Business briefs

26 Nov 2004

Including news from Nichia, VISX, OptoLum, Sherwood Technology, Micronic and more.

General company news:

•  Osaka Customs has granted Nichia's request for injunctive relief against certain white LEDs being imported into Japan for sale. The deal blocks a specific white LED, the 99-215UW C/TR8, which is allegedly imported from Taiwan by E&E Japan. Nichia believes this product infringes on one of its patents relating to side-view LEDs which are used as LCD backlights.

•  Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) is acquiring fellow US ophthalmic surgery giant VISX for $1.3 billion comprising 29 million shares of AMO stock and $184 million in cash. The combined company will be retain the name AMO and will be headquartered in Santa Ana, California.

•  UK-based color-change expert Sherwood Technology is to collaborate with Domino, a maker of CO₂ laser marking systems. Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will share the benefit of Domino selling its lasers alongside Sherwood's DataLase technology - an invisible coating that takes on a permanent color on exposure to a CO₂ laser beam.

•  US-based OptoLum has been awarded US patent number 6,815,724 covering the thermal management of LEDs in solid-state lighting systems. The patent is said to cover the use of sensors and controllers that actively and intelligently manage the temperature and current of the LEDs. OptoLum now holds two US patents and has five US patent applications pending all relating to thermal management.

•  Advanced Technology Coatings of the UK and Satis Vacuum of Switzerland have teamed up to develop thin-film processes for precision optical coatings. The partnership aims to produce systems which have the necessary repeatability, process control and yield demanded by the coating industry.

Funding and orders:

•  SensL of Ireland, a spin-out from University College Cork's National Microelectronics Research Centre, has raised EURO 1 million in its first funding round. The firm's products include silicon-based photon counting modules operating at UV, visible and near infrared wavelengths.

•  KVH Industries, US, has announced new orders totalling $1.2 million for its fiber-optic gyroscopes. The products will be used in a range of defense-related applications such as pointing of remote gun turrets and precision navigation. KVH says the orders are scheduled for shipment in 2005.

•  Micronic of Sweden has received an order for its Omega6600 laser photomask pattern generator from an Asian customer. The tool will be used in volume production of semiconductor photomasks and will be shipped in 2005. The value of the order was not disclosed.