Change is afoot for Thorlabs as the company prepares to start a high-speed optoelectronics business unit in Ann Arbor, Mich. The greenfield initiative, named Thorlabs Ultrafast Optoelectronics (Thorlabs-UFO) will address the growing need for high-speed optoelectronics with bandwidths up to 100 GHz for applications beyond traditional telecommunications. Thorlabs-UFO will design, develop and manufacture photonics and optoelectronics products and systems, complementing Thorlabs’ existing optomechanical, semiconductor, ultrafast laser and imaging system product development areas. “Our initial efforts will be in the area of ultrafast optoelectronic components such as lasers, modulators and subsystems,” said Janis Valdmanis, general manager of the Michigan operation. For more information, visit: www.thorlabs.com