Business briefs

14 Jul 2006

Including news from: University of Of Surrey/Qinetiq, Aculight, Eikos, Breault Research Organisation, M Squared Lasers, Elliot Scientific, Sony, CVI Laser, Ekspla, Core Optics and Digital Optics.

• The University of Surrey, UK, has been awarded £118,000 as part of a UK Government (Department for Trade & Industry) project to develop uncooled mid-infrared semiconductor lasers. Surrey is part of a consortium of two universities and five industrial partners, led by Qinetiq, with total funding from the DTI of £1 m over the next three years.

"The practical realization of mid-infrared semiconductor lasers that operate at room temperature will revolutionize how we use these lasers," commented the university. "We are seeking to achieve a breakthrough in obtaining room temperature operation of MIR semiconductor lasers, through use of strained layer engineering at the nanoscale to develop a novel laser with a highly efficient active region containing InAlSb/InSb quantum wells."

• Aculight, a developer of various laser technologies, has secured four new contracts totaling more than $2 m to develop high-peak-power fiber lasers. The company plans to enhance the capabilities of its Picasso line of eye-safe Er:Yb fiber lasers and 1-micron Yb fiber lasers for applications ranging from undersea communications to three-dimensional (3D) laser radar (LADAR).

• Eikos has received a $1.5 m contract from the US Government's Department Of Energy (DoE) to further develop solar cell technology. Eikos is a developer of transparent carbon nanotube inks for conductive coatings and circuits. This latest funding is a "follow on" contract from the DoE for Eikos to develop its Invisicon technology.

• Breault Research Organization (BRO) is to provide key test and service-line equipment to Synodon, Edmonton, Canada, providing the first optical service system for wide-range aerial inspection of gas pipelines.

Synodon has awarded BRO the contract to fabricate, assemble and test a proto-flight version of Synodon's Realsens radiometer designed to identify gas pipeline leaks using correlation spectroscopy. Two previous BRO contracts with Synodon called for completion of detailed design and analyses of the Realsens radiometer.

• Newly formed M Squared Lasers, founded by Graeme Malcolm and Gareth Maker in Glasgow, Scotland, has appointed Elliot Scientific to distribute its range throughout Europe. The company's first product is a high power precision diode driver. The Laser Instrumentation Module Diode Driver, LIM-DD-70, is designed for the latest generation of high power laser diodes. It combines a 70 A output current capability and low noise with Web/LAN connectivity over Ethernet, which is suitable for interfacing in experimental applications or integrating into OEM instruments.

• As the Blu-ray Disc format gains wider acceptance, Sony is forecasting a sharp increase in demand for high definition (HD) video contents on Blu-ray. Sony is therefore introducing an integrated suite of services to support BD production from HD video shooting, editing and authoring necessary for transferring HD content to disc to disc mass production and packaging.

Division Sony PCL has established an exclusive BD authoring studio that provides authoring services compatible with the BD-ROM standard. The studio provides maximum technological support to bring out the full attractiveness of HD video.

• CoreOptics, which manufacturers optical networking subsystems for transmission at 10 Gbit/s and 40 Gbit/s, has raised another $28 m from new and existing investors, bringing the company's total funding to more than $68 m to date. CoreOptics develops transponder subsystems that overcome impairments in the optical layer by using advanced digital signal processing techniques, and its 10 Gbit/s product has been deployed by 15 service providers so far.

• Digital Optics, a developer of micro-optical solutions and integrated optical subassemblies, has been bought by Tessera Technologies in a cash deal worth $59.5 m. Tessera, which provides miniaturization solutions to the microelectronics industry, hopes that the acquisition will help it to develop a consumer optics IP business for applications such as camera phones that will be the same size as its existing semiconductor packaging business by the end of the decade. Digital Optics is expected to contribute revenues of $7-8 m in 2006.

•: Ekspla, based in Vilnius, Lithuania, has been certified as meeting requirements of ISO 9001:2000. Ekspla is the first photonics company from Lithuania to receive such certification and says that the development of eastern and central European photonics expertise will translate into "new and interesting technologies".

• CVI Laser has announced that Shahram Khalil has been appointed general manager of its Covina, California operation. Khalil will report to Mark West, VP Operations.

"Shahram brings an extensive background serving OEM markets for optical components and assemblies," said West. "He has much experience of introducing new product lines, leading cross-functional design, marketing, and production teams, and meeting delivery schedules."