Optical components are tiny, complex devices that form the backbone behind telecommunication networks. Devices are assembled into a package or module that couples the light into or out of fiber optic cable.
Two classes of fiber optic components exist: active and passive. Active components consist of the semiconductor laser technology that is necessary to provide the light in a fiber optic network. These devices are generally easier to assemble. They require the integration of electronics and wiring into a package using traditional assembly technologies, such as soldering and die- and wire-bonding techniques. Receivers, transmitters, modulators, amplifiers and switches are examples of active components.