Dr Christoph Harder of Bookham, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKHM), a leading provider of optical components, modules and subsystems, has received a prominent award for his ground-breaking work on laser technology at LEOS 2004 in Puerto Rico.

The IEEE/LEOS 2004 Aron Kressel award was awarded to Dr Harder, Dr Volker Graf and Dr Eberhard Latta for pioneering contributions to high-reliability, high-power telecommunications pump lasers. The first 980nm pumped WDM telecom link (between Chicago and Sacramento) was powered up with these lasers.

"I am honored to receive this award," said Dr Harder, Director of R&D at Bookham in Zurich. "It represents many years of work in this field; work which has had a significant, even a disruptive, impact on the development of today's telecommunications systems, as it enabled long haul DWDM systems, including repeaterless transatlantic links."

The annual award is given to individuals who have made important contributions to opto-electronic device technology. The work by Drs Harder, Graf and Latta forms the basis of many of today's leading products from Bookham, including 980nm pumps, 808nm as well as 9xxnm bars.

"This award highlights the calibre of Bookham's people and I am delighted that Christoph has received it," said Giorgio Anania, chief executive officer of Bookham. "Bookham's people are our most valuable asset and help us to retain our leading position in the opto-electronics field."

Earlier this year Bookham announced that it had entered the high-power industrial laser market with the development and qualification of a family of high-power laser diode bars, based upon its telecoms market-leading 980nm gallium arsenide (GaAs) laser diodes. The products, designed to meet the needs and opportunities of key industrial sectors, were qualified in December 2003 and began shipping in early 2004.

Notes to editors

1. The Aron Kressel Award is given to recognize those individuals who have made important contributions to opto-electronic device technology. The device technology cited is to have had a significant impact on their applications in major practical systems. The intent is to recognize key contributors to the field for developments of critical components, which lead to the development of systems enabling major new services or capabilities. These achievements should have been accomplished in a prior time frame sufficient to permit evaluation of their lasting impact. The work cited could have appeared in the form of publications, patents products, or simply general recognition by the professional community that the individual cited is the agreed upon originator of the advance upon which the award decision is based. The award may be given to an individual or group, up to three in number. The award is administered by the Aron Kressel Awards Committee and presented at the LEOS Annual Meeting.

Bookham, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKHM) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of optical components, modules and subsystems. The Company's optical components, modules and subsystems are used in various applications and industries, including telecommunications, data communications, aerospace, industrial and military. Since 2002, the Company has acquired the optical components businesses from Nortel Networks and Marconi, as well as Ignis Optics, Inc., the business of Cierra Photonics Inc., New Focus, Inc., and Onetta, Inc. The Company has manufacturing facilities in the UK, US, Canada, China and Switzerland; and offices in the US, UK, France, Italy, and China; and employs approximately 2000 people worldwide.

More information on Bookham, Inc. is available at www.bookham.com

Bookham is a registered trademark of Bookham Technology plc.