Quantum Computing Inc. (QCI), a startup based in the United States, recently opened a foundry for integrating photonics with thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN). The company announced that it has raised $500 million in total proceeds through a new private equity offering.It means that the Nasdaq-listed New Jersey startup, whose foundry is located within Arizona State University’s Research Park in Tempe, has now attracted $900 million support over th...

Recently, in Hanover, Maryland, telecommunications company Ciena reached an agreement with Nubis Communications to acquire it for $270 million. Nubis Communications focuses on high-performance, ultra compact, and low-power optoelectronic interconnect products designed to support artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. This transaction will expand Ciena's product portfolio and enhance its ability to respond to more opportunities within data center...

Recently, researchers from the Ultrafast Phenomena Laboratory at the University of Warsaw in Poland, in collaboration with a team from the Institute of Low Temperature and Structural Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences, discovered an enhanced effect on upconversion nanoparticle emission. Relevant personnel have demonstrated that simultaneously exciting these nanostructures with two near-infrared lasers will result in a significant increase ...

Tescan Group, a high-performance imaging company headquartered in the Czech Republic, has acquired the ultrafast laser specialist FemtoInnovations, in a deal that will also create a new dedicated Laser Technology Business Unit (LTBU) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) Tech Park.“The new unit expands Tescan’s correlative and multimodal portfolio for semiconductor, biomedical device manufacturing, and advanced research markets,” announced the...

At the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT), researchers in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University – Chair for Technology of Optical Systems (RWTH-TOS) are using a spatial light modulator (SLM) to shape the beam of an ultrashort pulse laser precisely into the desired pattern to apply to the surface of a workpiece.The developers say that this approach “significantly speeds up processing and opens up new possibilities for, among other...

Germany’s Office of the Federal President has announced the nominations for the German Future Prize 2025 (“Deutscher Zukunftspreis”). This year’s nominees include Dr. Mark Bischoff, Dr. Gregor Stobrawa and Dirk Mühlhoff from Zeiss Medical Technology (ZMT), for their project for minimally-invasive lenticule extraction to correct refractive errors. Nominated: Dirk Mühlhoff, Mark Bischoff, and Gregor StobrawaThe ZMT team has developed the highl...

A project at NIST has developed a new way to monitor and assess 3D printing of metals.Finding and correcting defects inadvertently created inside a 3D printed part is one of the biggest challenges for metal printing, commented NIST. But getting a close look at the printing operation as it's underway is not easy.As well as the toxicity of the raw materials, there can be a risk of combustion or explosion, compelling the use of sealed manufacturing ...

TYVOK, industry leaders in laser engraving technology, just announced the launch of TYVOK K1, a modular CO₂ laser engraver engineered to give makers, designers, schools, and small businesses industrial power with intuitive design and user-friendly operation. TYVOK K1 blends a true 100W optical CO₂ laser engine with precision motion control, a rigid, level platform, and professional-grade safety systems—combined into a platform that expands and gr...

PsiQuantum, the Palo Alto startup at the forefront of photonics-based quantum computer development, says it will break ground on two manufacturing sites after closing a series E venture round that raised $1 billion.The new funding, led by private equity giant Blackrock and featuring several others including Nvidia’s venture capital wing, will enable the firm to build quantum computing sites in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago.PsiQuantum says it w...

Detecting the presence of nanoscale plastic particles in the environment has become a topic of concern for industrial societies worldwide, not least since particles of that size can evade the body's blood-brain barrier and damage metabolic processes.Optical technologies have been at the forefront of these monitoring efforts. Recent examples have included the use of stimulated Raman scattering to spot nanoplastics in ocean waters and in popular br...

A high-end manufacturing facility for semiconductor optics will be expanded at Jenoptik’s production campus in Jena, Germany. The photonics group will invest a sum in the low double-digit million euro range starting at the end of 2025.On the expanded production areas, Jenoptik will manufacture sophisticated, high-quality optical components that are mainly used in the semiconductor equipment industry.Once preliminary planning has been completed by...