IPG steps up laser capacity with Veeco kit

June 22--Veeco Instruments has sold a cluster MBE tool to fiber laser specialist IPG Photonics.

IPG, which owns a semiconductor fab in Oxford, MA, has become a leading manufacturer of laser diodes in the past few years thanks to booming sales of high-power fiber laser systems for applications in industrial machining.

The Gen200 MBE tool that it has ordered enables 4 x 4-inch epiwafer production and will help IPG in its bid to increase its diode manufacturing volumes in the future.

IPG is constructing additional fab cleanroom capacity at its headquarters.

Having manufactured an estimated aggregate of 1 MW in total laser chip output power in 2005, the company is hoping to double that figure this year and hit 6 MW in 2008. Each IPG chip typically emits 4W, although the company is also working on increasing that figure.