Company Profiles

Central Florida has been named one of the top four regions in the United States for optics and photonics clusters and is one of the nation’s fastest growing high tech locations. The optics and photonics cluster in Metro Orlando benefits from an outstanding workforce, dedicated educational institutions, and organizations founded to ensure strong awareness of the industry through marketing and legislative initiatives. Following are brief overviews of a sampling of optics and photonics companies based in Metro Orlando:

Analog Modules, Inc (AMI)
AMI. designs and manufactures a wide range of analog electronic products primarily for the laser and electro-optics industries. These products serve applications in medical, military, scientific, and industrial markets. Founded in 1979, AMI's key employees have over 100 years of combined experience in the laser and electronics industries. AMI takes pride that it is certified to ISO 9001:2000 and gives quality its highest commitment from top management down in order to deliver consistent, high quality products to its customers. AMI
is located in Longwood, (Orlando) FL. Over 65 full-time employees are involved in design, development and manufacturing. In April 2001, AMI was acquired by HEICO Corporation as part of their Electronic Technologies Group.

Crystal Photonics (does not have a website)
Founded by two University of Central Florida professors, Crystal Photonics, Inc. is a highly successful spinout of CREOL. Crystal Photonics manufactures crystals for microelectronic and photonic industry applications. The company develops ultraviolet resonant cavity light-emitting diodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy on non-polar gallium nitride substrates. The company is based in Sanford, Florida.

ER Precision Optical
ER Precision Optical is a diverse manufacturing company located in downtown Orlando specializing in optical fabrication and optical assemblies as well as advanced inspection and testing processes. ER Precision Optical has specialized in fabrication of Infrared materials for the past 17 years and will now aim to be a main supplier of U.S. Made Infrared crystal blanks, as well as finished parts starting in 2010 (possible due to their new expansion and growth in Orlando). ER Precision Optical is committed to producing high quality optics at competitive prices and in a timely manner. Their components are built to customer's specifications and requirements. ER Precision Optical’s ever growing scope for high precision and high energy optics extends from defense and aerospace to science, medical, and technology industries.

L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications Advanced Laser Systems Technology (L-3 ALST) designs, develops, and manufactures lasers and laser rangefinding systems. As an active center of laser and electro-optical system development, Central Florida provided the ideal environment for the creation of L-3 ALST. The founders, drawing on their extensive previous experience with companies such as Martin Marietta, International Laser systems, and Laser Photonics, established the company in July 1987. After its incorporation, L-3 ALST developed a new laser product for medical applications, and eventually sold its entire medical laser business to Surgical Laser Technologies in 1990. For the last fourteen years, L-3 ALST has focused on the production of laser rangefinders for various specialized applications, including military surveillance, fire-control, navigation, laser altimetry, and interplanetary space probes. The diversity of contracts in which L-3 ALST has participated distinguishes it from other companies in the laser industry.

Laser Photonics, LLC
Laser Photonics is an industry leader in developing high-tech fiber and CO2 laser systems for marking, cutting and engraving applications. Laser Photonics' systems are used by the automotive, aerospace, industrial, defense, electronic and medical industries around the world. Their mass-produced, environmentally friendly systems help lower the amount of manual labor and the number of steps involved in completing a job, making facilities more cost effective. Laser Photonics also assists in continuing manufacturing in America.

Lee Laser, Inc.
Lee Laser Incorporated was formed in 1984 as an OEM source for continuously-pumped and Q-switched Nd: YAG lasers for industry and science. Using the most reliable electronic and solid state laser technology, the Company designed the uniquely new Series 700 lasers to fill a market void created by existing products that had changed little over the previous 15 years. Today, Lee Laser's management and engineering staff averages more than 25 years experience in the design and manufacture of Nd:YAG lasers. To date, Lee Laser has delivered more than 12,000 Nd:YAG lasers to OEM system integrators worldwide. With a highly regarded laser product line that has exhibited consistent growth and strength each year since its inception, Lee Laser has become the largest OEM supplier of CW Nd:YAG lasers in the U.S. The Series 800 and Series LDP lasers have attracted considerable international attention; more than 50% of their lasers are ultimately shipped to end users outside of the U.S.

Lockheed Martin
One of the largest single employers in Metro Orlando, Lockheed Martin is a customer focused, global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, and integration of advanced technology systems, products, and services for government and commercial customers. It employs over 7,000 people in Central Florida and maintains contracts with many local photonics and other high technology companies.

Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Laser Systems, a sector of Northrop Grumman Electric Systems based in Baltimore, Md., is involved in the design, development, manufacture and support of airborne, ground vehicle and man-portable laser and electro-optical systems.

Ocean Optics, Inc.
Ocean Optics is a diversified photonics technology firm and a global leader in optical sensing, optical networking, display optics and biophotonics. The company is a leading supplier of optical sensing systems used to determine the chemical, color, radiant and metrological properties of samples by measuring their interaction with light. With full-service locations in the United States, Europe and Asia, the company serves a wide range of markets, including process control, consumer electronics and medical diagnostics. Ocean Optics' facility in Winter Park, FL, houses their R&D and assembly operations.

OptiGrate Corporation
OptiGrate Corporation designs and manufactures a full range of volume Bragg gratings (VBG), a type of unique narrowband optical filter for industrial, scientific, and defense applications. OptiGrate has developed a method for embedding microscopic holograms into optic glass that can direct light to perform a vast number of functions – which holds promise for the military, semi-conductor, automotive and shipping industries, as well as applications ranging from medical imaging to high resolution big screen TVs.

Tecport Optics, Inc.
Tecport Optics, Inc. works vigorously and continuously with its customers as well as world class instrument manufacturers to provide state-of-the-art coating systems with cutting-edge technology. Tecport manufactures one of the most reliable, efficient, flexible, and cost effective thin film deposition systems on the market.