Photonics News: Week in Brief: 07/23/21

CORK, Ireland — PhotonicLEAP was awarded over €5 million (approximately $5.89 million, through the EU’s horizon 2020 program) to develop technologies for the production of a surface mount technology (SMT) photonic integrated circuit (PIC) package. The SMT PIC will incorporate numerous optical and electrical connections and can be scaled from very low to very large volumes. The project will validate the technologies through two state-of-the-art demonstrators, including a high-speed optical communication module and a portable medical device for cardiovascular diagnostics. The technologies will be implemented by the flagship European PIC Packaging Pilot Line, PIXAPP, for future commercialization.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Alluxa has developed 15-band optical filters for use in the Exoplanet Transmission Spectroscopy Imager (ETSI) instrument at the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University. The ETSI uses a characterization technique called common-path multiband imaging (CMI). The optical design of the instrument includes a prism and Alluxa’s multiband optical filters to simultaneously image 15 bandpasses on two detectors (from 430 to 975 nm) during exoplanet transits of a bright star. The design enables ETSI to achieve unprecedented photometric precision during transit spectroscopy measurements.

MILWAUKEE — In-Place Machining Co. has acquired Exact Metrology. The acquisition expands In-Place Machining Co.’s service offerings to include 3D scanning, industrial CT scanning, metrology equipment sales, and software solutions. Exact Metrology has offices throughout the Midwest.

CHICAGO — Duality, an accelerator for companies in the quantum industry, has accepted six companies into its inaugural cohort: Axion Technologies, Great Lakes Crystal Technologies, qBraid, QuantCAD, Quantopticon, and Super.tech. The 12-month program will provide training from the University of Chicago, as well as opportunities from Duality’s other founding partners. Duality is led by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago and the Chicago Quantum Exchange, as well as founding partners University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, and P33.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Funded by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) will study the limits of spectral remote sensing imaging systems. The team hopes to develop a tool that can quantitatively predict how well a spectral remote system can accomplish a given task. To this end, the team received a grant of up to $1 million to conduct fundamental research on imaging systems over the next two years.

TOKYO — Medical device and software provider Topcon Corp. has acquired VISIA Imaging srl, an ophthalmic device manufacturer headquartered in Florence, Italy. The acquisition will bolster Topcon’s product portfolio and potentially accelerate the development of devices.

LANNION, France — LUMIBIRD has entered into an agreement with AREVA to acquire its 37% stake in laser maker CILAS. The acquisition brings together the companies’ complementary product portfolios and will enable them to benefit from technological synergies, perhaps paving the way to more company acquisitions.

PITTSBURGH — Autonomous vehicle technology company Aurora has entered into a definitive combination agreement with Reinvent Technology Partners, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Upon closing, the combined company will be named Aurora Innovation Inc. and will be publicly traded, with its common stock expected to be listed on the Nasdaq with the ticker symbol AUR.

STOCKHOLM — Automotive technology company Veoneer has signed an agreement with lidar company Baraja to industrialize its Spectrum-Scan lidar technology for the next market wave of Level 2 through Level 4 autonomous vehicle applications. The technology uses dispersive optics to scan the environment, which improves reliability as compared to traditional FMCW or spinning lidar, a press release from Veoneer stated. Under the agreement, Veoneer will develop, market, and integrate a scalable Spectrum-Scan platform from Baraja to serve the automotive market.

ALHAMBRA, Calif. — Advanced mixed signal technology provider EMCORE has been awarded a $4.1 million supplement to its long-term fiber optic gyroscope contract with Raytheon Intelligence & Space. Under the supplemental contract, EMCORE will supply high-performance FOG modules for use in airborne optical targeting systems.