TriLumina

Founded in 2010 by David J Abell and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, TriLumina operated as a semiconductor technology company focused on laser solutions for the automotive and consumer electronics sectors. The company emerged from technology developed at Sandia National Labs, concentrating on the production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). TriLumina's business model centered on manufacturing advanced VCSEL illumination products designed for applications in mobile 3D sensing and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). The company's clients were primarily Tier 1 automotive suppliers and companies in the industrial and consumer electronics markets that required 3D sensing capabilities.

Over its lifespan, TriLumina secured approximately $27.8 million in funding across 6 rounds from a pool of 10 institutional investors, including notable names like DENSO, Caterpillar, Stage 1 Ventures, and Sun Mountain Capital. A significant milestone was a strategic investment from DENSO International America in 2016, aimed at accelerating the adoption of LiDAR and driver monitoring technologies for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in autonomous vehicles. This partnership provided TriLumina with greater access to the automotive market.

The company's core product was its flip-chip, back-emitting VCSEL arrays. These components offered high-power, eye-safe infrared illumination in a compact and cost-effective package. A key feature was the ability to integrate hundreds of lasers into a single microchip, making them small, reliable, and inexpensive. This technology was designed to improve the performance and accuracy of LiDAR systems, extending detection range beyond 200 meters while reducing power requirements. The applications for TriLumina's technology included solid-state LiDAR for semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles, driver monitoring systems, gesture control for robotics, and 3D sensing for consumer devices. In November 2020, Lumentum Holdings Inc. acquired TriLumina's technology assets, including its patents and intellectual property, marking the end of TriLumina's operations as an independent entity.

Keywords: TriLumina, VCSEL, LiDAR illumination, 3D sensing, semiconductor lasers, automotive ADAS, autonomous vehicles, back-emitting VCSEL, flip-chip VCSEL, solid-state LiDAR, driver monitoring systems, time-of-flight, infrared emitters, gesture control, industrial robotics, consumer electronics, David J Abell, Lumentum acquisition, DENSO investment, automotive technology