IPG Photonics has acquired the outstanding shares of privately-held, Birmingham, Alabama-based Photonics Innovations, Inc. (PII), a maker of active and passive laser materials and tuneable lasers for scientific, biomedical, technological, and eye-safe range-finding applications. The acquisition allows IPG to expand its product offerings to the mid-infrared (approximately 2-5µm). PII's core capabilities include novel optical and laser materials fabrication, solid state and tuneable laser design, and optical and sensing systems development. The acquisition is expected to have no material effect on IPG's financial results for the remainder of the year.
PII was established by researchers at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to apply proprietary and patented optical materials, lasers, and spectroscopic technologies to the development and commercialisation of state-of-the-art optical sensing instruments in rapid sensing, identification, and quantification of agents and materials. In addition to active and passive laser materials and tuneable lasers, PII develops affordable and reliable mid-infrared microchip and external cavity broadly tuneable light sources for scientific, sensing, medical and defence related applications. It also manufactures integrated state-of-the-art mid-infrared optical sensing instruments for rapid sensing, identification, and quantification of agents and materials.
'With the acquisition of Photonics Innovations, we plan to enhance IPG's product portfolio in middle-infrared spectral range - an exciting emerging market,' said Dr Valentin Gapontsev, IPG Photonics chairman and CEO. 'The combining of our state-of-the-art fibre laser technology with PII's proprietary transition metal doped ZnS and ZnSe based crystal laser materials has opened exciting opportunities to build new perfect hybrid laser sources in the range 2 to 5µm for various applications.'
Dr Sergey Mirov, president of Photonics Innovations, commented: 'As a result of this merger, the combined company now has significantly more resources and the ability to target many new applications in biomedical, sensing, instrumentations, advanced systems, and material processing. IPG is a natural strategic fit for PII and we believe this will benefit both companies' customers.'
