Laser Technology

The U.S. DoD’s Space Development Agency (SDA) is crafting a large constellation of satellites—expected to cost roughly $35B through 2029—and currently working on switching from radio-frequency (RF) comms to speed-of-light laser comms to support them. Why is this work critical? A constellation of satellites with laser comms can perform mission-critical tasks from missile tracking and […]

Similarly, Salience Labs (Oxford, U.K.) announced a $30M Series A round led by ICM HPQC Fund and Applied Ventures, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials (Santa Clara, CA), to advance its optical switch technology and enable new interconnect network architectures for AI clusters. Hyperlume (Ottawa, ON, Canada), a startup proposing high-bandwidth and low-power interconnects

Although January was a relatively quiet month for venture deals in photonics, it was exciting to see the launch of a new photonics integration platform as Eindhoven-based PHOTON IP raised a €4.75M ($4.9M) Seed round to develop its technology for combining silicon and multiple optimized III-V materials for lasers, high-speed modulators, and photodetectors onto a

On February 11th, the Laser Institute (LIA) announced the passing of Dr. Nathaniel R. Quick on February 4, 2025, in Lake Mary, FL, at the age of 75. Dr. Quick was a pioneering figure in laser processing of advanced materials and a dedicated leader within LIA, serving as its executive director from 2017 to 2023.

We launched Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast in February 2024—and since its debut, we’ve released 38 episodes! The podcast, hosted by our multimedia director Justine Murphy, brings you the latest news and insights from the forefront of the photonics industry. Our episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary provides some insight into invention. They define “invent” as: 1) to produce (something, such as a useful device or process) for the first time through the use of the imagination or of ingenious thinking and experiment; 2) to devise by thinking.1 In general, this is a pretty good framing of these concepts, although

The drive for higher power lasers in directed energy and production keeps Ophir at the forefront of innovation with measurement systems that deliver accurate and reliable measurements for high-power, ultra-high power, and very-high power lasers. Source link

Jay Kumler, a longtime photonics industry expert, passed away February 10, 2025 at the age of 61. Jay was president of JENOPTIK North America, Inc. and JENOPTIK Optical Systems, LLC for many years. A member of the Jenoptik Executive Management Committee, he consulted on and actively shaped the development of Jenoptik’s photonics-based business in the

QD Laser, Inc. (Japan) proudly introduces “Lantana,” the world’s smallest all-in-one compact visible laser (532, 561, 594 nm) with a built-in driver in its class. Its high-quality elliptical beam is perfect for flow cytometry applications. Source link

SPIE On January 28th at a ceremony held during SPIE Photonics West 2025, Max-IR Labs was announced the winner of the $10,000 top prize at the 15th annual SPIE Startup Challenge, a pitch competition that showcases new optics- and photonics-based businesses, products, and technologies to address critical needs. Max-IR Labs’ AquaCarbon Monitor is set to