November 9, 2004, Sunnyvale, CA--K2 Optronics Inc., which provides lasers for the telecommunications, cable television, RF, sensing, and test and measurement industries, has secured $6.4 million as part of its first closure of a third round of venture-capital financing. This brings the total investment in K2 Optronics to $45 million. Leading investment firm Alloy Venture Partners led the investment round, along with major participation by existing investors Advent Venture Partners (UK), Bessemer Venture Partners, Globespan Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, and The Photonics Fund.
The company's ECL contains an indium phosphide chip serving as the gain medium. While one cavity mirror is formed by the back facet of the gain chip, the other is a Bragg grating located at the tip of the fiber pigtail that couples light from the chip. The arrangement allows the laser to be free of mode-hopping and to have a low dynamic bandwidth and low chirp.
"We are very pleased to have affirmed the support and confidence of our investors as we continue to strengthen our business model and execute against our business plan," said Raj Kapany, President and CEO. K2 Optronics has brought its external-cavity lasers (ECLs) to the telecom and cable-TV markets, which are the company's core markets. The lasers combine direct modulation with other key attributes, such as long reach, high power, low distortion, low chirp, and narrow linewidth, claims Kapany.
"K2 Optronics will use the funds generated from this financing round to accelerate the introduction of new products and to beef up our global sales and marketing presence," said Kapany. Bessemer Venture Partners operating partner Devesh Garg affirmed his confidence in K2 Optronics' technology, which he says represents the first commercially viable external-cavity laser.