NP Photonics

In 1998, a deep-tech company was born out of the University of Arizona, founded by Dr. Nasser Peyghambarian. This new venture, NP Photonics, focused on a specialized area: developing and manufacturing fiber lasers and amplifiers for the infrared wavelength bands. The company's core innovation was a proprietary phosphate glass technology that allowed its optical fibers to be doped with significantly higher concentrations of rare-earth ions than standard silica fibers. This enabled the creation of powerful and efficient lasers and amplifiers in a compact form factor, serving critical markets like defense, research, and metrology. The company established itself as a key player, supplying high-performance optical products and subsystems. Its technology found use in applications ranging from LiDAR and environmental sensing to coherent communications. Over the years, NP Photonics built a substantial intellectual property portfolio with numerous patents related to its unique glass composition, fiber manufacturing processes, and laser components. A significant event in the company's journey occurred in December 2022, when it was acquired by Luna Innovations, a global leader in advanced optical technology. The acquisition was a strategic move for Luna to vertically integrate a critical supplier and expand its manufacturing and photonics expertise. For NP Photonics, the acquisition represented a validation of its technology and provided a larger platform to continue its growth and innovation within the broader Luna Innovations family.