EMCORE Connects Cables Demonstrate Excellent Field Reliability in High-Performance Computing Applications

EMCORE Connects Cables Demonstrate Excellent Field Reliability in High-Performance Computing Applications

ALBUQUERQUE, NM--(Marketwire - March 22, 2010) -  EMCORE Corporation (NASDAQ: EMKR), a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optic and solar power markets, today announced the reliability results of its fielded 20Gb/s active optical cables.

High performance computing systems require guaranteed reliable, high bandwidth, low-latency communication paths to connect up to thousands of processing nodes. Traditionally, these pathways are implemented using copper cables. However, due to their bulk, weight and limited transmission distance, copper cables often constrain the physical size and performance of these server clusters. EMCORE Connects Cables™ active optical cables, on the other hand, are a proven solution. They are compact, lightweight, and allow for greater reach between processing nodes than traditional copper cables.

According to a recent report by LightCounting, sales of active optical cables during the last three years were more than 150,000 units, with EMCORE shipping the majority of that volume. The reliability of EMCORE Connects Cables over that time period is better than 5 FITs, or 5 failures in one billion hours of device operation. This reliability performance demonstrates the suitability of 850-nm VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) array technology and multimode optical fiber for high performance data computing applications.

Chris Wiggins, Director of EMCORE's Enterprise Business Group says, "EMCORE is the field-proven market leader in high quality and reliable active optical cable products." He added, "Our current generation of 40Gb/s active optical cable is based on the same technology and we expect the same high reliability performance of these newer products. We are committed to providing customers with the highest performance, quality and reliable optical interconnect products."

EMCORE Connects Cables are bidirectional communications links converting four lanes of electrical signals into optical ones by modulating four monolithically-integrated VCSELs operating at 850nm wavelengths. The optical signals are carried by thin multimode optical fiber strands to the opposite end where they are converted back to electrical signals by a four-channel photodetector array. The use of high bandwidth, low loss optical fibers allow the information to be transmitted at distances of more than ten times greater than that of copper cables.

Presently, the EMCORE Connects Cables product family with CX4 and QSFP interfaces is being sold in high volume for a range of applications including InfiniBand®, Ethernet, Fibre Channel and PCI applications. The cables come in lengths up to 100 meters and operate at speeds of up to 40 Gb/s. In April 2010, the company is expected to sample the next generation 150 Gb/s CXP form-factor optical cable based on the same technology platform.

For more information EMCORE will exhibiting at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC) in San Diego on March 23-25, 2010, booth 2134 or please visit www.emcore.com.

About EMCORE:
EMCORE Corporation is a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the broadband, fiber optic, satellite and terrestrial solar power markets. EMCORE's Fiber Optics unit offers optical components, subsystems and systems that enable the transmission of video, voice and data over high-capacity fiber optic cables for high-speed data and telecommunications, cable television (CATV) and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks. EMCORE's Solar Power unit provides solar products for satellite and terrestrial applications. For satellite applications, EMCORE offers high-efficiency compound semiconductor-based gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, covered interconnect cells and fully integrated solar panels. For terrestrial applications, EMCORE offers concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems for utility scale solar applications as well as offering its high-efficiency GaAs solar cells and CPV components for use in solar power concentrator systems. For specific information about our company, our products or the markets we serve, please visit our website at www.emcore.com.

Safe Harbor:
Statements in this press release that are not historical facts, and the assumptions underlying such statements, constitute "forward-looking statements" and assumptions underlying "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including (a) the failure of the products mentioned (i) to perform as expected without material defects, (ii) to be manufactured at acceptable volumes, yields, and cost, and (iii) to be successful under field conditions, (b) the failure of the products to be selected by prospective customers for large-scale deployment and ^© the ability of the Company's customers to achieve their own business goals and objectives. Readers should also review the risk factors set forth in EMCORE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009 and EMCORE's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2009. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and EMCORE does not assume any obligation to update these statements.

EMCORE Connects Cables is a trademark of EMCORE Corporation. All other brand and product names mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

Contact:

EMCORE Corporation
Silvia M. Gentile
Executive Offices
(505) 323-3417
info@emcore.com

TTC Group
Victor Allgeier
(646) 290-6400
vic@ttcominc.com