Liquid-crystal solutions and polarization optics manufacturer Meadowlark Optics (Meadowlark; Frederick, CO) acquired the Commercial Products Group of Boulder Nonlinear Systems (BNS; Lafayette, CO). The Commercial Products Group, including equipment and staff, has been moved to Meadowlark in Frederick, CO. BNS products include spatial light modulators (SLMs), optical shutters, polarization rotators, variable waveplates, and CUBE optical tweezing systems.
RELATED ARTICLE: Liquid-crystal SLMs benefit the study of atmospheric turbulence
Incorporating the SLM product line with the precision optical components produced at Meadowlark brings manufacturing focus to the growing SLM business. The companies say that the acquisition will create new product initiatives, decreased delivery times, and expanded service for the SLM product line to benefit its customers.
"We are very excited about the prospects ahead as we blend the considerable talents and technology of the BNS SLM group with Meadowlark's existing precision optical components business. The quality and technical innovation of the BNS commercial product is a natural fit for our company," said Garry Gorsuch, president & CEO of Meadowlark. "We will support and enhance the product line so that you continue to enjoy the same quality and performance that you have come to expect as a dedicated user."
Meadowlark will continue to work with the R&D team at BNS in Lafayette, CO to make the improvements customers have requested in future products. "Our focus has always been on developing state-of-the-art, application-specific systems that incorporate SLM technology," said Steve Serati, president of BNS. "Meadowlark's dedication to quality and their ability to manufacture on a larger scale make them the right fit for the commercialization of BNS prototype developments."
BNS will now devote its efforts mostly to research and development. This includes non-mechanical beam-steering devices such as the liquid-crystal polarization grating beam deflectors, new backplane developments, and hardware improvements to the existing SLM product line. With support from the DoD, NASA, NSF, and NIH through the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, as well as sub-contracts from prime defense contractors, BNS says it is a recognized leader in this area.
Meadowlark says its 20,000 square foot headquarters includes state-of-the-art clean rooms, optical fabrication and metrology facilities, and a breathtaking view of Colorado’s Front Range. BNS says it is a leader in the research and development of non-mechanical beam-steering innovations for practical devices and systems used by government, research, and commercial applications. Since 1988, BNS and its team of scientists and engineers have specialized in the control and manipulation of optical energy.
SOURCE: Meadowlark Optics; http://www.meadowlark.com