Business briefs

25 Apr 2003

Including news from Boeing, JMAR Technologies, Lucent, GSI Lumonics and more.

•  GSI Lumonics, US, is acquiring Spectron Laser Systems, a UK-based subsidiary of Lumenis, for USD 6.3 million in cash. GSI will integrate Spectron into its UK-based laser group by the end of September. The acquisition adds diode-pumped solid-state laser technology to GSI's existing lamp-pumped and CO2-based products.

•  Boeing, US, has won a USD 500 million contract to make a test chamber for the Airborne Laser (ABL) aircraft. The company will develop a facility at Edwards Air Force Base in California, US, to test the laser-firing aspect of the ABL system.

•  JMAR Technologies, a US developer of lasers and lithography systems, has been awarded an additional USD 3.4 million in funding by the US Naval Air Warfare Center. The funding will be used to develop sub-100 nm geometry next-generation lithography masks.

•  Nanosys of the US has won USD 30 million in its second round of financing. "The investment will enhance our development of nantechnology-enabled products in chemical and biological sensing, photovoltaic and high-performance macroelectronics," said company president Larry Bock.

•  Lucent Technologies is eliminating the chief operating officer (COO) position from its top management structure. Bob Holder, Lucent's current COO, will leave the company this summer. The responsibilities of the job, which includes heading up the company's major units such as Integrated Network Solutions and Lucent Worldwide Services, will pass to Lucent's chairman Patricia Russo.

•  Actuality Systems, US, has announced the first European sale of its Perspecta 3D display system. The display will be used by Italy's National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment (ENEA) as part of its research and development work.