Oplink Communications Inc. (San Jose, CA), which supplies passive optical components and integrated optical subsystems, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of privately held Aurora Photonics Inc. of Santa Clara, CA. Aurora, a pioneer in tunable acousto-optic technologies, holds six fundamental AO technology patents.
According to Oplink management, the acquisition will enhance the firm's ability to deliver a broader range of tunable optical components. I. C. Chang, president of Aurora Photonics, will become Oplink's VP of advanced tunable AO technology. Dr. Chang pioneered the first series of commercial AO products and authored more than a dozen AO patents, including the basic invention of the noncollinear acousto-optical tunable filter.