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Business briefs

19 May 2006

Including news from Rofin-Sinar, Forth Dimension Displays, Luminus and JPSA.

General company news:

•  Sanyo Epson Imaging Devices Corporation of Japan says it has developed high-resolution LCDs that can produce a clear image from any viewing angle. The displays feature the company's "Photo Fine Vistarich" wide viewing angle technology. Volume production of displays using this technology, which will available in 2.4, 2.5, 2.8, 7.0 and 10.1-inch versions, will begin in fall 2006.

•  Rofin-Sinar has reported sales of $99.7 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2006, a $4.3 million increase on its 2005 figures. Gross profit for first six months of fiscal 2006 was $84.3 million, $10.5 million higher than in 2005. Net sales of lasers for marking and micro applications increased by 14% compared with the same six month period last year. "Our micro and marking products continue to benefit from the positive business environment," commented Günther Braun, Rofin's CEO. "We believe that our commitment to the Asian markets will further enhance our future growth."

•  Luminus Devices, a US developer of solid-state lighting, has closed its latest round of venture capital funding on $38 million. The cash will be used to expand the company's PhlatLight product line. PhlatLight is based on photonic lattice technology and Luminus says it is the only solid-state light source that provides enough brightness to illuminate large screen projection televisions.

•  Spectranetics, US, is to collaborate with Bioscan Technologies of Israel to combine its fiber optic laser catheters with Bioscan's optical imaging technology. "We believe that this combination will provide an easier to use and safer system for both patient and physician," said Avram Matcovitch, Bioscan's CEO.

•  Unaxis Optics, a manufacturer of thin film optics with headquarters in Switzerland, has filed patent infringement lawsuits against ProDisc Technology and Delta Electronics of Taiwan. The complaint concerns Unaxis' ColorWheel technology and has been filed in Germany.

•  Varioptic of France, Forth Dimension Displays of the UK and Liekki of Finland have each received a Red Herring Magazine 100 Europe award from a field of over 700 nominees. The award recognises the 100 most promising private firms based in the EMEA region that play a leading role in technology and innovation.

•  WZW Optic of Switzerland will move into a new building in September this year, expanding its floorspace from 500 to 2500 m2. The facility represents the single largest investment ever undertaken by the firm.

Contracts and distribution:

•  DALSA of Canada has received a CDN$1.9 million contract to supply high-resolution image sensor chips to a customer in the professional imaging market. Expected to be delivered in the next three months, the sensors will be integrated into photogrammetry camera systems that obtain accurate measurements of natural and man-made features on the Earth's surface.

•  JPSA of the US is working with the Netherlands Centrum voor Laser Research (NCLR) to distribute and service the centre's Sirius 1000 UV excimer laser. Developed by the NCLR, the laser is said to be ideal for drilling precise holes in metals or other hard materials. It produces 1000W of average power, one Joule per pulse at 1 kHz.

•  SemiConductor Devices (SCD) of Israel has appointed Market Tech of the US to distribute all of its laser diode products throughout the US. SCD's standard products include quasi-CW arrays delivering up to 1000W peak power, with and without fast axis collimation, and microchannel cooled arrays delivering up to 500W CW.

LaCroix Precision OpticsIridian Spectral TechnologiesECOPTIKSPECTROGON ABTRIOPTICS GmbHBerkeley Nucleonics CorporationABTech
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