Fiber Optic Sensors, Photonics Talk

The annual NEFC dinner meeting is set for Tuesday, Feb.23, with featured speaker David Krohn, managing partner, Light Wave Venture LLC.

The company is focused on developing telecommunications, sensor and power delivery business opportunities in a wide range of market applications. Krohn has assisted more than 100 companies with activities in marketing, planning and management functions. In prior positions, he served as global new business director for photonics at 3M Company.

Krohn attended Rutgers University as an undergraduate, obtained his masters from Case Western Reserve University, and Ph.D. from Lehigh University. He has written three books, 60 papers and holds 27 patents relating to fiber optics and optical sensors.

The 6 p.m. meeting takes place at Sheraton Framingham. For information call (617) 548-NEFC.

Zygo Sells Off Semiconductor To Nanometrics

Zygo Corporation is selling its semiconductor business to Nanometrics (Nasdaq: NANO) and, as part of the deal, will be providing interferometer sensors to Nanometrics that will go into that company’s Unifire line of products. The sensors are also used in Nanometrics’ own line of automated metrology systems.

No financial details of the deal were disclosed. The deal does allow for joint development of other technologies aimed at the semiconductor industry and related industries, according to officials of the two companies.

In January, Zygo’s board of directors withdrew its recommendation of a previously announced merger with photonic and laser systems developer Electro Scientific Industries Inc. The board said at the time that its withdrawal of recommendation stemmed from “changes in conditions” since the agreement was signed in October. In April the two companies called off the merger and Zygo had to pay ESI a $5.4 million termination fee.

Founded in 1970, Zygo supplies the semiconductor equipment industry with electro-optical design and manufacturing services, optical metrology instruments and precision optics. For fiscal 2008, the company reported a profit of $1.24 million on revenue of $159 million.has sold inventory and certain assets to competing optical metrology technology company Nanometrics Inc. of California, in a deal that will have Middlefield, Conn.-based Zygo supplying sensors to Nanometrics.

MIT CIPs Meeting, Photonics Innovations

The MIT CIPS 6th annual meeting is May 20 and May 21 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Forefront topics in photonics sessions will include a mix of research and application talks by experts from industry and academia, within and outside the MIT community.

Speakers features include Dr. Bernie Meyerson, IBM Fellow, vice-president strategic alliances, CTO, IBM Systems and Technology Group, "Innovation in Microelectronics and Integrated Photonics."

Also, Professor Bob Byer, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor, Stanford University; co-director, Stanford Photonics Research Center, "Advances in Solid State Lasers and their Applications."

For more meeting details, registration and a complete list of invited speakers, visit this link to details about the event site.