MKS Instruments, Inc. unveiled plans to build a super center factory in Penang, Malaysia to support production of wafer fabrication equipment in the region and globally. According to MKS CEO John T.C. Lee, the planned facility's location provides close proximity to customers and suppliers, and benefits from a strong semiconductor ecosystem. Per the development plan, MKS expects to construct the new facility in three phases, with groundbreaking anticipated in early 2025. GRESHAM, Ore. — Developer of synthetic diamond advanced material solutions Element Six entered into a collaboration with jewel bearings manufacturer Orbray Co., Ltd. for the delivery of high-quality wafer-scale single crystal synthetic diamonds. The partnership will combine Orbray's approach to scaling single crystal chemical vapor deposition diamonds with Element Six’s large area deposition system to create the diamonds for applications including 6G wireless components, advanced power and RF electronics, sensing, thermal management, and quantum devices. (From left) Vector Photonics’ sales and marketing director Euan Livingston, CEO Neil Martin, and CTO and lead inventor Richard Taylor. Courtesy of Vector Photonics. GLASGOW, U.K. — Vector Photonics, a University of Glasgow spin-out, has received £1.7 million ($2.2 million) of equity investment and £1.3 million of additional research funding, totaling £3 million, for the continued commercialization of its surface coupling laser technology. The equity investment came from next-generation technology and early-stage investment specialists, while the research funding was received from FRONTIERS, a development project for free-space optics, and GRAPHICS, a U.K.-funded grant in collaboration with the University of Glasgow. EV Group and Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID personnel next to an EVG850 UV laser debonding system. Courtesy of Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID. ST. FLORIAN, Austria — EV Group, a supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment, and Fraunhofer All Silicon System Integration Dresden (IZM-ASSID), have entered into a strategic partnership to develop and optimize alternative bonding and debonding technologies for advanced CMOS and heterogeneous integration applications, including quantum computing. Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID has purchased and installed a fully automated UV laser debonding and cleaning system for the collaboration at Fraunhofer's Center for Advanced CMOS and Heterointegration Saxony (CEASAX). CEASAX combines core competencies from Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID and Fraunhofer IPMS for research into 300mm 3D heterogeneous wafer level system integration and front-end semiconductor integration processes. CAMAS, Wash. — Provider of high-power semiconductor and fiber lasers nLIGHT, Inc. has signed a letter of intent to form a joint strategic cooperation with additive manufacturing (AM) company EOS to make nLIGHT’s beam shaping lasers available in EOS’ metal AM systems. nLIGHT and EOS plan to make beam shaping and light engine optimization capabilities available digitally, enabling customers to access different beam profiles via EOS software to activate higher productivity printing. EOS will specifically be integrating nLIGHT’s AFX laser and plans to make the machine available to customers in late 2024. A map with an overlay of Lightpath’s (yellow) and United Fiber and Data’s (purple) fiber optic infrastructures stretching from New York to Ashburn, Va. Courtesy of Lightpath. NEW YORK CITY — Lightpath, an all-fiber, infrastructure-based connectivity provider, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of United Fiber and Data. According to Lightpath CEO Chris Morley, the acquisition expands Lightpath's Greater New York City Metropolitan fiber assets and increases the company's ability to serve high-capacity customer needs such as the Ashburn data center ecosystem. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024. SALO, Finland — Secondary optics for LED lighting company LEDiL has signed an agreement to acquire all shares of optical diffusive and reflective components company Ingemann Components. LEDiL, a Ratos portfolio company, plans to accelerate Ingemann’s geographic expansion in the Nordic region, U.S., and Europe through its global sales and distribution network. The acquisition also provides a platform for further growth in large-scale optics, the company said. OptiPro’s Dean Parkway facility in Ontario, N.Y. Courtesy of Empire State Development. ONTARIO, N.Y. — OptiPro, an optics machinery manufacturer, is adding a 16,000 sq ft extension worth about $4 million to its existing Dean Parkway facility in Ontario, N.Y. in an effort to improve efficiency and expand its manufacturing operations. As a result of the project, OptiPro has committed to creating up to 23 new jobs with 98 being retained on site. Guests and academics from Loughborough University attending the Emergent Photonics Research Centre’s opening event. Courtesy of Loughborough University. LOUGHBOROUGH, U.K. — Loughborough University has opened its 600m x 600m Emergent Photonics Research Centre. Work at the center will focus on advancing ultrafast nonlinear optics in applications ranging from quantum physics to biology. The center’s research agenda includes developing photonic technologies such as as microcombs for operating GPS infrastructure for satellites and spacecraft. Other research priorities include terahertz waves and artificial intelligence. ARLINGTON, Va. — Leonardo DRS, Inc., a provider of defense technology, has received another full-rate production contract from Northrop Grumman. Leonardo DRS will supply its quantum cascade laser technology to enable common infrared countermeasure (CIRCM) systems for military aircraft protection. CIRCM is a fifth-generation, laser-based infrared countermeasure system designed to track and defeat incoming missiles, which has recently been positioned for accelerated fielding on more than 1500 U.S. military helicopters.