Picometrix |
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| Founded: |
1992 |
| Founder: |
Rob Risser, Steven Williamson (MSE Chem Eng '79; MSE CICE '80) |
| Product/Service: |
High-speed optical sensing devices |
| Location: |
Ann Arbor, MI |
| Acquired By: |
Advanced Photonix, Inc. Mar 9, 2005 |
| Website: |
picometrix.com |
For over 15 years, Picometrix, an API company, has focused on developing and manufacturing the fastest, most sensitive, most temperature-stable, and broadest-wavelength high-speed optical receivers available. Since introducing the world's first commercially available terahertz instrument, Picometrix has also been dedicated to the continued development of this uncharted area of the electromagnetic spectrum. Our experience means we know that innovations never cease, and we’re driven by the knowledge that Picometrix products are the defacto standard in the industry not only for their leading edge technology, but also for their reliability and value. [Picometrix Website, Home] |
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| In the News |
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Jan 19, 2012
Picometrix Receives Development Contract
Picometrix, a subsidiary of Advanced Photonix Inc. of Ann Arbor, Mich., has received a follow-on $600,000 Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer government contract from NASA to further develop a CT terahertz scanner accessory for single-sided inspection of spacecraft and launch vehicle composite structures. The award encourages small businesses to partner with nonprofit research institutions to develop technologies for commercialization. For this contract, Picometrix is partnering with the University of Michigan’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department to develop a prototype for NASA over 24 months.
| The MSA provides the receiver form factor, pin function definitions, pin locations, and functionality in a compact optical receiver package designed to enable rapid product development and ease of component procurement for optical transponder and line-card manufacturers.
The two companies first announced their intention to create such an MSA last September (see "Optical receiver manufacturers announce 100G MSA").
The MSA is now open to component manufacturers interested in joining the CCRx MSA. MSA committee members will be available for scheduled meetings with interested parties at the upcoming OFC/NFOEC conference in San Diego, CA at the end of March. Interested parties should contact the MSA committee through the website www.ccrx-msa.org.
"The release of the CCRx MSA represents a significant milestone to help assist our customers' rapid development and deployment of emerging 100-Gbps and 40-Gbps line-side equipment," said the MSA Committee. "Our goal is to enable cost-effective, high-performance components, initially for 100G applications and then subsequently for 40G coherent applications."
Picometrix and u2t are both contributing members of the 100G Long Distance DWDM Integrated Photonics working group within the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF). The MSA is intended to be compatible with any forthcoming OIF 100G optical receiver implementation agreement.
Both companies will be exhibiting at OFC/NFOEC, the world's largest optical communications event, in San Diego, California from March 23-25, 2010. Each company will have their CCRx MSA products on display, Picometrix in booth #921 and u2t in booth #1312. |
@ Photonics.com |
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 Mar 8, 2010
Picometrix, u2t Photonics launch CCRx MSA for 100G coherent receivers
High-speed optical components companies Picometrix LLC, an Advanced Photonix company (NYSE Amex: API), and u2t Photonics AG have completed the Compact Coherent Receiver (CCRx) multisource agreement (MSA). The MSA aims to define an industry standard, cost-effective form factor for coherent fiber-optic receivers for use in both 100G and 40G dual polarization quadrature phase-shift keying (DP-QPSK) telecommunication systems.
| The MSA provides the receiver form factor, pin function definitions, pin locations, and functionality in a compact optical receiver package designed to enable rapid product development and ease of component procurement for optical transponder and line-card manufacturers.
The two companies first announced their intention to create such an MSA last September (see "Optical receiver manufacturers announce 100G MSA").
The MSA is now open to component manufacturers interested in joining the CCRx MSA. MSA committee members will be available for scheduled meetings with interested parties at the upcoming OFC/NFOEC conference in San Diego, CA at the end of March. Interested parties should contact the MSA committee through the website www.ccrx-msa.org.
"The release of the CCRx MSA represents a significant milestone to help assist our customers' rapid development and deployment of emerging 100-Gbps and 40-Gbps line-side equipment," said the MSA Committee. "Our goal is to enable cost-effective, high-performance components, initially for 100G applications and then subsequently for 40G coherent applications."
Picometrix and u2t are both contributing members of the 100G Long Distance DWDM Integrated Photonics working group within the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF). The MSA is intended to be compatible with any forthcoming OIF 100G optical receiver implementation agreement.
Both companies will be exhibiting at OFC/NFOEC, the world's largest optical communications event, in San Diego, California from March 23-25, 2010. Each company will have their CCRx MSA products on display, Picometrix in booth #921 and u2t in booth #1312. |
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@ LightWaveOnline.com |
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 Dec 29, 2008
Picometrix to develop T-Ray for Air Force
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The U.S. Air Force has awarded Advanced Photonix Inc. a phase I contract to support testing and development of the company's T-Ray 4000 technology.
U.S. company Advanced Photonix says its Picometrix subsidiary was awarded a small-business innovation research phase I deal. The contract combined with Picometrix's recent phase II award from NASA are together worth $700,000.
Under the phase I SBIR contract Picometrix will support non-destructive testing and development of a computed tomography terahertz capability with the T-Ray 4000. Officials say the development of the T-Ray's terahertz capabilities will be used to support the Air Force's next-generation aircraft manufacturing.
"These two contracts support important application development activities necessary to develop the emerging market opportunities for our T-Ray 4000," Richard Kurtz, Advanced Photonix, chief executive officer, said in a statement.
"Development of the computed tomography terahertz imaging capability will expand many non-destructive testing opportunities for us to solve a broad range of quality control and process control problems on the manufacturing floor and eventually in homeland security."
@ United Press International, Inc |
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 Dec 10, 2008
New 'CSI: Miami' star: Picometrix T-Ray 4000
Detectives would envy local company's device. It can look through walls or peek through a wallet's contents. It can even see underneath a person's clothing.
Now, an Ann Arbor company's real-life technology that uses special wavelengths to see below the surface of nearly any object will help forensic investigators in the TV crime drama "CSI: Miami'' solve its latest fictional murder mystery on Monday night.
| The machine, called the "T-Ray 4000,'' uses terahertz wavelengths to create 3-D pictures of different layers below the surface of most objects down to such fine details as the chemical composition of drugs in a medicine tablet.
It was created by Ann Arbor-based Picometrix, a subsidiary of the publicly traded Advanced Photonix Inc.
Writers of "CSI:Miami'' spotted the machine during their research earlier this year, said Doreen Blauschild, a "CSI: Miami'' associate producer. The company gained publicity last spring when it partnered with University of Michigan researchers who traveled to France to peek beneath layers of plaster in a European church that concealed a 14th-century painting.
Since the company made its first T-Ray, it has helped NASA search for flaws in the foam insulation on its space shuttle external fuel tank. Before federal funding ran out, the Transportation Security Administration wanted the company to develop a terahertz-screening test to better search for explosives that X-rays simply can't see, said Richard Kurtz, chairman and chief executive officer of Advanced Photonix.
Without touching the surface, the device can sense the thickness of fresh paint as it dries on a car.
In the most recent episode of "CSI: Miami,'' the team of forensic investigators in Miami solve the electrocution murder of a young woman by using a technology that isolates overlapping fingerprints by their differing chemical composition.
There's no telling how the writers portrayed Picometrix's technology in the upcoming show, Kurtz said, but he isn't concerned.
"Perhaps, they'll take literary license,'' Kurtz said. "They're trying to make it so people can easily understand technology. God bless them for it; it is difficult to explain.'' |
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@ The Ann Arbor News. Tina Reed: (734) 994-6843, treed@annarbornews.com |
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 Mar 9, 2005
Advanced Photonix, Inc. Announces Definitive Agreement to Purchase Picometrix, Inc.
CAMARILLO, Calif. — Advanced Photonix, Inc.® (AMEX:API), a leading supplier of innovative, silicon-based optoelectronic solutions to a worldwide OEM customer base, today announced that it had signed a merger agreement to acquire Picotronix Inc., a privately held company located in Ann Arbor, Mich., doing business as Picometrix. The transaction is anticipated to close in April subject to customary closing conditions, including American Stock Exchange listing of API shares to be issued in connection with the transaction.
Picometrix is a developer and manufacturer of ultra high-speed photoreceivers used in telecommunication, data communication, and test & measurement markets and terahertz instrumentation for scientific, industrial, and defense/homeland security markets. Its unaudited 2004 financial statements reflect revenues of $7.5 million (as compared to $3.5 million for the prior year), net income of $500,000 (as compared to a loss of $1.1 million in the prior year), and long-term liabilities of approximately $7 million and positive working capital of approximately $2 million as of December 31, 2004.
The purchase price is $3,500,000 in cash, four-year API promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of $2,900,500, and 2,575,000 shares of API Class A Common Stock. Upon the signing of the Agreement, API agreed to provide a loan to Picometrix in the amount of approximately $4,200,000, the proceeds of which are to be used to prepay existing long-term indebtedness of Picometrix to a third party.
Richard (Rick) Kurtz, Chairman and CEO, stated, "We are pleased to add the Picometrix portfolio of technology, customers, and employees to the API family. Picometrix will significantly expand API's position in the telecom and test & measurement markets. Picometrix brings design experience and processing expertise in III-V semiconductor materials, namely Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Indium Phosphide (InP). These materials give API additional optoelectronic sensing capabilities and solutions to offer our target markets. The added benefit of Picometrix's proprietary Terahertz sensor technology supports our goal of building on our manufacturing capabilities to provide complete, value-added, sensor-based product offerings."
Paul Ludwig, President of Advanced Photonix, Inc., stated, "This is an exciting day at API as we join forces with Picometrix. This acquisition supports our stated strategy to broaden our technology portfolio so we can better serve our chosen markets. Picometrix provides world-class detector technology, specifically the highest performing 40Gb PIN detector and 10Gb APD available in the market. These technologies are excellent complements to our silicon-based detector offerings. We are delighted to bring Rob Risser and Steve Williamson into our leadership team. We will work to accelerate their growth opportunities in the telecom sector and leverage this technology into our existing military, medical, and industrial customer bases."
Rob Risser, CEO of Picometrix Inc., stated: "As Picometrix, we endured the telecom restructuring and continued to make the necessary R&D investments, creating the most advanced receiver product offerings on the market, and can now take advantage of API's sales and marketing capabilities to accelerate penetration in the recovering telecom sector and API's core markets. The merger into publicly held API also increases the resources available to accelerate our Terahertz (T-Ray™) product/application development to exploit the rapidly developing terahertz markets of homeland security and industrial non-destructive testing. This builds on our leadership in T-Ray™ technology and creates the only public company with a broad Terahertz offering. We look forward to helping create an API with leading-edge technology and products used by a worldwide customer base." |
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© Advanced Photonix Press Release. Richard Kurtz: (805) 987-0146 |
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