What Wasatch Photonics does

Wasatch Photonics designs and manufactures volume phase holographic (VPH) transmission gratings and high-sensitivity compact spectrometers for OEM integration and scientific research. Its proprietary portfolio spans three grating platforms — standard/enhanced VPH gratings, Dickson gratings, and patented HD (high-dispersion) gratings — manufactured in dichromated gelatin (DCG) as originals rather than replicas, covering wavelengths from 300 nm to 2500 nm and apertures up to ~30 cm for astronomy. On the spectrometer side, the company markets the Cobra OCT spectrometer family (Cobra-S, Cobra-D, Cobra OEM, Cobra VIS, and wavelength-specific 800/1050/1300/1600 nm variants) and the X/XS Series Raman spectrometers, supported by ENLIGHTEN control software and fiber-optic Raman probes and lasers sourced through a partnership with Innovative Photonic Solutions.

The company operates a hybrid OEM-and-direct business model. Standard gratings are listed on its e-commerce site at unit prices of $495–$2,150, while custom OEM gratings and Cobra spectrometers are quote-based, with multi-year OEM supply agreements and volume production from 1 to 1,000+ pieces. Customers span medical-device OEMs (ophthalmic surgery OCT), space agencies and observatories (ExoMars Raman, LaMost/Nanjing), defense, pharmaceutical QC, industrial NDT, and academic research; European demand is served through a sales office in Malahide, Ireland and a distributor network. Wasatch Photonics was founded in 2002 in Logan, Utah, maintains manufacturing in Logan and Morrisville, NC (ISO 9001:2015 certified), and was acquired by Danish family-owned FOSS Group for approximately $39 million in November 2025, continuing to operate as a separate entity within FOSS Photonics.

Name

Wasatch Photonics

Legal name

Wasatch Photonics

Website

https://wasatchphotonics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wasatch Photonics designs and manufactures patented volume phase holographic gratings and Cobra OCT/Raman spectrometers for medical OEMs, space agencies, defense, and academic research customers, operating from Logan, UT and Morrisville, NC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Optical Spectroscopy Components and Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retinal Imaging & OCT Systems (OCT/OCTA, Fundus Cameras, Fluorescein/ICG Angiography) (HLAHAJAB), Photodiodes & Discrete Photodetectors (HDAHAHAL), Photoresists & Lithography Materials (Resists, Developers, Strippers) (IMAEAKAB)

Keywords

• VPH transmission gratings
• Raman spectrometers
• OCT spectrometers
• Holographic optical elements
• Diffractive optics

Headquarters

HQ city

Logan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. VPH Transmission Gratings: High-performance volume phase holographic gratings sold as finished optical components for integration into customer systems. Products include standard, Dickson, and HD gratings in various sizes and wavelength configurations. Revenue from one-time hardware sales with volume discounts available.
2. OCT Spectrometers: Complete spectrometer systems for optical coherence tomography applications including Cobra series (Cobra-S, Cobra-D, Cobra OEM, Cobra VIS, Cobra 800, 1050, 1300, 1600). Sold as turnkey systems for research, industrial, and medical imaging OEM integration.
3. Raman Spectrometers and Systems: Raman spectroscopy instruments including X series, XS series, and associated components (lasers, probes, software). Complete Raman solutions for research and industrial applications.
4. OEM Custom Solutions: Custom and OEM grating manufacturing for volume production (1 to 1000+ pieces) and bespoke research applications. Includes custom spectrometer configurations for OEM integration.
5. Professional Services and Integration Support: Technical support, application engineering, and integration assistance for OEM customers developing products with Wasatch components.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wasatch Photonics designs and manufactures Volume Phase Holographic (VPH) transmission gratings and compact high-sensitivity spectrometers. Their product portfolio includes standard, Dickson, and patented HD gratings; Cobra SD-OCT spectrometers; X/XS Series Raman spectrometers; ENLIGHTEN spectroscopy software; and supporting components such as fiber optic Raman lasers and probes. Products serve OEM integration and research end-use across spectroscopy, OCT, astronomy, laser pulse compression, and hyperspectral imaging.

Product overview

Wasatch Photonics designs, manufactures, and markets high-sensitivity compact spectrometers and VPH transmission gratings for applications including Raman spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), astronomy, and laser pulse compression. The product portfolio centers on Cobra OCT spectrometers (available in multiple variants including Cobra-S, Cobra OEM, Cobra-D, Cobra VIS, and wavelength-specific models from 550nm to 1600nm) and X/XS Series Raman spectrometers, complemented by ENLIGHTEN spectroscopy software, fiber optic Raman lasers (via IPS partnership), and user-configurable Raman probes. Core grating technology includes three proprietary platforms: standard/enhanced VPH gratings, Dickson gratings, and patented HD (high-dispersion) gratings, serving wavelengths from 300nm to 2500nm. The company was acquired by FOSS Group in November 2025 and operates as a separate business entity under FOSS Photonics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cobra OCT Spectrometers: High-performance spectral-domain OCT spectrometers including Cobra-S, Cobra OEM, Cobra-D, Cobra VIS, and Cobra 1300/1050/1600 models.
• Raman X Series
• VPH Transmission Gratings
• Dickson Gratings

Products and services

• Cobra OCT Spectrometers High-performance spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) spectrometers for high-speed, high-sensitivity imaging. Available in multiple variants optimized for different wavelength ranges (550-1600 nm) and imaging depths, used by OEMs and research customers in medical imaging, industrial inspection, and non-destructive testing.
• X Series Raman Spectrometers Compact, high-performance Raman spectrometers featuring high-efficiency VPH gratings and a high-throughput optical bench. Includes X series (standard), XM (mid-range), and XS (compact field-deployable) variants for portable and benchtop Raman spectroscopy.
• VPH Transmission Gratings Volume Phase Holographic transmission gratings including standard/enhanced gratings and Dickson gratings, available in various spatial frequencies (250-1800 l/mm), wavelength ranges (300-2500 nm), and sizes for spectroscopy, OCT, astronomy, and hyperspectral imaging.
• HD (High Dispersion) Gratings Patented high-dispersion VPH gratings providing high efficiency for both s- and p-polarized light over very broad bandwidths (200+ nm), enabling high efficiency at spectral extremes for Raman spectroscopy and SD-OCT applications.
• Laser Pulse Compression Gratings Proprietary single-polarization gratings for laser pulse stretchers and compressors with greater than 90% first-order diffraction efficiency for s-polarization over the full spectral band, for 800-1700 l/mm ultrafast laser applications.
• ENLIGHTEN Spectroscopy Software Comprehensive spectroscopy software platform for instrument control, data acquisition, and spectral analysis, with plugin capabilities for Raman library matching and integration with various Raman laser sources.
• Fiber Optic Raman Lasers Wavelength-stabilized Raman lasers offered in partnership with Innovative Photonic Solutions (IPS), available at 532, 633, 785, 830, and 1064 nm wavelengths, in OEM module and UL/CE certified configurations.
• User-Configurable Fiber Optic Raman Probes Fiber optic Raman probes designed for flexible integration into Raman spectroscopy systems, enabling customizable probe configurations for various sampling requirements.
• OCT Software Development Kits (SDKs) Rapid-access software development kits enabling high-speed readout (up to 250 kHz) of Cobra OCT spectrometers, available for C++, C#, LabView, and MatLab development environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cobra-S OCT spectrometer achieves >40% better roll-off performance than other commercial OCT spectrometers
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Innovative Photonic Solutions (IPS)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with IPS to offer wavelength-stabilized Raman lasers designed to provide highest possible performance with Wasatch spectrometers. IPS offers benchtop laser models with up to 500 mW of power, fully adjustable from front panel. Available wavelengths include 532, 633, 785, 830, and 1064 nm. IPS provides OEM wavelength stabilized diode laser modules as well as UL/CE and IEC certified laser modules.
• Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial (INTA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish public research organization specializing in aerospace research and technology development. INTA is developing Raman spectrometer instrument for ESA ExoMars mission (2022 launch) using Wasatch Photonics VPH gratings. Mission objectives include detecting possible evidence of past or present life on Mars and gathering insights into history of water on the planet. Dr. Fernando Rull serves as Principal Investigator.
• FRACTAL S.L.N.E.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean astronomy company that facilitated Wasatch Photonics' involvement with the ExoMars mission through Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial. Partnership connecting Wasatch's grating technology with European space exploration programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MKS Instruments (Newport): Diversified photonics and equipment company whose Newport division manufactures gratings, optics, and spectrometers used in laser pulse compression and spectroscopy — overlapping with Wasatch's grating and laser OEM business.
• Thorlabs: Broad optics and photonics catalog supplier with growing OEM spectrometer and OCT offerings; competes with Wasatch in OEM optical components and modular spectroscopy platforms.
• Renishaw: Global leader in Raman spectroscopy systems for research and industrial QC; competes directly with Wasatch's Raman X/XS series and serves overlapping pharmaceutical, materials, and research customers.
• Optigrate (now part of II-VI / Coherent): Manufacturer of volume phase holographic (VPH) gratings acquired by Coherent (formerly II-VI); directly comparable to Wasatch's core VPH grating technology for spectroscopy, OCT, and laser pulse compression.
• HORIBA Scientific: Large analytical instrumentation company offering Raman spectrometers, diffraction gratings, and OEM optical components across research and industrial markets; overlaps with Wasatch's spectrometer and grating product lines but at much broader scale.
• Teledyne Princeton Instruments: Long-established manufacturer of scientific cameras, spectrometers, and spectroscopy detectors; a broad incumbent serving similar research, astronomy, and OEM spectroscopy customers as Wasatch.

Direct peers

• Ibsen Photonics: Denmark-based manufacturer of transmission gratings and spectrometer modules; directly competes with Wasatch in VPH grating technology and OEM spectrometer modules for spectroscopy and OCT applications.
• Ocean Insight (Ocean Optics): Modular spectroscopy company offering compact spectrometers, light sources, and fiber optic accessories for OEM and research applications; directly comparable to Wasatch's compact Raman and OEM spectrometer offerings.
• B&W Tek (Metrohm): Raman spectroscopy specialist (now part of Metrohm) offering portable and handheld Raman spectrometers for pharma, security, and research — direct overlap with Wasatch's Raman X/XS portable product family.

Emerging players

• Wasatch Photonics peer: BaySpec: Manufacturer of compact Raman spectrometers, spectral engines, and OEM optical modules; comparable niche positioning to Wasatch in field-deployable and OEM-integrated Raman spectroscopy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wasatchphotonic

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wasatch Photonics