Acquisition to be merged with Halma photonics company Labsphere
North Sutton, New Hampshire (January 27, 2010) – Halma p.l.c., a leading safety, health and sensor technology group based in the United Kingdom, has acquired SphereOptics, a maker of custom light measurement technologies.  SphereOptics will join Halma’s global group of photonics businesses as it is merged with light metrology industry leader, Labsphere.

SphereOptics (www.sphereoptics.com), based in New Hampshire, USA, manufactures and distributes precision products for use in light metrology applications.  The company’s standard and custom radiometric and photometric products address the specific needs of the aerospace, automotive, electronic imaging, laser diode, LED, lighting, medical imaging and optics industries.

Also based in New Hampshire, Labsphere (www.labsphere.com) has a strong worldwide presence in light testing and measurement and optical coatings.  The company’s products include LED, laser and traditional light source light measurement systems; uniform light sources for imaging device calibration; spectroscopy accessories; and high diffuse reflectance materials and coatings for applications in backlit panel displays, computed radiography, and system calibration. 

“The reunion of two industry leaders, Labsphere and SphereOptics, will provide our customers with innovative, high quality products, world class technical expertise and unequalled customer service,” commented Labsphere President Kevin Chittim.

Halma (www.halma.com) is a holding company of almost 50 worldwide subsidiaries that develop and manufacture products to improve quality of life for people worldwide. The company’s business groups focus on industrial safety, health and analysis and infrastructure sensors.  SphereOptics joins Labsphere, Ocean Optics (www.oceanoptics.com), Ocean Thin Films (www.oceanthinfilms.com), Fiberguide (www.fiberguide.com), and Mikropack GmbH (www.mikropack.de) in the photonics sector of the health and analysis business group.

Halma’s photonics companies are established brands with market-leading technologies and products which generate light, condition light and analyze the interaction of light on substances. Their products range from spectrometers to complementary technologies such as chemical sensors, analytical instrumentation, optical fibers, thin films and optics. The scope of applications is vast, from cancer detection to specialized architectural and theater lighting filters.  The acquisition of SphereOptics and its complementary technologies will create opportunities for technical and marketing collaborations as Halma continues to grow this sector.

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See QD Vision and Nexxus Lighting’s LED Application being tested at Labsphere Booth #1437
North Sutton, New Hampshire  (January 15, 2010) –  During Photonics West 2010, Labsphere, Inc., a worldwide leader in LED testing and measurement, will display its many LED Test and Measurement Systems, including the 40 –inch HalfMoon LED Measurement System (HMS-4011).  Live demos using the HMS-4011 to measure QD Vision’s Quantum Light™ Optics paired with the Nexxus Array™ Par30 LED lamp will run throughout the show at booth 1437.  QD Vision CTO Seth Coe-Sullivan will also give an invited technical talk about quantum dots and QD Vision’s product offerings in session 7618 (Emissive Displays) on Monday, January 25 at 1:30 p.m. PST.

QD Vision produces Quantum Light™ optical products, utilizing nanocrystal quantum dots to produce light at specific wavelengths for use in solid-state lighting and display applications. This unique product platform enables specific and tunable color performance with more brightness and significantly less power.

“QD Vision chose the HMS-4011 for its test lab because the HalfMoon facilitates quick and easy device changes for testing, while maintaining superb measurement accuracy,” said Seth Coe-Sullivan, QD Vision’s CTO and co-founder.

The orientation of the device can also be changed easily, making it possible to examine the effect of installation on the spectral flux due to the different thermal effects. The HalfMoon’s smaller footprint saves space in the lab compared to a conventional sphere, without compromising the ability to test a wide range of device sizes.

QD Vision used the HMS-4011 in developing a pairing of the Nexxus Array Par30 LED lamps with its Quantum Light Optics. The combination of the HalfMoon with Labsphere’s CDS-1100 spectrometer delivers high accuracy, stability, and resolution for analyzing its narrow-band devices. Labsphere’s proprietary LightMtrX-SPEC software ties these components together to provide instant feedback for color rendering, spectral content, and spectral flux.  All spectral data can be exported for future analysis.

About QD Vision, Inc.
QD Vision (http://www.qdvision.com) is a quantum-dot product company that delivers highly differentiated lighting solutions to major industries where color, power and design matter. QD Vision’s Quantum Light™ platform enables stepchange advances over other display and lighting solutions such as liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and even organic LEDs (OLEDs). QD Vision is actively designing in products with industry-leading companies in target markets including cleantech applications, such as solid state lighting; consumer electronics, flat panel displays, electronic signage, and defense. Leveraging a first-tier patent position in nanotechnology originating at MIT, QD Vision is a privately held company based in Watertown, Mass.  “Quantum Light™” is a trademark of QD Vision, Inc.

About Nexxus Lighting, Inc.
Nexxus Lighting (www.nexxuslighting.com) is a leader in advanced lighting technology, including solid-state LED and fiber optic lighting systems and controls used in commercial, architectural, signage, swimming pool, entertainment and retail lighting. Nexxus Lighting sells its products through its Commercial Lighting, Lumificient and Nexxus Lighting Pool and Spa units under the Array™ Lighting, Savi(r), eLum™, LiveLED™, Super Vision(r) and Lumificient™ brand names.

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High accuracy measurements for both solid and liquid samples
North Sutton, New Hampshire  (January 8, 2010) –  Luminescent materials are extremely important components in many applications including solid state lighting and medical imaging and diagnostic systems.  To measure the quantum efficiency of these critical materials, Labsphere, in partnership with Photal Otsuka Electronics has developed the QE-1000.  By employing the companies’ patented HalfMoon integrating hemisphere, the QE-1000 measures both liquid and solid samples with very high accuracy and reproducibility.  The system allows excitation across a broad spectrum of 250-700nm and detection from 240-800nm.  The QE-1000 will debut during Photonics West 2010 at Labsphere’s booth, 1437.

According to Takashi Maruyama, president of Otsuka Electronics, “The key to the QE-1000 is the HalfMoon sample chamber, this allows both solid and liquid samples to be mounted in the chamber with reduced errors due to the absorption of the sample holder.  We are very pleased that Labsphere manufactures the hemisphere with Spectralon® which has the highest possible diffuse reflectance, further reducing errors.”

According to Peter Weitzman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Labsphere, “Collaborating with Photal as the sales agent and technology partner for the QE-1000 in the US and European markets allows Labsphere to bring customers a new level of convenience in sample handling, as well as very high accuracy and reproducibility.”

About Labsphere
Labsphere (www.labsphere.com), a Halma company, is a world leader in light testing and measurement, and optical coatings.  The company’s products include LED, laser and traditional light source light measurement systems; uniform light sources for imaging device calibration; spectroscopy accessories; and high diffuse reflectance materials and coatings for applications in backlit panel displays, computed radiography, and system calibration.

About Otsuka Electronics
Photal Otsuka Electronics (www.photal.co.jp/global) is a measurement equipment manufacturer providing new applications and products by pursuing leading edge optical/spectral technologies. Otsuka Electronics provides standard measurement equipment to the display R&D and production fields.  With its expertise in optical measurement technologies, the company plays a behind-the-scenes supportive role in developing high quality displays and constituent materials. As a subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Otsuka Electronics also provides scientific measurement equipment to support advances in leading edge science and technology and unique medical equipment that contribute to people’s health. Otsuka Electronics has its headquarters in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan with subsidiary companies in Korea, Taiwan and China.

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