neutron detection
For the development of large single crystals of stilbene--an organic scintillator that, when coupled with a photodetector, has superior performance for applications in fast neutron detection in a gamma background--and the successful transition of stilbene crystal growth methods from an R&D setting into low-rate commercial production..
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Participate in CLEO's Technology Playground — 12-14 May 2015
This interactive exhibits event allows you to visit with top industry companies, get a demo of their innovative products/services and earn a chance to win a $300 American Express card — all at the same time!
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Technology Transfer Program at CLEO on 14 May
Attend this free event and learn about the licensing process from entrepreneurs and researchers from start-ups, major universities, businesses and national laboratories as they present exciting new technologies which are ready and available for commercialization.
Keynote Speaker: Milton Chang, Managing Director, Incubic, LLC, USA
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Looking for a Job or Candidate in All Areas of Laser Science to Photonic Applications?
The CLEO:2015 Online Job Fair connects employers and skilled job seekers from all areas of laser science to photonic applications. Conference attendees are encouraged to visit the onsite kiosk located in the registration area. For more information, please call +1 202.416.1428 or email cleocareercenter@osa.org.
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Last Chance to Make Sure Your Company is Represented at CLEO This Month
Will your company be represented at CLEO this month? If not Reserve Your Exhibit Space Now! When you exhibit at CLEO, you will meet top leaders from companies and major institutions as they convene to access the latest research and make decisions about applications in all areas of photonics—ultrafast lasers, energy efficient optics, quantum electronics, biophotonics and more. With more than 5,000 attendees from all sectors of the market, CLEO provides a global marketplace where the industry learns, networks, connects and closes deals. For more information, please call +1 202.416.1428 or email cleosales@osa.org.
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Attend How to Communicate "HighTech" to the Market: PR/Marketing Workshop for Startups at Laser Munich
12:00 — 17:00, Wednesday, 24 June 2015 at Laser Munich
Register now to attend this special OSA Industry Development Associates workshop which gives you hands-on advice on how to effectively present high-tech products and technologies to prospective markets. You will learn how to set up an efficient integrated communication strategy, and what you have to do to implement this strategy and to meet prospective targets. Two experts with a proven track record in the field share their experience and provide tips on how to communicate complex technologies efficiently. Who should attend? Startup founders, scientists, engineers, and PR/marketing professionals with an interest in technology transfer. Register by 27 May and Save!
Andreas Thoss
Publishing Professional and
Consultant
Thoss Media GmbH
Germany |
Susanne Hellwage
Communication consultant focused
on science and technology
Hellwage Wissenschaftskommunikation
Germany |
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Applied Optics Call for Papers
Feature Issue: Optical Design and Testing 2015
Submission Deadline: 15 May 2015
Feature Issue Editors: Yi-Chin Fang, Chao-Wen Liang, Yi-Ching Fang, John Koshel, Chao-Wen Liang, Jose Sasian, Yongtian Wang, Toyohiko Yatagai, James M. Zavisian
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NEW Applied Optics Engineering and Laboratory Notes Now Online
Last year, Applied Optics (AO) developed a new type of article called Engineering and Laboratory Notes (E&L Notes) to give engineers and technicians a venue to highlight laboratory techniques and hands-on skills required for the design, analysis, fabrication, integration, alignment, and measurement of optical components and systems.
Recently, AO has published several new E&L Notes:
Want to publish an E&L Note? Submit your manuscript today! If you aren't yet ready to submit, read this editorial by the E&L Notes Editor Brian Monacelli to learn more.
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Experience Time Travel with Executive Speaker Series Playback!
Didn't get to attend our Executive Speaker Series interviews? We have a solution. Gain access to online video recordings. OSA's Executive Speaker Series interviews are informal conversations with some of the most interesting and engaging executives in our industry. They respond to questions from C-Level peers, and share stories about their career paths, corporate observations and personal perspectives. Interviewees include John Ambroseo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Coherent, Martin Seifert, President, Nufern, Milton Chang, Managing Director, Incubic, LLC and more!
Watch these recorded video interviews online now and get personal viewpoints from top leaders in the optics and photonics field. Just click the "Archived Interviews" tab.
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Fellow Nominations Deadline: 15 June 2015
OSA members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics may be proposed for election to the class of Fellow. A new category for Fellow nominees was added last year to provide a distinct channel to recognize achievement in the business community. All Fellow nominees are assessed in the context of their specific achievements and career path. The nomination must be submitted by an OSA Fellow Member. Fellow nominees may be nominated in one of the following six categories:
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Business Leadership
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Education
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Engineering, Application and Development
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Engineering and Science Research
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Technical Leadership
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Volunteer/Professional Service
The next deadline for Fellow nominations is 15 June 2015. Contact the OSA Awards Office for more information (awards@osa.org or 1.202.416.1960).
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Gain Recognition for Your Engineering Team!
OSA is seeking nominations for the Paul F. Forman Team Engineering Excellence Awards. This is a great opportunity to showcase the value and importance of the engineer teams in your organization! Named in memory of Paul F. Forman, the award recognizes technical achievements such as product engineering, process and software development, and patent development, as well as contributions to society such as engineering education, publication and management, and furthering public appreciation of optical engineering. Team nominations are due 2 July 2015. The awards will be presented in October in San Jose, California, during Frontiers in Optics 2015. Recent winners include: Intel Silicon Photonics Solutions Group, ZygoLOT Automotive Precision Optical Team, and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Lidar Team.
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OIDA Presentation at Optics in the Life Sciences Congress
The Industry Program, "Making the Connection between Biomedical Industry Products and Current Research in Optics and Photonics" at the Optics in Life Sciences Congress featured Eric Buckland, CEO of Bioptigen as the keynote speaker, followed by a panel of key individuals from the academic, industrial, financial and agency funding world. They shared and lead discussions on the challenges that exist when taking scientific knowledge from the bench-top to the patient-side. The program wrapped up with a Bright Ideas Pitch Panel Luncheon sponsored by Hamamatsu. Thanks to all who participated and helped organize this industry event.
 Left to right: Brian Wilson, University Health Network; Eric Buckland, Bioptigen; Adam Wax, Duke University, Oncoscope, Inc.; Lindsay Machan, Univ. of British Columbia; Edmund Talley, Natl. Inst. Of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Brian Pogue, DoseOptics, LLC
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International Year of Light (IYL 2015) Update
This year, 2015, has been designated the International Year of Light (IYL) by the United Nations General Assembly. In January, IYL kicked off in Paris, France. Around the world, events are planned to celebrate the IYL. To see a list of event, please visit the IYL website. OSA is one of the founding partners of IYL. To learn about how OSA is celebrating IYL, visit OSA's IYL webpage.
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Want to get even more insight and access to great discussions about optics and photonics?
Join 3,000 of your colleagues in our Optics & Photonics Industry Network LinkedIn Group. This one-of-a-kind Forum for Industry lets you participate in discussions about cutting-edge issues. Extend your professional network. Exchange information about problems, ideas and solutions. Collaborate with experts in your field. Now is the perfect time to build a relationship with fellow optics and photonics professionals!
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Take advantage of your OSA Industry Development Associates Member Benefits
We are committed to ensuring the value of your OSA Industry Development Associates Membership, so please email OSA if you have any suggestions for new programs or comments on your membership.
Forward this message to your colleagues.
Not yet a member? Learn more about the benefits of membership.
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