Emcore's Business Segments

EMCORE Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, was established in 1984 as a New Jersey corporation. The Company became publicly traded in 1997 and is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol EMKR. EMCORE pioneered the linear fiber optic transmission technology that enabled the world’s first delivery of Cable TV directly on fiber, and today is a leading provider of advanced Mixed-Signal Optics products that enable communications systems and service providers to meet growing demand for increased bandwidth and connectivity. The Mixed-Signal Optics technology at the heart of our broadband communications products is shared with our fiber optic gyros and inertial sensors to provide the aerospace and defense markets with state-of-the-art navigations systems technology. With both analog and digital circuits on multiple chips, or even a single chip, the value of Mixed-Signal device solutions is often far greater than traditional digital applications and requires a specialized expertise held by EMCORE which is unique in the optics industry.

EMCORE has fully vertically-integrated manufacturing capability through our Indium Phosphide (“InP”) compound semiconductor wafer fabrication facility at our headquarters in Alhambra, CA. The facility supports EMCORE’s vertically-integrated manufacturing for our laser, transmitter and receiver products for Cable TV and other broadband applications, fiber optic gyro sensors for Navigation Systems, and chip devices for Telecom and Datacom applications.

We currently have one reporting segment: Fiber Optics. This segment is comprised of three product lines: Broadband, Chip Devices and Navigation Systems. Please see our consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in this Annual Report for financial information regarding this segment. Until the quarter ended December 31, 2014, we operated as two segments: Fiber Optics and Photovoltaics. EMCOREs former Solar Photovoltaics business, which was sold in December 2014, provided products for space power applications including high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells, covered interconnect cells and complete satellite solar panels. In addition, as further described below, EMCORE sold certain assets, and transferred certain liabilities, of the Companys telecommunications business, including the ITLA (Integrable Tunable Laser Assembly) micro-ITLA, T-TOSA (Tunable Transmitter Optical Subassembly) and T-XFP (Tunable 10 Gigabit Form Factor Pluggable) product lines within the Company’s telecommunications business, in January 2015.

InP compound semiconductor-based products provide the foundation of components, subsystems, and systems used in a broad range of technology markets. Compound semiconductor materials can provide electrical or electro-optical functions, such as emitting optical communications signals and detecting optical communications signals.

Specifically, within our Fiber Optics reporting segment, our Broadband products serve the Cable TV (“CATV”), Satellite Communications and Wireless markets; our Chip products serve the Telecommunications, Fiber-To-The-Premises (“FTTP”), Long-Term Evolution (“LTE”) and Data Center markets; and our Navigation Systems products primarily serve the Aerospace and Defense markets.

EMCORE Corporation: Extensive Overview of Segments, Products, and Services

EMCORE Corporation is a leader in the broadband and navigation system markets, providing a wide range of high-performance fiber optic solutions and semiconductor devices. Their product offerings cover multiple sectors including telecommunications, satellite communications, navigation systems, and broadband communications.

Broadband Product Line

Broadband Fiber Optic Products
EMCORE’s broadband fiber optic products facilitate the transmission, routing, and reception of information that has been modulated on light signals in various communication systems and networks.

1. CATV Products
EMCORE holds a significant position in the CATV (Community Access Television) industry, presenting a portfolio of RF over fiber products that enhance Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) networks. These products are designed to extend data transmission distance, increase speed and bandwidth while minimizing noise and power consumption. Key offerings in this arena include:
- Transmitter Technologies:
- Forward and return-path analog lasers
- 1550 nm directly-modulated lasers
- 1550 nm externally-modulated lasers (L-EML technology), which achieve long-distance optical performance at a reduced cost compared to traditional solutions.
- Receivers and Photodetectors: Used for both signal reception and signal quality improvements.
- Optical Switches and Fiber Amplifiers: Essential for signal management in CATV systems.
- EMCORE Medallion Series: A branded range that includes DOCSIS1 compliant products, enabling high-speed Internet and HD content delivery.

2. Laser, Receiver, and Photodetector Components
This segment includes essential components for optical communication, such as:
- Lasers: DFB lasers for efficient data transmission in various wavelengths (1310 nm, 1550 nm, etc.) used in different applications, including CATV and wireless setups.
- Photodiodes: Employed in forward and return-path broadband applications, enhancing signal integrity and quality.

3. Radio Frequency over Glass (RFoG) FTTP Products
EMCORE provides RFoG optical networking units and transceivers that significantly improve network performance, especially in dense customer environments. This includes:
- Advanced components designed for video, voice, and data services like high-power Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA) and transceivers that mitigate Optical Beat Interference (OBI).

4. Satellite/Microwave Communications Products
EMCOREs legacy in satellite communications involves providing RF over fiber solutions for a broad frequency range. Their offerings support applications such as:
- Signal transport in various bands (L, S, C, X, Ku, K, Ka, etc.).
- Products for satellite antenna remoting, inter-facility links, and electronic warfare systems.
- The Optiva Platform, which integrates SNMP-managed fiber optic transmitters and receivers, suitable for high-performance satellite communication systems.

5. Wireless Communications Products
With the burgeoning demand for wireless access, EMCOREs contributions include:
- Fiber optic products designed specifically for Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) to enhance signal reliability in high-interference environments.
- Specialized DFB lasers and optical links that support 4G LTE backhauling and other wireless applications.

Chip Devices Product Line

EMCORE has a solid foothold in the telecommunications market, primarily as a merchant supplier of high-performance chip devices for PON (Passive Optical Networks) infrastructure.

1. High-Power Gain Chips
Focused on tunable lasers and transceivers for coherent DWDM optical transmission systems, leveraging EMCORE’s expertise to produce high-power gain chips.

2. GPON Fiber-To-The-Premises (FTTP) and Data Center Chip Products
EMCORE’s chip portfolio supports various PON standards (GPON, 10G-EPON, XG-PON, etc.), featuring:
- Laser chip devices such as5G and 10G DFB with diverse wavelengths.
- Advanced photodetector chips (APD, PIN) for optimized signal capture in various applications.

Navigation Systems Product Line

Leveraging its core competencies in fiber optic technology, EMCORE provides navigation systems primarily for aerospace and defense applications.

1. Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOG)
Known for high precision, EMCOREs FOGs have fewer components which simplify their design:
- Digital Signal Processing (DSP) enhances accuracy, reduces noise, and improves environmental stability.

2. Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and Navigation Systems (INS)
These systems benefit from EMCOREs FOG technology, offering superior Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) efficiency. The products are designed to deliver high precision in compact form-factors:
- EMCORE-Orion™ Series: Aimed at applications needing navigation without GPS signals, providing high precision similar to traditional systems but with a significantly reduced footprint.

Conclusion

EMCORE Corporation is at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions across broadband, communications, and navigation sectors. With a comprehensive product range that includes advanced fiber optic technologies and high-performance chip devices, they are well-positioned to meet the evolving demands of the telecommunications and aerospace industries. Their commitment to quality, performance, and customer-centric innovation continues to drive their success in these critical markets.