News: Optoelectronics

Kyocera Corp of Kyoto, Japan (which manufactures fine ceramic components) has entered into a share purchase agreement for the laser diode business of Tokyo-based Ushio Inc.

Ushio will establish a new company and transfer its laser diode business to it through an absorption-type company split. Kyocera will then acquire all shares of the new company. The share acquisition is scheduled for 1 April 2027.

KYOCERA SLD Laser Inc (KSLD) of Goleta, near Santa Barbara, CA, USA is a subsidiary of Kyocera that operates a laser diode business specializing in gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Currently, KSLD is developing RGB laser diodes for automotive road projection, as well as augmented reality glasses and related devices for the metaverse.

KSLD has expertise in blue and green laser diodes using gallium nitride substrates. However, it lacks sufficient in-house capabilities to develop red laser diodes based on gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates. To address this technology gap, Kyocera has explored various opportunities, including collaborations with external companies and strategic partnerships.

Ushio’s laser diode business, which supplies competitive GaAs-based red laser products and technologies, will join the Kyocera Group and reinforce the technology foundation of Kyocera’s RGB laser diodes. The integration of Ushio’s laser business is expected to accelerate Kyocera’s product development across a range of fields, including automotive applications and the metaverse, and to advance next-generation imaging and display technologies.

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KSLDUshio

www.ushio.co.jp

www.kyocera-sldlaser.com