February 8, 2013—Laser manufacturer TOPTICA Photonics AG (Graefelfing/Munich, Germany) announced on February 4 the acquisition of the majority ownership of laser diode manufacturer eagleyard Photonics GmbH (Berlin) as of January 1, 2013. The acquisition is a strategic move to strengthen TOPTICA’s diode laser business, expand eagleyard’s product portfolio and extend many years of collaboration.
With annual revenue of about €4 million ($5 M USD), eagleyard specializes in high-power diode lasers with wavelengths ranging from 650 nm to 1120 nm. The company will continue operations as an independent company with its own brand, sales and distribution.
In their previous partnership, TOPTICA and eagleyard jointly conceived and developed high-power ridge-waveguide tapered diodes. Berlin’s Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH) has also collaborated in technology transfer with eagleyard, an interaction that will continue post-acquisition.
The laser diodes of eagleyard and TOPTICA are used in applications including quantum optics, spectroscopy, industrial test and measurement, medical technologies, terahertz generation, and in space, defense and homeland security.