Cascade Optical
Cascade Optical Corporation is a custom thin film optical coating manufacturer founded in 1975 in Santa Ana, California, serving defense, aerospace, astronomy, semiconductor, medical, and telecommunications customers with proprietary IOPLAS-II deposition technology across the 120nm to 25 micron spectrum.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersSanta Ana, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cascade Optical does
Cascade Optical Corporation is a custom thin film optical coating manufacturer established in 1975 and headquartered at 1225 E Hunter Avenue, Santa Ana, California. The company deposits multi-layer interference coatings across an unusually broad spectral range, from 120nm in the Extreme Ultraviolet to 25 microns in the Long Wave Infrared, using a proprietary Ion Assisted Physical Vapor Deposition process known as IOPLAS-II. This process enables high-density, low-stress, low-scatter coatings with high laser-induced damage thresholds (exceeding 10GW/cm²) and supports low-temperature deposition below 66°C for temperature-sensitive substrates including plastics, optical fibers, and cemented optics. The company also fabricates plano optics in-house, achieving 3Å surface micro-roughness and 1 arc-second parallelism for substrates ranging from 3mm to 305mm in diameter, with large chamber deposition systems accommodating optics greater than 889mm.
The product portfolio spans anti-reflective coatings (V-Coatings, BBAR, low-temperature AR), dielectric and metal mirrors (including high LIDT V-Mirrors for Peta Watt laser systems), wavelength selection and intensity beam splitters, IR coatings (MWIR/LWIR), NASA space-qualified EUV coatings, and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) transparent conductive coatings. The company holds MIL-C-48497, MIL-C-675, and MIL-M-13508C compliance and NASA space-qualified status, and operates an in-house environmental test laboratory. Customers include Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, National Energetics, NASA (multiple UVI and space weather missions), European Southern Observatory, Australian Astronomical Observatory, and Columbia University/Caltech, serving defense, aerospace, astronomy, semiconductor, medical, and telecommunications end markets.
The business operates on a project-based B2B manufacturing services model with no publicly disclosed pricing. Customers submit Requests for Quote specifying substrate type, dimensions, tolerances, wavelength band, transmission/reflection requirements, and quantities, and the sales team provides technical consultation and custom quotes. Revenue is generated through one-time custom coating contracts rather than standardized product sales, with billing cadence noted as multi-year in select instances. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales supported by technical product pages, customer testimonials, and published white papers. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent, institutional investors, or funding rounds.
Cascade Optical firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cascade Optical
- Legal name
- Cascade Optical Corporation
- Website
- https://c-optical.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cascade Optical Corporation is a custom thin film optical coating manufacturer founded in 1975 in Santa Ana, California, serving defense, aerospace, astronomy, semiconductor, medical, and telecommunications customers with proprietary IOPLAS-II deposition technology across the 120nm to 25 micron spectrum.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cascade Optical industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Optical Coatings
- NAICS
- Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)
- SIC
- Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH), Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF)
Keywords
Where Cascade Optical is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Ana
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cascade Optical business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Custom Optical Coating Services: B2B manufacturing services for custom thin film optical coatings. Customers submit RFQs with detailed specifications for anti-reflective coatings, filters, mirrors, and specialized coatings. Revenue generated through project-based custom orders rather than standardized product sales. Pricing based on complexity, substrate size, coating specifications, and quantity.
- Optical Substrate Fabrication and Coating: Combined fabrication and coating services for plano optical substrates. Master opticians provide in-house fabrication before applying proprietary coatings, offering integrated solution from substrate preparation through finished coated optic.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Quote-Based Pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Cascade Optical product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cascade Optical Corporation manufactures custom thin film optical coatings and precision plano optics using proprietary Ion Assisted Physical Vapor Deposition (IOPLAS-II) technology. Products include anti-reflective coatings, dielectric and metal mirrors, beam splitters, wavelength selection filters, IR and EUV coatings, ITO conductive coatings, and optical substrate fabrication. The company serves defense, aerospace, astronomy, semiconductor, medical, and telecommunications customers with project-based custom orders across the 120nm to 25 micron spectrum.
Product overview
Cascade Optical Corporation is a custom thin film optical coating manufacturer established in 1975, offering a comprehensive portfolio of optical coating products and fabrication services. The core product line centers on Anti-Reflective (AR) Coatings including V-Coatings for discrete laser wavelengths, Broad Band AR (BBAR) coatings, and Low Temperature/Cold Coatings using proprietary IOPLAS-II technology. The company produces a full range of optical components including Dielectric Mirrors with ultra-high reflectivity (HR), Metal Mirrors (Protected & Enhanced with Au, Ag, Al, Cu, Pt), and High LIDT V-Mirrors exceeding 10GW/cm². Filter products encompass Wavelength Selection Filters (Band Pass, Minus, Notch), Intensity and Wavelength Beam Splitters, and Hybrid Beam Splitters. Specialized offerings include IR Coatings (MWIR/LWIR), Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Space-Qualified Coatings, EUV-AR-Notch Filters, and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) conductive coatings. The company also provides Plano Optics substrate fabrication services. All products serve the Commercial, Medical, Military, Telecom, and Aerospace industries, with coatings validated to MIL specifications (MIL-C-48497, MIL-C-675, MIL-M-13508C) and NASA space-qualified standards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Anti-Reflective (AR) Coatings
Quantifiable outcome
- Dielectric mirrors with >99.95% reflectivity at 1064nm with no damage at 10 PW/cm²
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cascade Optical
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Cascade Optical technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Cascade Optical partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered notable, flagship and core.
- Columbia University / CaltechnotableCollaborative research on FIREBALL-2 balloon telescope mission (launch date September 22, 2019). Cascade coated Folding and Schmidt mirrors with 205nm notch filter integrated with light trap coating to enhance Lyman-alpha hydrogen line detection and minimize Cherenkov radiation.
- NASAflagshipNASA space-qualified optics supplier with involvement in multiple UVI (Ultraviolet Imager) launches since early 1980s. Projects include CIV 157nm space weather observation, International Solar Terrestrial Physics Mission, and FIREBALL balloon telescope. Published white papers on filter development.
- Lawrence Livermore National LaboratorycoreWorld-class laser laboratory utilizing Cascade Optical's dielectric mirror coatings for Peta Watt level laser systems. Cascade provides high laser induced damage threshold coatings that withstand extreme power densities required for national security and research applications.
- Naval Research LaboratorycoreDefense research laboratory repeatedly utilizing Cascade Optical's high LIDT V-Coatings and dielectric mirrors for military laser applications. Multiple projects where Cascade succeeded where other coating labs failed.
- National EnergeticscoreResearch organization utilizing Cascade Optical coatings for high power laser systems reaching Peta Watt power levels.
- Australian Astronomical ObservatorynotableAAO collaborated on HERMES project for high efficiency multi-element spectrograph. Cascade provided beam splitters, VPH grating AR coatings, and aspheric lens coatings for the telescope project. Paper presented in Marseille, France.
- European Southern Observatory (ESO)notableEuropean research organization utilizing Cascade's 10.6µ LWIR multiple reflection filter system for thermal imaging astronomical applications. Filter blocks K, L, M bands above 10.6µ for astronomical observation.
- Arizona Optical MetrologynotableOptical metrology company specializing in CGH-based aspheric surface testing. Multi-year partnership for low temperature AR coatings on fragile optical elements requiring precise spectral performance and delivery reliability.
- Rayotek Scientific IncnotableOver 20-year partnership for coatings, customer service, technical advice and expertise for scientific instrumentation. Cascade provides high-quality coatings, QC system, and coating engineering support.
- Femtochrome Research Incnotable15+ year partnership for durable protected silver coatings on ultrafast laser optics. Cascade provides GDD mirrors for femtosecond autocorrelation instruments with consistent uniformity and rapid delivery.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cascade Optical competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alpine Research Optics: Colorado-based custom optical coating manufacturer specializing in high-LIDT laser mirrors, ion-beam sputtering, and UV-to-IR coatings. Competes head-to-head with Cascade Optical in the high-power laser optics segment serving national labs and defense laser programs.
- Rocky Mountain Instrument (RMI): Specialty optics manufacturer offering precision optical components and thin-film coatings including high-LIDT mirrors for laser and defense applications. A direct competitor in the precision laser optics niche with overlapping customer base in government labs.
- Abrisa Technologies: Custom optical coatings and fabricated glass substrates provider serving aerospace, defense, medical, and scientific markets. Directly comparable as a custom thin-film coating house with AR, mirror, and filter capabilities at similar wavelengths.
- Precision Glass & Optics (PG&O): Custom optical components manufacturer offering precision glass substrates and thin-film optical coatings for industrial, medical, military, and aerospace applications. Closely matched business model with integrated substrate fabrication plus coating services.
- Lambda Research Optics: Custom optics and thin-film coating manufacturer specializing in laser-grade optics, harmonic separators, and high-LIDT mirrors. Direct competitor in the precision laser optics and high-power laser system market.
- Universal Thin Film Lab Corp: Manufacturer of custom precision thin-film optical coatings including anti-reflective, mirror, and filter coatings. Comparable specialized custom coating house serving laser, military, and scientific instrumentation markets.
Broad incumbents
- II-VI Incorporated (now Coherent): Large diversified photonics and optical components company with broad portfolio across laser, materials, and communications, including military-spec optical coating capabilities via Coherent Optical Systems. Compares as a much larger incumbent with overlapping custom coating capabilities for defense and aerospace.
- Edmund Optics: Global optics manufacturer with extensive catalog plus custom optical coating capabilities across UV, visible, and IR. Compares as a much larger incumbent with custom coating services and broad industrial customer reach overlapping with Cascade.
- Thorlabs: Vertically integrated photonics company offering catalog and custom optics, including laser line mirrors, AR coatings, and filters with global manufacturing. Comparable as a large-scale optics supplier with custom coating capabilities competing on similar specifications.
- Gooch & Housego (Excelitas): Acquired by Excelitas Technologies; manufactures precision optical components, thin-film coatings, and acousto-optics serving defense, aerospace, and scientific markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent with custom thin-film coating capabilities for mission-critical defense and aerospace optics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cascade Optical social profiles
Digital presenceCascade Optical compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Cascade Optical financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cascade Optical leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cascade Optical funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cascade Optical M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cascade Optical
What does Cascade Optical do?
Cascade Optical Corporation manufactures custom thin film optical coatings and precision plano optics using proprietary Ion Assisted Physical Vapor Deposition (IOPLAS-II) technology. Products include anti-reflective coatings, dielectric and metal mirrors, beam splitters, wavelength selection filters, IR and EUV coatings, ITO conductive coatings, and optical substrate fabrication. The company serves defense, aerospace, astronomy, semiconductor, medical, and telecommunications customers with project-based custom orders across the 120nm to 25 micron spectrum.
Is Cascade Optical a public or private company?
Cascade Optical is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cascade Optical founded?
Cascade Optical was founded in 1975. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cascade Optical based?
Cascade Optical is headquartered in Santa Ana, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cascade Optical make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Optical Coating Services are the primary driver. The others are optical Substrate Fabrication and Coating.
Who are Cascade Optical's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alpine Research Optics, Rocky Mountain Instrument (RMI), Abrisa Technologies, Precision Glass & Optics (PG&O), Lambda Research Optics and Universal Thin Film Lab Corp. Broad incumbents are II-VI Incorporated (now Coherent), Edmund Optics, Thorlabs and Gooch & Housego (Excelitas).
Does Cascade Optical have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cascade Optical.
What industry is Cascade Optical in?
Cascade Optical's product category is Optical Coatings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHALAL, Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL), with a secondary code of HDAHAAAH, Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs). Its NAICS code is 32721 and its SIC code is 3827.