ImEdge receives another patent for edge-lit hologram technologyImEdge Technology Inc. (Yorktown Heights, NY) has received its sixth US patent related to the manufacturing and use of edge-lit hologram technology. An edge-lit hologram is a special type of optical element that can be used as a thin source of broad-area illumination. Potential applications include fingerprint sensors, industrial and medical instrumentation, and three-dimensional image-bearing displays. Whereas conventional holograms are illuminated through their broad face surface by a distant light source, edge lit holograms are illuminated by shining light through the edge of a rigid substrate to which the thin hologram is applied. The hologram changes the direction of the light so that a line of light entering the edge of the substrate gets emitted through the face of the hologram as a broad area. The firm is seeking to sell or license its entire patent portfolio, or to create a strategic alliance with a company that will maintain and advance ImEdge's patent position.Lincoln Laser is under new ownershipAfter a three-year relationship with Westwind Airbearings Ltd., Lincoln Laser (Phoenix, AZ) has been purchased by its officers. Robert Nehrbas, Jr., general manager, will manage the 100-employee company with Randy Sherman as president, Glenn Stutz as vice president and technical director, and Bob Lemancik as VP of finance and administration. The firm manufactures precision polygon mirrors, high-speed motors, and standard motor controllers for laser-scanning applications, and also has the capability to custom-build electro-optic modules, combining its components with lasers, optics, modulators, and other electronic devices.Corning acquires Tropel Corp.Corning Inc. (Corning, NY) has agreed to acquire 100% of the stock of Tropel Corp. in a transaction valued at approximately $190 million. The Fairport, NY-based manufacturer of precision optics and metrology instruments for the semiconductor industry will become a wholly owned subsidiary, operating as a unit of Corning's semiconductor-materials business within the specialty materials division. John Burning will continue as president and CEO of the business, which will be called Corning Tropel. Corning expects the acquisition to be neutral to its 2001 pro forma earnings and accretive next year.Newport signs a distribution agreement with Ball Aerospace & TechnologiesBall Aerospace & Technologies Corp. (Boulder, CO) has entered into an agreement with Newport Corp. (Irvine, CA), whereby its international sales and marketing group will distribute the firm's fast-steering mirrors to the semiconductor equipment market. Ball Aerospace produces the mirrors for a broad range of line-of-sign stabilization applications including image stabilization, laser communications, jitter-motion compensation, military targeting systems, optical instrumentation, high-energy laser pointing, astronomy, laser light shows, and laboratory equipment. Products offer bandwidths of 500 Hz or higher and clear apertures from 10 to 100 mm.MOEC raises $20 million in second-round financingMolecular Optoelectronics Corp. (MOEC; Watervliet, NY) has completed $20 million in second-round financing that will be used to strengthen product manufacturing and R&D, as well as customer, partner, and alliance efforts. The firm's product line currently includes variable attenuators, fiberoptic safety shutters, power control modules, and more.Also in the news . . .Leybold Optics GmbH (Hanau, Germany), which manufactures vacuum and thin-layer coating equipment for optics, has established a new subsidiary in Cary, NC. Leybold Optics USA, which began operations in January, will include sales, service, and administrative offices. . . . Edmund Optics Inc. (Barrington, NJ) plans to sell the assets of its consumer science-catalog component to Science Kit & Boreal Laboratories (Tonawanda, NY). . . . Fresnel Optics Inc. (Rochester, NY) has acquired Sacramento, CA-based Wavelength Optics, which manufactures microstructured optics based on refractive and diffractive optics.
Paula Noaker Powell