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Optics Valley FOCUS
February 2026
| Optics Valley is a Committee of the Arizona Technology Council | | |
Greetings!
Arizona’s optics and photonics community is off to an incredible start in 2026. From our largest-ever Arizona Photonics Days to a strong Arizona Cluster presence at SPIE Photonics West, this season showcased the strength, collaboration, and growing national visibility of our ecosystem.
In this issue, we recap event highlights, celebrate member achievements, share important upcoming deadlines, and spotlight new initiatives and members driving innovation across the state. Read on to meet the new VP of the Arizona Technology Council for Southern Arizona and make sure you secure your place in the Photonics West 2027 Arizona Cluster before the end of the month!
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Looking Back at Arizona Photonics Days 2026
Arizona Photonics Days 2026 marked our biggest and most dynamic year yet! Over two and a half days, we welcomed 13 exhibitors and nearly 200 attendees for a packed program featuring more than 30 company spotlight presentations, nearly 30 technical talks, and insights from seven valued community partners. Two evening receptions and multiple tours rounded out an event filled with energy, knowledge sharing, and meaningful connection.
We are deeply grateful to our generous sponsors whose continued support makes this event possible each year.
Be sure to save the date for next year’s Arizona Photonics Days, January 27-29, 2027. We look forward to building on this momentum and making it even better!
| | Photos courtesy of Julissa Alvarez, Wyant College of Optical Sciences | | Highlights From Photonics West 2026 | |
For Photonics West 2026, we had 13 Optics Valley companies exhibiting together in the Arizona Cluster, showcasing the depth and strength of our state’s optics community. Adding to the excitement, Optics Valley member 4D Technology, an Onto Innovation subsidiary, earned a prestigious PRISM Award in the Test and Measurement category, an outstanding achievement recognized as one of the industry's highest honors. (Read more here).
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One of the standout moments surrounding this year’s activities was the highly successful Photonics Supply Chain Networking Night. Hosted by the Government of Quebec and its optics cluster, Optonique, in partnership with Optics Valley and the Arizona Commerce Authority, the evening brought together customers, suppliers, and partners from across North America and featured a rapid-fire panel with insights on supply chain challenges. The event underscored the growing importance of cross-regional collaboration and strengthened valuable connections between the Arizona and Quebec photonics ecosystems.
We are grateful to the Arizona Commerce Authority for sponsoring this year’s booth. Also thank you to City of Tucson and The Chamber of Southern Arizona for supporting Optics Valley at the conference.
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Photonics West 2027 Arizona Cluster
It’s already time to start planning for SPIE Photonics West 2027! Reservations for booth space within the Arizona Cluster pavilion are due Feb 27.
Participation in the Arizona Cluster is an exclusive benefit for Optics Valley / Arizona Technology Council members and includes discounted booth rates, referral leads, international networking opportunities, and enhanced visibility as part of Arizona’s unified pavilion.
| | Meet the New AZTC Leadership for Southern Arizona | Please join us in welcoming Paloma Santiago as the new VP of the Arizona Technology Council for Southern Arizona. She succeeds Karla Morales, who has become The Chamber of Southern Arizona’s Chief Partnerships Officer. Congratulations Paloma and we look forward to your work with Optics Valley! | | Spark Photonics Foundation Expands Semiconductor Learning and Educator Development in Arizona | | |
The Spark Photonics Foundation has received a grant from Intel Corporation to expand its career-connected learning and educator professional development programs, bringing enhanced semiconductor and photonics education to students and teachers across four states including Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon.
This initiative aims to strengthen the semiconductor talent pipeline by equipping educators with new tools and expanding access to engaging, project-based learning experiences.
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Photonics Frontiers Award 2026: Nominations Now Open
Open to integrators, OEMs, academics, and end users, this annual competition run by Electro Optics recognizes projects that harness photonics to tackle real-world challenges. Have a project you think might qualify? Check out the website in the link below and submit your entry. Your company might just be a winner!
| | Welcome New Optics Valley Members! | | | | KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc. is the only U.S.-based GaN laser company that is fully vertically integrated - from wafer growth to finished devices. Their laser diode portfolio spans high-power violet, blue and green solutions (405 to 520 nm) from multimode to frequency-narrowed single-mode lasers. Kyocera is the world's leading producer of laser-phosphor white light sources and offers disruptive capabilities in free space optical communication and LiFi. | | | | Abrisa Technologies, a HEF Photonics company, is a global leader in specialty glass fabrication and precision thin-film coatings. By integrating Abrisa Industrial Glass and ZC&R Coatings for Optics, they provide vertically integrated, ready-to-install solutions from the UV through the Far IR. They streamline the supply chain for Arizona’s aerospace, defense, and medical innovators, delivering high-performance components that bridge the gap between complex custom design and scalable, high-volume production. | | |
Other Items of Interest:
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Preparing your Company for Federal, State & Local Opportunities
ZOOM Webinar
February 25, 1:00PM MST
This webinar is designed for businesses that want to understand what it truly means to be government industrial base (GIB) ready. Info and register here.
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Annual Directed Energy
Science and Technology Symposium
DIRECTED ENERGY PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY
El Conquistador Hotel, Tucson, AZ
Mar 30 - Apr 2
The Symposium will bring together a wide range of specialists including: researchers, managers, policy makers, and executives from government institutions (DoW, DoE and other national laboratories, program offices, the intelligence community, etc.), industry, academia, and other scientific and engineering institutions.
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AZ Tech Week
Various Locations in Arizona
April 6 - 12
As Arizona's first statewide decentralized tech conference, Arizona Tech Week will feature exciting experiences hosted by community leaders across the state. Attend events or host your own to catalyze new ideas, connect with peers and get inspired—all while enjoying different regions throughout Arizona.
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Society for Information Display (SID)
Display Week
Los Angeles, CA
Education: May 3-5, Exhibits: May 5-7
Explore what’s next in AI-driven imaging, XR, automotive, emissive materials, and much more.
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New Conferences Announced for Defense+Security (DS) 2026
Researchers and practitioners in directed energy technologies — high-energy lasers or high-power microwaves — are encouraged to review the open call for papers for SPIE’s inaugural Directed Energy Technology Conference at Defense + Security 2026. Post-deadline abstract submissions are currently being accepted.
Calling all researchers working on photonic computing innovations: SPIE Defense + Security is seeking papers for a brand-new conference on PICs-based accelerators, neuromorphic architectures, and photonic-electronic integration. Post-deadline abstract submissions are currently being accepted.
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Our mission is to catalyze, convene and connect optics, photonics, astronomy and the supporting business interests throughout Arizona. Let us know how we can help your company grow.
Thank you,
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Optics Valley FOCUS Newsletter Sign Up
If you know others who might be interested in Optics Valley news and events, please feel free to share. If you received your FOCUS newsletter secondhand, please use the link above to sign up.
FOCUS is a summary of business news and events for the optics, photonics and astronomy sectors in Arizona. Please send your submissions for recommended inclusion to focus@opticsvalleyaz.org.
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