World’s first 40G optical active cable also wins photonics systems category underscoring company’s continued innovation

Carlsbad, Calif. – February 5, 2009 – Luxtera, the worldwide leader in Silicon CMOS Photonics, today announced that its breakthrough product Blazar was named overall best in show and winner of the Photonics Systems category for the 2008 Prism Awards at the SPIE Photonics West Conference. Marking another award win, Blazar – the world’s first 40G Optical Active Cable – was selected for its unprecedented CMOS Photonics integration and ability to enable direct fiber-to-the-chip connectivity, further underscoring Luxtera’s continued innovation and leadership.

The Prism Awards, introduced for the first time in 2008, recognize the best in innovative technology within the multi-billion dollar business of optics and photonics. A distinguished panel of 28 independent judges, acknowledged as experts in their respective fields, selected the winners from more than 130 entries. Luxtera was recognized for its ability to integrate high-performance optics directly with silicon electronics on a monolithic CMOS chip. In addition, Luxtera is the first company to deliver a commercial product, Blazar, based on its CMOS Photonic Intellectual Property.

“Luxtera is honored to take home two awards, especially overall best in show, at this year’s Prism Awards,” said Marek Tlalka, vice president of marketing for Luxtera. “Recently, we announced the shipping of Blazar. To have that announcement highlighted with this award win is a great accomplishment for the Luxtera team.”

“The successful launch of the Photonics Prism Awards demonstrates how committed we are to the future of photonics technology and its impact on the planet for years to come,” said Thomas Laurin, vice president of Laurin Publishing. “Response to the awards in the first year was very strong, and the products and processes submitted for review are world-class. They reflect both the leadership and expertise of the organizations in this field.”

“These winning inventions demonstrate the remarkable creativity of the photonics community, the restless inventive energy that is what SPIE is all about,” said SPIE CEO Eugene Arthurs. “I expect that many of these or their derivatives will be successful new products — the lifeblood of any company. They will help customers be more effective and so be a part of the great photonics enterprise that has already contributed so much to enhance our lives and that will play an increasingly important role in a sustainable future.”

Winners of the Prism Awards, the premier competition for the photonics industry worldwide, were announced last week at a banquet in the San José Convention Center held during SPIE Photonics West, the largest event in the field.

About Luxtera:
Luxtera, Inc. is the world leader in Silicon CMOS Photonics. Its mission is to fulfill the world’s insatiable demand for bandwidth by uniting the high performance of fiber-optic communications with the low cost and high volume manufacturing advantages of mainstream Silicon CMOS fabrication. Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Luxtera is a fabless semiconductor company that was founded in 2001 by a team of industry-renowned researchers and technology managers drawn from the communications and semiconductor industries. Luxtera has received funding from leading venture capitalists including August Capital, New Enterprise Associates and Sevin Rosen Funds.

About SPIE and Laurin Publishing:
Laurin Publishing is located in Pittsfield, MA, with additional offices throughout the world. Under Photonics Media, the company publishes Photonics Spectra, Biophotonics International, EuroPhotonics, The Photonics Showcase, The Photonics Directory, Photonics.com, The online Photonics Directory and five electronic newsletters: Planet Photonics, LEDs/Light Sources, Security, Remote Sensing and Vision/Imaging. For more information visit: www.photonics.com.

SPIE is the international optics and photonics society founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. Serving the interests of its more than 188,000 active constituents representing 138 different countries, SPIE acts as a catalyst for collaboration among technical disciplines for information exchange, continuing education, publishing opportunities, patent precedent, and career and professional growth. As the organizer and sponsor of approximately 25 major conferences and education programs annually in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific, SPIE provides publishing, speaking, and learning opportunities on emerging technologies. SPIE contributes more than $1.6 million annually in scholarships, grants, and other programs supporting research and education around the world. For more information, visit SPIE.org.

More information about the Prism Awards for Photonics Innovation can be viewed online at www.PrismAward.org, spie.org/photonics-west.xml and photonics.com.

Press Contact:
Katie Lister
Vantage Communications for Luxtera
407-767-0452 x229
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Krista Zanolli, News Editor
Laurin Publishing
(413) 499.0514
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Amy Nelson, Public Relations Manager
SPIE
(360) 685 5478
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