What OPOTEK does

OPOTEK LLC is a privately held US manufacturer of tunable and fixed-wavelength laser systems founded in 1993 and headquartered in Carlsbad, California. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO)-based tunable lasers covering the ultraviolet through mid-infrared spectrum (190-3,450 nm), together with Nd:YAG fixed-wavelength lasers, and is the first US firm to commercialize OPO-based tunable laser technology. Core product families include the Opolucis, Radiant, Phocus, MagicPRISM, Vibrant, and OPOLETTE tunable laser series, plus the Lux and Lucis Nd:YAG fixed-wavelength lines, with patented ring-cavity OPO technology enabling compact form factors, high pulse energies (over 125 mJ), fast per-pulse wavelength tuning, and mobile/transportable platforms for clinical deployment.

OPOTEK's underlying technology platform centers on a patented ring-cavity OPO architecture that increases damage threshold and efficiency, integrated with Quantel Q-smart Nd:YAG pump laser modules to deliver turnkey, computer-controlled systems with hands-free motorized harmonics and customizable safety-interlocked fiber bundle delivery. The company sells through direct sales in North America and a global distributor network, supported by a European Service Center operated by Laser Peak GmbH, with revenue derived from system hardware sales, OEM/custom integration partnerships, replacement parts (sold via serial-number-verified online shop), and installation/training services. Pricing is quote-based rather than published.

Customers include leading research universities (Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital, Johns Hopkins, Ghent University, LSU, Tulane, UT Dallas, Florida Gulf Coast), government and national laboratories (Southwest Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada), and medical device researchers developing applications in photoacoustic imaging, mass spectrometry, spectroscopy, CAR-T cell therapy, planetary geochronology, and environmental monitoring. OPOTEK has served thousands of customers worldwide across more than three decades and maintains active participation in major photonics industry conferences for customer acquisition.

Name

OPOTEK

Legal name

OPOTEK LLC

Website

https://opotek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OPOTEK manufactures OPO-based tunable and Nd:YAG fixed-wavelength laser systems for research institutions, medical device developers, and government laboratories worldwide, with patented ring-cavity technology covering UV through mid-IR wavelengths.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Laser Systems

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Energy-Based Surgical Devices (Electrosurgery, RF, Ultrasonic, Laser) (HLAHADAC), Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Tunable laser systems
• OPO laser technology
• Photoacoustic imaging lasers
• Nd:YAG laser systems
• Mass spectrometry lasers

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tunable Laser Systems: Sale of tunable wavelength laser systems including Opolucis, Radiant, and Phocus series. Systems range from standalone OPO modules to fully automated, turnkey systems covering UV to IR wavelengths. Continuous tunable ranges span UV to MIR.
2. Fixed Wavelength Lasers: Sale of fixed wavelength Nd:YAG laser systems including Lux, Lucis C, and Lucis AIR series.
3. Replacement Parts and Components: Replacement parts and components available for existing systems. US customers can order via serial number lookup; international customers contact local distributors.
4. Custom System Design: Custom-designed systems to meet specific customer requirements and OEM partnerships for specialized applications.
5. Installation and Training Services: On-site installation and training services included as part of customer service commitment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

OPOTEK designs, manufactures, and sells tunable and fixed-wavelength laser systems based on patented Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) and Nd:YAG pump laser technologies. Products include compact OPO modules, benchtop tunable lasers, mobile clinical laser systems, and OEM-integrated laser subassemblies covering UV through mid-IR wavelengths for scientific research, medical imaging, and industrial analysis. The company also offers custom system design, OEM partnerships, and on-site installation and training services.

Product overview

OPOTEK is a manufacturer of tunable laser systems based on patented Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) technology. The product portfolio includes tunable wavelength lasers (Opolucis C Series, Opolucis AIR Series, Opolucis 2940, Radiant Series, Vibrant 355 II, OPOLETTE Series, MagicPRISM NIR) and fixed wavelength lasers (Lux, Lucis C, Lucis AIR Nd:YAG lasers). The tunable laser products use proprietary OPO technology for wavelengths from UV to mid-IR (190-3450 nm), while fixed wavelength products provide Nd:YAG outputs at 532nm and 1064nm. Special-purpose products like Phocus Core, PhocusESSENTIAL, Phocus Mobile, and Phocus HE Benchtop are tailored for photoacoustic imaging applications featuring mobility, fast-tuning, and high pulse energies. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Opolucis C Series Compact tunable laser system based on patented ring-cavity OPO technology for photoacoustic imaging applications, delivering high pulse energies and NIR wavelengths for deep tissue penetration. Targeted at research laboratories and clinical imaging developers.
• Opolucis AIR Series Tunable wavelength laser system with AIR (Advanced Integrated Research) designation, featuring mobility and fast-tuning capabilities for photoacoustic imaging applications. Targeted at clinical and pre-clinical research teams.
• Opolucis 2940 Laser Series Mid-infrared tunable laser system operating at 2.94 micrometers, designed for mass spectrometry applications and other scientific uses requiring mid-IR wavelength output. Targeted at mass spectrometry and analytical chemistry researchers.
• Lux Nd:YAG Laser Fixed wavelength Nd:YAG laser system providing high-powered laser output for various research and industrial applications. Targeted at laboratories requiring reliable fixed-wavelength Nd:YAG sources.
• Lucis C Nd:YAG Laser Fixed wavelength Nd:YAG laser system designed for applications requiring reliable 532nm and 1064nm output. Targeted at research and industrial laboratories.
• Lucis AIR Nd:YAG Laser Portable fixed wavelength Nd:YAG laser system with AIR designation for enhanced mobility in research environments. Targeted at research teams requiring transportable Nd:YAG sources.
• Phocus Core High-energy tunable photoacoustic imaging source using patented ring-cavity OPO technology with over 125 mJ pulse energies, hands-free wavelength tuning, and PC control. Targeted at photoacoustic imaging researchers and medical imaging developers.
• PhocusESSENTIAL Ultra-compact, transportable photoacoustic imaging laser system featuring high damage thresholds, minimal maintenance, turn-key operation, and customizable safety-interlocked fiber bundle delivery. Targeted at clinical and pre-clinical photoacoustic imaging programs.
• Phocus Mobile Mobile tunable laser system built for mobility without sacrificing high energies, designed for transporting photoacoustic imaging setups between labs and operating rooms in clinical settings. Targeted at clinical research teams such as the Johns Hopkins PULSE Lab.
• Phocus HE Benchtop High-energy benchtop laser system for generating high contrast photoacoustic images, featuring nanosecond pulsed laser technology for studying tissue oxygenation and hemodynamics. Targeted at university and medical research laboratories.
• MagicPRISM NIR Near-infrared tunable laser source providing nanosecond laser pulses with wavelength tunability from 690-950 nm and stable fluence output for deep tissue applications. Targeted at nanomedicine and bioengineering research laboratories.
• Radiant Series Advanced tunable laser systems utilizing patented high-efficiency OPO technology with Nd:YAG pump lasers from Quantel, available in UV-VIS-NIR (190-2500 nm), NIR (680-2600 nm), MIR (2700-3450 nm), and deep-UV (193-210 nm) configurations. Targeted at spectroscopy, photochemistry, and OEM system integrators.
• Vibrant 355 II Nd:YAG-pumped OPO laser system providing tunable wavelength output from 300-2400 nm for time-resolved absorption and emission spectroscopy applications. Targeted at spectroscopy research laboratories.
• OPOLETTE Series Compact OPO laser modules including OPOLETTE 2731, OPOLETTE 355, OPOLETTE 355 LD, and OPOLETTE DUV variants for mass spectrometry, laser ablation, and scientific research applications. Targeted at mass spectrometry, laser ablation, and analytical chemistry researchers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 63x more signal to noise ratio in photoacoustic imaging systems using CIRPI methodology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Laser Peak GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 March 2019Laser Peak GmbH manages the European Service Center for OPOTEK, providing repairs, diagnostics, and support for European customers. The partnership allows OPOTEK to provide faster service to European customers without shipping equipment to the US. The principles of Laser Peak, Jan Posthumus and Phillip Wicke, have years of experience providing sales and service support for OPO tunable laser technology.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ekspla: Lithuanian manufacturer of OPO-based tunable laser systems, Nd:YAG lasers, and picosecond/femtosecond sources serving scientific research and OEM customers. Directly comparable OPO/tunable product line, wavelength coverage, and research customer overlap with OPOTEK.
• HÜBNER Photonics: German manufacturer of tunable lasers (C-WAVE, Cobolt, VALO series) and laser components for biophotonics, spectroscopy, and OEM integration. Comparable tunable product portfolio and research/medical customer segments as OPOTEK.
• GWU-Lasertechnik: German specialist in OPO/OPG/OPA systems and nonlinear crystals for tunable laser applications. Highly comparable as a focused OPO/tunable laser manufacturer targeting spectroscopy and photoacoustic research customers.
• M Squared Lasers: UK-based manufacturer of tunable and fixed-wavelength lasers for quantum, biophotonics, and spectroscopy applications. Closely comparable product category, customer base (academic and medical research), and tunable laser technology focus as OPOTEK.
• Lumibird: French photonics group (parent of Quantel, OPOTEK's pump laser partner) manufacturing pulsed Nd:YAG, tunable, and fiber lasers for scientific, medical, and industrial markets. Directly comparable in product line and as Quantel's parent — the upstream pump supplier to OPOTEK's Radiant series.
• NKT Photonics: Danish manufacturer of supercontinuum white-light sources, fiber lasers, and tunable sources serving biophotonics, photoacoustic imaging, and spectroscopy. Comparable as a tunable source supplier into the same research and medical imaging customer base, and a potential substitute technology.
• Litron Lasers: UK manufacturer of pulsed Nd:YAG lasers and OPO systems for spectroscopy, LIBS, and photoacoustic applications. Comparable fixed-wavelength Nd:YAG (Lux/Lucis) and OPO product overlap with OPOTEK.
• Radiantis: UK/Spanish manufacturer of OPO-based tunable laser systems (Legend, Inspire) for spectroscopy, microscopy, and quantum optics. Directly comparable OPO product category, wavelength range, and academic research customer profile as OPOTEK.

Broad incumbents

• Coherent Corp: Global leader in lasers and photonics offering tunable, fixed-wavelength, ultrafast, and OPO-based systems across scientific, medical, and industrial markets. Much broader portfolio and scale than OPOTEK, but directly overlapping in tunable and Nd:YAG product categories.
• Thorlabs: US-based broad-line photonics manufacturer offering tunable lasers, OCT systems, and a large catalog of optical components serving research and OEM customers. Overlaps with OPOTEK in supplying tunable light sources into academic and biophotonics research, but at vastly greater scale and product breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 OPOTEK