Latest news with #lasers
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
xLight Raises $40 Million Series B to Revolutionize Semiconductor Manufacturing
Funding enables prototype development of next generation light source for advanced semiconductor manufacturing PALO ALTO, Calif., July 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--xLight, the American company building the world's most powerful lasers, today announced it has closed an oversubscribed $40M Series B equity raise. The round was led by Playground Global, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs who have developed breakthroughs in frontier technologies, and joined by Boardman Bay Capital Management, a leading investment manager specializing in high-growth opportunities across transformative technology subsectors. Morpheus Ventures and others also joined the round. This funding further enables xLight to develop the world's most powerful extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) free electron lasers (FEL), which will revolutionize advanced semiconductor manufacturing and unlock other critical economic and national security applications. "xLight is on a mission to build a transformational new light source for semiconductor manufacturing that addresses the key challenges facing the industry today – cost, capabilities, and capacity. This round will equip the company with the capital needed to complete detailed design and kickstart construction of our full-scale prototype," said Nicholas Kelez, CEO and CTO of xLight. "Advanced semiconductor manufacturing is approaching a key inflection point – together with our partners across the National Lab and semiconductor ecosystem, and with the support of our investors, we will commercialize free electron lasers and help reclaim American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing." "xLight represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore American leadership in one of the most critical technologies underpinning the semiconductor industry," said Pat Gelsinger, Executive Chairman of the Board, xLight and General Partner, Playground Global. "By delivering an energy‑efficient EUV laser with tenfold improvements over existing technologies, xLight has the potential to drive the next era of Moore's Law – keeping chip scaling alive, accelerating fab productivity, and anchoring this foundational capability in the U.S. supply chain." "xLight's breakthrough technology delivers a real edge for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing," said Peter Barrett, General Partner and co-founder at Playground Global. "With AI driving unprecedented demand for more powerful and complex chips, the industry needs a step change in productivity. By applying proven accelerator physics in a novel way, xLight's EUV FEL platform has the potential to enable not just more efficient production, but entirely new kinds of devices. It's a bold leap forward, and one that will help reignite Moore's Law." "We believe the semiconductor manufacturing industry is on the precipice of the next major dislocation and xLight is perfectly positioned to capitalize on that shift," said Will Graves, Chief Investment Officer, Boardman Bay Capital Management. "The company's platform has the potential to reshape how fabs think about light, manufacturing capabilities, and scalability. We're proud to partner with a team pushing the boundaries of what's possible in advanced laser light sources." "xLight represents exactly the kind of transformative technology we seek at Morpheus Ventures—a company that's not just disrupting its market, but fundamentally redefining what's possible," said Howard Ko, Partner, Morpheus Ventures. "The company's deeply experienced team, coupled with the incredible technology they've developed under Nicholas' leadership, uniquely position the company for hypergrowth in the years to come, and we're thrilled to be one of their partners." The company continues to execute against its business goals, as evidenced by the ongoing partnerships with the Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-based ScienceS and Education (CLASSE), the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, three globally recognized, leading research facilities. In the last two years, the company has completed key systems designs, including subsystem prototyping and first articles, and established a working relationship with technical leaders at ASML. xLight's work with CLASSE focuses primarily on research and development, with the ultimate goal of commercializing technologies developed by Cornell's BNL ERL Test Accelerator (CBETA). The joint venture with LANL, funded by New Mexico's TRGR Technology Readiness Initiative, is focused on the application of modern machine learning techniques to enable the automation of a large-scale accelerator. Large-scale accelerators like those under cooperative development at LANL are an integral component of xLight's technical roadmap. The company's collaboration with Fermilab is focused on superconducting radio frequency cavity and cryomodule development and testing – two particle accelerator technologies that the lab mastered over decades. About xLight xLight was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. The company's mission is to commercialize particle accelerator driven free electron lasers (FEL) for critical US economic and national security applications. xLight is led by a group of deeply experienced technologists and semiconductor industry veterans with a long track record of building complex technical systems. Our team has decades of experience designing, building, and deploying free electron lasers across a wide range of applications, from research and development to national security missions. Learn more at About Playground Global Playground Global is a deep tech venture capital firm with $1.2 billion under management, backing early-stage startups solving foundational challenges in next-generation compute, automation, energy transition, and engineered biology. Founded in 2015 and based in Palo Alto, Playground partners closely with technical and scientific founders to turn breakthrough ideas into lasting companies. The firm's portfolio includes PsiQuantum, MosaicML (acquired by Databricks), d-Matrix, Agility Robotics, Ideon, Ultima Genomics, Strand Therapeutics, and xLight. Learn more at About Boardman Bay Capital Management Boardman Bay is a venture capital and technology investment firm focused on backing the next generation of hard tech and semiconductor innovators. With a track record of supporting companies at the forefront of AI infrastructure, optical and photonic systems, chip design, and data movement, Boardman Bay has been an early investor in transformative platforms including Ayar Labs, Groq, xLight, and Credo (NASDAQ: CRDO). The firm operates a family of specialized venture funds that provide strategic, concentrated exposure to the core technologies reshaping global compute and connectivity. Founded in 2012, Boardman Bay combines deep domain expertise with a disciplined investment approach—across public and private portfolios—to help build enduring, category-defining businesses. Learn more at About Morpheus Ventures Founded in 2016, Morpheus Ventures is one of the largest early-stage investors in Los Angeles, and is investing in the disruption of large markets across the technology landscape from consumer to enterprise technologies including data-powered platforms, high performance compute platforms, AI, machine learning and enterprise SaaS. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles and backs great entrepreneurs worldwide. Learn more at View source version on Contacts media@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Sustainability Times
20-06-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Light from Absolute Nothingness': Scientists Achieve Historic First by Creating Photons in a Virtual Quantum Vacuum
IN A NUTSHELL 🌟 Scientists at the University of Oxford simulated light creation from nothing by disturbing the quantum vacuum with intense lasers. at the University of Oxford simulated light creation from nothing by disturbing the with intense lasers. 💡 The study demonstrates how virtual particles in empty space can interact with laser energy to form new light waves . . 🔬 Advanced simulations using the OSIRIS program revealed the potential to explore high-energy physics beyond the Standard Model. beyond the Standard Model. 🌌 This research challenges traditional notions of emptiness and could lead to breakthroughs in light manipulation and advanced laser technology. In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists at the University of Oxford have simulated the creation of light from nothing, challenging our understanding of the universe. Utilizing powerful computer simulations, they have demonstrated how intense laser beams can disturb the quantum vacuum, leading to the emergence of light without any physical matter. This fascinating discovery taps into the strange predictions of quantum physics, suggesting that empty space is far from empty. Instead, it's a realm filled with invisible energy fluctuations and virtual particles. This research has significant implications for high-energy physics and advanced laser systems, potentially altering our fundamental understanding of reality. Making Light from Nothing To grasp this remarkable achievement, one must first reconsider the concept of a vacuum. In classical physics, a vacuum is an empty space devoid of air, particles, or light. However, quantum physics paints a different picture. It suggests that even the emptiest space is teeming with fleeting virtual particles, particularly pairs of electrons and positrons that appear and vanish in mere moments. According to the study authors, 'the quantum vacuum is filled with energy fluctuations from which virtual electron-positron pairs arise.' These virtual particles usually remain unseen but can interact with real energy under specific conditions. The researchers aimed to simulate this interaction using a high-powered program called OSIRIS, which functions as a virtual laboratory where quantum physics rules are meticulously played out. Their objective was to recreate a theoretical phenomenon known as vacuum four-wave mixing. In this process, multiple laser beams crisscrossing in a vacuum can polarize the virtual particles, allowing the beams to mix and generate new light waves. Remarkably, this occurs without adding any material, as if new light is born from a field of invisible, flickering particles. 'Thousands of Eggs Discovered Alive': Underwater Volcano Reveals Massive Alien-Like Cluster That Leaves Marine Biologists Speechless Emptiness Might Explain Many Mysterious Concepts If the current research is successfully replicated in physical experiments, it could provide insights into physics beyond the Standard Model, including the nature of dark energy, the structure of spacetime, and interactions between light and matter at extreme energies. This research might even pave the way for technologies that control light with unprecedented precision. However, the quantum effects simulated in this study are incredibly delicate and challenging to observe in a noisy laboratory environment. Moreover, the powerful lasers involved could vaporize most materials, necessitating careful planning before conducting physical experiments. Simulations like this are invaluable as they help scientists determine the precise conditions required for such experiments before investing in costly, high-risk endeavors. The researchers now plan to apply their virtual approach to explore more exotic pulse shapes and laser beam patterns, using their simulations as a roadmap for future experiments. Ultimately, this research may help us transform the void of space into something tangible, beginning with a simple beam of light. The findings of this study are published in the journal Communications Physics. 'Confirmed for the First Time': Scientists Turn Light Into a Never-Before-Seen Solid With Reality-Bending Quantum Properties The Role of Advanced Simulations Advanced simulations have become crucial tools in modern scientific research, enabling scientists to explore phenomena that are currently beyond our experimental capabilities. In this study, the OSIRIS program allowed researchers to conduct detailed 3D simulations, providing insights into the behavior of virtual particles under extreme conditions. By simulating the effects of petawatt-level lasers, the team demonstrated how laser beams could interact with the quantum vacuum, leading to the creation of new light. These simulations not only offer a glimpse into the potential future of high-energy physics but also highlight the importance of computational models in advancing our understanding of complex scientific concepts. As technology continues to evolve, simulations will likely play an increasingly vital role in scientific discovery, helping researchers push the boundaries of what is possible and explore the mysteries of the universe. 'Super-Earth Could Host Life': Stunning New Planet Found in Habitable Zone Ignites Hopes of a Second Earth Beyond Our Solar System Implications for Future Research The successful simulation of light emerging from nothing opens new avenues for future research in quantum physics and beyond. This discovery challenges traditional notions of emptiness and suggests that the quantum vacuum is a dynamic realm filled with untapped potential. As scientists continue to explore the intricacies of the quantum vacuum, they may uncover new ways to manipulate light and energy, leading to breakthroughs in high-energy physics and advanced laser technology. Moreover, this research could inspire new theories about the fundamental nature of reality, prompting scientists to reevaluate existing models and explore uncharted territories in physics. As we push the boundaries of our understanding, the possibilities for innovation and discovery are boundless. How will these new insights into the quantum vacuum shape the future of science and technology, and what other hidden wonders might we uncover in the vast expanse of space? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (29)
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Coherent Expands Factor Series Diode Pumps with Higher Power, Improved Efficiency, and New Wavelength Options
SAXONBURG, Pa., June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in photonics, today announces major enhancements to its FACTOR series of fiber-coupled diode pumps. The upgraded portfolio now offers increased output power, improved efficiency, and a wider locking range for pump modules at 976 nm. In addition, a new high-power pump module at 793 nm has been introduced to support growing demand in medical and industrial laser applications. OEM laser manufacturers can benefit significantly from the FACTOR series, which offers reliable performance through automated, in-house micro-optics assembly that ensures high consistency and reliability. Designed for effortless integration, the system simplifies handling and installation, making it easy to incorporate into existing OEM laser systems. Additionally, the FACTOR series is volume-ready, supporting scalable manufacturing to meet high-volume demands and align with planned production cycles. 'The FACTOR series is a cornerstone of our product portfolio, powering a wide range of solid-state lasers across diverse applications,' said Dr. Karlheinz Gulden, Senior Vice President, Laser Components and Subsystems at Coherent. 'These latest advancements further solidify the FACTOR series as a leading choice for OEM laser manufacturers.' The new FACTOR series is generally available. For more information, meet our team at Laser World of Photonics, Munich, 24-27 June or visit About Coherent Coherent empowers market innovators to define the future through breakthrough technologies, from materials to systems. We deliver innovations that resonate with our customers in diversified applications for the industrial, communications, electronics, and instrumentation markets. Coherent has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. For more information, please visit us at Media Contact: innovations@ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Light Squeezed Out of Darkness in Surprising Quantum Simulation
A careful alignment of three powerful lasers could generate a mysterious fourth beam of light that is throttled out of the very darkness itself. What sounds like occult forces at work has been confirmed by a simulation of the kinds of quantum effects we might expect to emerge from a vacuum when ultra-high electromagnetic fields meet. A team of researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK and the University of Lisbon in Portugal used a semi-classical equation solver to simulate quantum phenomena in real time and in three dimensions, testing predictions on what ought to occur when incredibly intense laser pulses combine in empty space. "This is not just an academic curiosity – it is a major step toward experimental confirmation of quantum effects that until now have been mostly theoretical," says Oxford physicist Peter Norreys. Laser technology has come a long way since its invention a little over half a century ago. Focussing petawatts of power in mere instants of time, they're theorized to be capable of literally shaking matter out of the very fabric of reality itself. What we think of as empty space is – on a quantum level – an ocean of possibility. Fields representing all kinds of physical interactions hum with the promise of particles we'd recognize as the foundations of light and the building blocks of matter itself. These virtual particles essentially pop into and out of existence in fractions of a second. All it takes for them to manifest longer-term is the right kind of physical persuasion that discourages them from canceling one another out; the kind of persuasion a series of strong electromagnetic fields might provide when arranged in a suitable fashion, for example. To determine whether predictions on the power of lasers could indeed generate something from nothing, Norreys and his team ran computational models based on the mathematics underpinning electromagnetic fields in a vacuum. Plugging numbers into their solver revealed that blending three suitably strong laser beams and their electromagnetic fields can generate a level of polarization that forces virtual photons to part before they blur out of existence. Known as four-wave mixing, the scattered photons would appear as a fourth beam of light. This kind of photon-photon scattering has long been predicted as possible, yet attempts to observe it in reality have so far proven ineffective. "By applying our model to a three-beam scattering experiment, we were able to capture the full range of quantum signatures, along with detailed insights into the interaction region and key time scales," says the study's lead author, physicist Zixin Zhang at Oxford. While the findings are all numerical for now, they do provide a more physically realistic description of what to expect than previous models. We may not need to wait all that long for the results to be put to the ultimate test either. The Extreme Light Infrastructure project in Romania is currently home to the world's most advanced high-power laser infrastructure, already achieving averages of around 10 petawatts in ultrashort bursts of light. Meanwhile, the EP-OPAL project at the University of Rochester in the US has two 25-petawatt beams in the works, with photon-photon scattering experiments already being planned. The Shanghai High repetition rate X-ray Free Electron Laser and Extreme light facility in China also hopes to smash records this year, aiming for 100 petawatts using its free-electron technology. Using nothing but photons to generate the necessary electromagnetic fields, it's hoped the light being scattered out of the darkness won't be hidden in a fog of other particles, finally proving once and for all that it is possible in physics to squeeze something out of nothing. This research was published in Communications Physics. Physicists Actually Made The 'World's Smallest Violin' For a Serious Reason Spiral Magnetism Seen in Synthetic Crystal For The First Time We've Been Misreading a Major Law of Physics For Nearly 300 Years
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Science
- The Independent
How physicists made ‘light from darkness' with longheld vacuum theory
Oxford University physicists have simulated how intense laser beams can alter vacuum, recreating a quantum physics phenomenon where vacuum is not empty but full of temporary particle pairs. Classical physics suggests light beams pass through each other undisturbed, but quantum mechanics posits that vacuum is filled with fleeting particles that scatter light. Simulations detailed in Communications Physics recreated a phenomenon where three focused laser pulses alter virtual particles in vacuum, generating a fourth laser beam in a 'light from darkness' process. The simulation used software called OSIRIS to model interactions between laser beams and matter, revealing that intense laser beams can agitate virtual particles and cause light particles to scatter. Physicists aim to conduct real-world laser experiments to confirm this quantum phenomenon, with the simulation potentially paving the way for studying hypothetical dark matter particles like axions and millicharged particles.
