QinetiQ acquires semiconductor laser maker Redfern Integrated Optics

June 7, 2014
Defense, aerospace, and security company QinetiQ Group acquired Redfern Integrated Optics (RIO), a manufacturer of low-noise semiconductor lasers.

Defense, aerospace, and security company QinetiQ Group (Farnborough, England) acquired Redfern Integrated Optics (RIO; San Francisco, CA), a manufacturer of low-noise semiconductor lasers, with a turnover of $5 million dollars in 2013. The acquisition accelerates the development of OptaSense, a QinetiQ subsidiary, providing the business with secure access to the engineering team developing the current and future generations of highly coherent, low-noise semiconductor lasers.

RELATED ARTICLE: Laser diodes (almost) encompass the entire visible spectrum

RIO supplies lasers to the sensing industry with more than ten years of experience in delivering products to the fiber geophone, LIDAR, and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) markets. Backed by a consortium of venture capital funds led by Southern Cross Ventures and Jolimont Capital, RIO was the first company to develop a commercially viable semiconductor laser with sufficient stability for DAS applications.

Leo Quinn, QinetiQ CEO, said, "This acquisition of RIO is an important step in ensuring that OptaSense realises its full potential as the global leader in distributed acoustic sensing. We are committed to supporting the high-growth businesses in our portfolio, accelerating their development as appropriate with acquisitions and partnerships. This acquisition has natural synergies with OptaSense and secures its access to a key supplier in the market."

Magnus McEwen-King, OptaSense managing director, said, "We have been working with RIO for many years and are impressed with the technical capabilities of the team. Their products are ideally suited to the distributed fibre sensing market especially within the oil & gas sector where high performance and high reliability in harsh environments are essential. We see demand for RIO's laser products continuing to grow across the whole fibre sensing market and look forward to supporting their existing customer base. Through this acquisition we also gain the ability to shape the future developments of their products to further improve the technical performance of our DAS offerings especially in the seismic monitoring market."

Larry Marshall, chairman of RIO and managing director of Southern Cross Ventures, said, "OptaSense has made an excellent strategic acquisition and will greatly enhance RIO's ability to scale their unique technology across a broader range of markets and customers than would normally be accessible to a small start-up. Our team and investors are pleased that RIO secured such an exceptional partner who will support our customers."

RIO will be integrated with OptaSense but will continue to use the RIO brand name. The transaction is expected to complete within the first half of QinetiQ’s financial year and is subject to normal regulatory approvals.

SOURCE: QinetiQ; http://www.qinetiq.com/media/news/releases/Pages/qinetiq-acquires-market-leading-laser-technology-company.aspx

Sponsored Recommendations

Melles Griot® XPLAN™ CCG Lens Series

March 19, 2024
IDEX Health & Science sets a new standard with our Melles Griot® XPLAN™ CCG Lens Series fluorescence microscope imaging systems. Access superior-quality optics with off-the-shelf...

Spatial Biology

March 19, 2024
Spatial Biology refers to the field that integrates spatial information into biological research, allowing for the study of biological systems in their native spatial context....

Custom-Engineered Optical Solutions for Your Application

March 19, 2024
We combine advanced optical design and manufacturing technology, with decades of experience in critical applications, to take you from first designs to ongoing marketplace success...

Semrock Optical Filters Resources

March 19, 2024
Looking for more information about Semrock optical filters? Explore sets by fluorophore, download the 2023 Semrock catalog and more.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!