Business briefs

22 Sep 2006

Including news from Essex Corp., Adaptive Optics Associates, CarlZeiss, Alis Corp., JDSU, Quebec Photonics Network, Custom Sensors, Kotura, Enablence, Colorlink and others.

• Essex Corp. has committed to acquire Adaptive Optics Associates from Metrologic Instruments, for $40.25 million (€31.47 million). AOA is an established leader in the development of high-performance electro-optic products and systems. Based in Cambridge, Ma, US. It has approximately 175 employees, a majority of whom hold security clearances, many of which are at the highest level. Essex expects AOA to be profitable, with over $36 million in pro forma revenue for 2006, of which more than 85% is for US Government customers.

• Carl Zeiss SMT has completed its acquisition of Alis Corp., a nanotechnology start up developing scanning ion microscopes and imaging systems. Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed. CZ says it acquired the business for its Nanotechnology Systems division, also based in Oberkochen, Germany. The 36 scientists and engineers currently employed by Alis will remain with the company, whose technology and research efforts will remain in Peabody, Ma, US.

• JDSU's board of directors has approved a 1-for-8 reverse split of its common stock, following approval by the company's stockholders last December. The reverse stock split will be effective from October 16. JDSU's common stock will begin trading on the NASDAQ on a split adjusted basis from October 17, under the temporary trading symbol JDSUD. The split is intended to "enhance investors' visibility into the company's profitability on a per share basis". JDSU also believes that a higher share price could broaden JDSU's appeal to investors.

• Canada's Minister of Labour and Economic Development Jean-Pierre Blackburn has this week awarded more than C$640,000 (US$570,000) in non-repayable funding to help support the activities of the Quebec Photonic Network (QPN). Formed in 2005 by the merger of the Réseau Photonique de Montréal and the Groupement Optique Photonique de Québec, QPN is a non-profit industrial cluster embracing technology, manufacturing, labour, marketing, investment and entrepreneurship. This contribution from Canada Economic Development will finance some of QPN's activities over the next two years.

• The Institute for Crystal Growth (IKZ), Berlin, a member of the Leibniz Association, and BP Solar have signed a cooperation agreement to develop a process for the deposition of silicon on glass. It is intended that the thin crystalline silicon layer will form the semiconductor layer for the fabrication of cost-efficient solar cells. The current shortage of high purity silicon feedstock for photovoltaic applications has stimulated greater interest towards innovative approaches.

• Ocean Optics has partnered with Custom Sensors & Technology (CS&T) to develop process application solutions combining Ocean's miniature fiber optic spectrometers and CS&T's process expertise, packaging and components. "Ocean's spectrometers complement our process-ready components for process monitoring applications," said Mike Ponstingl, president and founder of CS&T.

• Kotura, a supplier of silicon photonics components, and Enablence Technologies, a developer of FTTH components based on planar lightwave circuits, are to jointly develop and manufacture silicon photonics devices for FTTH applications. "We believe that our Dispersion Bridge technology will bring a new capability to silicon photonics," said Jean-Louis Malinge, Kotura's CEO.

• ColorLink, a developer of polarization and color management optics, has been awarded a US patent (No. 7,106,509) for a vision enhancing technology. ColorCorrect, which consists of a retarder-film-based filter that is sandwiched between two polarizers, has applications in eyewear optics. One version, a triple bandpass filter, only permits the transmission of red, green, and blue light, enhancing color and contrast.

• Forth Dimension Displays has received ISO 9001:2000 accreditation for its provision of design and development for manufacturers and suppliers of liquid crystal microdisplay systems.