Newport Corp. Forms Fiber Laser Group

Laser and photonic components and instruments maker Newport Corp. announced today that it has formed a new Fiber Laser Business Group within its Spectra-Physics Lasers Div. to lead the company's efforts in fiber laser and amplifier technology development.

Newport Chairman and CEO Robert G. Deuster said in a statement, "Fiber-based laser technologies have made significant advances in recent years, driven primarily by research and development efforts in the telecommunications industry. These new fiber-based laser products offer inherent advantages in cost and performance efficiency, power scalability, reliability and beam quality for some applications. Adding these products to Newport's existing portfolio of diode-pumped solid-state lasers will enable us to address new applications in our existing markets, will play an important role in Newport's growth into new markets, applications and customers, and will add additional breadth to Newport's integrated photonics solutions strategy."

Deuster said Newport was the first company to exploit diode-pumped solid-state laser technology in the 1980s, and "we expect to become a leader in fiber-based products as well."

Spectra-Physics was founded in 1961 and has its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. The division manufactures lasers and laser systems for commercial and industrial markets such as life and health science, aerospace and defense, telecommunications, research and development, and microelectronics.

Deuster said Newport has been working in this development area for some time and is in discussions with key customers on products for several new applications.

For more information, visit: www.newport.com