IPG speeds up UV laser programme with Mobius purchase

IPG Photonics has acquired Mobius Photonics in a bid to broaden its market opportunities in fine processing. Mobius, which provides high-power pulsed UV fibre lasers for micromachining, such as dicing and scribing of wafers, and VIA drilling and solar hybrid panel processing, reported a profit of approximately $1.4 million for 2012.

"The market has been waiting for a cost-effective, reliable and stable UV fibre laser. Now that we can combine Mobius' UV laser expertise experience with IPG's low-cost, proprietary fibre, pump diode and component technologies, we believe that we can effectively build a presence in the fine processing market," said IPG CEO Valentin Gapontsev.

In the acquisition, IPG acquired an exclusive licence of U.S. Patent No. 5,745,284, an early and broad patent claiming pulsed fibre lasers with frequency conversion into UV light, as well as other Mobius patents, licences and trade secrets. Mobius employees will be absorbed by the IPG Silicon Valley Technology Centre.