Mobius licenses Harvard UV fiber-laser patent
Mobius Photonics (Santa Clara, CA) has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) regarding U.S. patent 5,745,284. “The Harvard patent is really a subset of the technology in our full product offering, specifically targeting the ultraviolet region with a particular method of setting up the oscillators and amplifiers in a fully fiber-based master oscillator power amplifier architecture for robust operation,” said Mobius president and CEO, Laura Smoliar. “Acquisition of an exclusive license to this patent enhances the value of Mobius products and increases our customers’ competitive advantage in the marketplace.” And, because the patent is exclusive, Smoliar said that Mobius can also sublicense it to other companies.
Therapeutic laser orders go to QPC
QPC Lasers (Sylmar, CA) received $1.3 million in new orders of its BrightLase Ultra Lasers for use in medical applications. According to the company, these two orders come less than a month after the launch of the BrightLase Ultra product line, and will be used in surgical and therapeutic applications. “We continue to see strong customer interest in our new Ultra Lasers, particularly for surgical laser applications such as the treatment of cancerous tumors, benign prostrate hyperplasia, and cardiology where they show great promise because of the laser’s ability to rapidly and precisely remove tissue in a sterile and minimally invasive fashion,” said Paul Rudy, vice president of marketing and sales.
Jenoptik acquisition adds diode devices
The Jenoptik Group (Jena, Germany) acquired all the shares in Epigap Optoelektronik. Berlin-based Epigap possesses technology and process know-how in the manufacture of selective photodiodes and light-emitting-diode (LED) semiconductor chips for optoelectronic components. The acquisition complements Jenoptik Polymer Systems, a provider of polymer optics and optoelectronic systems. In this field, Jenoptik possesses expertise in the manufacture of plastic optics and optoelectronic modules and systems. The LED and photodiode chips, which are developed and manufactured to client specifications, will now be further processed into optical systems and marketed worldwide.
Arasor acquires Novalux and its customers
Arasor International (Sydney, Australia) acquired the assets of Novalux (Sunnyvale, CA). The acquisition was made through issuance of $7 million in Arasor stock and the assumption of debt. The deal is expected to enable Arasor to take further control of the laser display and projection value chain, which will double its revenue from the display market and secure Seiko Epson, Young Optics, Oerlikon, and other customers via exclusive licenses.
Lighting survey confirms LED market growth
LED manufacturer Cree (Durham, NC) announced results of an independent survey taken at the 2007 Hong Kong International Lighting Fair on the adoption, deployment, and benefits of LED lighting. The survey found that nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents have witnessed a growth rate in excess of 20% for LED lighting applications in their businesses over the past six months, and almost two-thirds of respondents (63%) believe LED lighting will account for more than 50% of their sales or installations by 2009.
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Also in the news . . .
Laser Institute of America (Orlando, FL) is now offering training for its Laser Safety Officer course over the Internet. . . . Physics professor Fernando Ponce of the Center for Nanophotonics (part of the Arizona Institute for Nano-Electronics at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ) was awarded a three-year, $800,000 DARPA grant to conduct research on green lasers as part of the Visible InGaN Injection Laser program. . . . Bosch , (Stuttgart, Germany) acquired the assets of RoboToolz , headquartered in Hong Kong, a manufacturer of laser-leveling products. . . . IPG Photonics (Oxford, MA), manufacturer of high-power lasers and amplifiers, is now selling its laser diodes on a merchant basis to original equipment manufacturers. . . . Laser systems manufacturer Rofin-Sinar Technologies (Plymouth, MI, and Hamburg, Germany) reported record net sales of $134.7 million in its first fiscal quarter of 2008 (ended Dec. 31, 2007), a 21% increase over the same quarter last year. . . . Laser Energetics (Princeton, NJ) received a contract worth $481,268 from ITT for a laser demonstration of an all-solid-state frequency-tripled alexandrite laser to support the U.S. Army’s initiative to develop a laser for the next-generation chemical warfare agent sensor currently being developed by ITT. . . . Alma Lasers (Buffalo Grove, IL), a medical technology company that manufactures intense pulsed light and radio-frequency based aesthetic treatment devices, filed a registration statement relating to its proposed underwritten initial public offering of its ordinary shares. . . . Laser-welding company Litron (Agawam, MA) has a new 3000 sq ft class 100,000 cleanroom to hermetically seal components.