E M Optomechanical, Inc.
is a five-year old company, which was initially formed to provide design and
fabrication services related to optical systems. The company is now involved
in a unique opportunity to commercialize technology licensed from Sandia National
Laboratories.
The patented technology, called long-working distance interference microscopy,
is the basis for an optical profiler metrology instrument product line. The
first generation optical profiler is intended for use primarily by microsystems
researchers for measuring and characterizing the micro- and nano-scale motions
of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices and other microsystems. Several
sales have been made to universities and national laboratories as well as commercial
companies. Recently, the company made its first sale of a new low-cost version
of its optical profiler specifically intended to be used to train students to
perform microsystems operation and testing.
The move to Gilbert that began in May is now complete and already has shown
some early successes with a new customer in Tucson, several pending sales, and
a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contract award from the
National Institute of Standards and Technology. "The NIST contract is very
important to our future product designs and will result in strengthening our
intellectual property base," said Tom Swann, E M Optomechanical's founder
and president.
"Business was way down late in 2008 and early in 2009 and it seemed like
a good time to make a change," said Swann. "Arizona is one of the
top areas in the country for optics based businesses with the University of
Arizona Optical Sciences Center and the optics and nanotechnology clusters which
have resulted in a venture capital and angel investor community that understands
and appreciates our kind of business."