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A person's finger touching the end of a bundle of illuminated fiber optic cables

Laying the groundwork for the internet

In 1997, when broadband communications and the “World Wide Web” were both in their infancy, came up with a better way to route data in fiber optic networks. The “wavelength selective switch,” or WSS, uses two micro-mirror arrays, consisting of many miniscule mirrors, that can separate the input optical beams by wavelength and then redirect the signals. Their patented technology became a critical component for data transmission in multi-wavelength fiber optic communication systems around the globe, bringing internet and phone traffic to millions of people.

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