Plasmonics

What Plasmonics does

Plasmonics, Inc. is a privately held U.S. R&D firm founded circa 2010-2011 and headquartered in Orlando, Florida, specializing in next-generation infrared technologies and systems. The company's core technical work spans antenna-coupled diode sensors for high-speed uncooled infrared sensing, tunable infrared metamaterials, planar optics, and engineered thermal emission surfaces, with the goal of extending radio-frequency device performance into long-wave and shorter wavelength infrared bands. Supporting capabilities include electron-beam lithography, thin film processing, magnetron sputtering, reactive ion etching, and related cleanroom fabrication, supplemented by electromagnetic design consultation services.

The firm sells through a quote-based, project-driven commercial model targeting two primary verticals: U.S. government defense agencies and contractors requiring advanced IR sensing, stealth, and night-vision enabling technologies, and commercial technology companies needing sub-micron nanofabrication and infrared device development. Pricing is custom, project-scoped, and structured around multi-year contracts. Notable proprietary deliverables include the Circular Polarizer Infrared Device (CPIR), which was featured on the cover of Cornell NanoScale Facility's 'The NanoMeter' publication. A third, secondary segment serves academic research, supported through the firm's Industrial Affiliate relationship with CREOL at the University of Central Florida.

Plasmonics operates with 1-10 employees and a leadership team drawn from the University of Central Florida, Sandia National Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, and Cornell NanoScale Facility, including Dr. James Ginn (CEO), Jami Ginn (CFO), Dr. Glenn Boreman (Chairman and 2017 SPIE President), Dr. David Shelton (President), and Dr. Andrew Warren (Research Scientist). No external venture or institutional funding has been disclosed; ownership is held internally. Revenue is generated from R&D service contracts and is not publicly reported, with customer logos undisclosed and a sales motion that is relationship-based and quote-driven.

Name

Plasmonics

Legal name

Plasmonics, Inc.

Website

https://plasmonics-inc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plasmonics is a privately held Orlando-based R&D firm developing next-generation infrared metamaterials, antenna-coupled diode sensors, planar optics, and nanofabrication services for U.S. defense agencies and commercial technology customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Infrared Sensors and Metamaterials

NAICS

Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL), Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Infrared sensors
• Metamaterial devices
• Electron beam lithography
• Nanofabrication services
• Thermal emission surfaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. R&D Services and Consultation: Plasmonics operates as an R&D firm providing lithography services and electromagnetic design consultation for government and industry clients. Revenue is generated through service contracts and project-based work including lithography, thin film processing, and technical consulting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Plasmonics is an R&D firm that designs and prototypes next-generation infrared technologies, including antenna-coupled diode sensors, tunable infrared metamaterials, planar optics, and thermal emission surfaces. It supplements these product capabilities with sub-micron electron-beam lithography, general clean-room fabrication, thin-film processing, imaging, and electromagnetic design consultation services for government defense and commercial technology clients.

Product overview

Plasmonics Inc is an R&D firm specializing in next-generation infrared technologies and systems. The portfolio centers on tunable infrared metamaterials, antenna-coupled diode sensors, planar optics, and thermal emission surfaces, with a focus on extending RF devices into the LWIR and shorter wavelength bands for applications in thermal imaging, sensors, and optical elements. Supporting the core product lines are Electron-Beam Lithography services, General Fabrication Capabilities, and Consultation Services for government and industry. Notable products include the Circular Polarizer Infrared Device (CPIR) and specialized coatings for thermal management and spectral/directional/polarization control of thermal emission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infrared Sensors and Systems A product line that extends radio-frequency devices into LWIR and shorter wavelength bands, covering thermal imaging, smart data collection, angle-of-arrival sensors, focal plane and phased arrays, thermal management coatings, thermal emission control, and compact infrared optical elements including metalenses, reflectarrays, and spatial light modulators. Targeted at defense, aerospace, and commercial photonics customers.
• Circular Polarizer Infrared Device (CPIR) A passive infrared device consisting of a ground plane, linear polarizer, and meander line structures that produces circularly polarized light output. Built for defense and sensing applications needing polarization-controlled thermal emission.
• Tunable Infrared Metamaterials Adjustable infrared metamaterials engineered for advanced optical devices, modulators, and sensors with customizable electromagnetic properties, enabling spectral, directional, and polarization control of infrared and thermal emission.
• Planar Optics Flat optical components, including infrared focusing surfaces and lensing elements, used in compact infrared sensors and imaging systems.
• Electron-Beam Lithography Services Sub-micron surface and device prototyping and small-volume production service that leverages the team's 30 years of fabrication experience and state-of-the-art equipment, offered to government and commercial clients on a quote basis.
• General Fabrication Capabilities Comprehensive fabrication services through Class 100, 1,000, and 10,000 clean rooms, covering magnetron sputtering, electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, oxidation and annealing furnaces, reactive ion etching, ion milling, and contact lithography. Sold to government and industry clients needing turnkey thin-film and substrate processing.
• Electromagnetic Design Consultation Expert electromagnetic design and consultation services delivered to government and industry clients alongside the firm's lithography and fabrication offerings, accessed via the company's Request a Quote flow.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced circular polarizer infrared device (CPIR) with ground plane, linear polarizer, and meander line structures for passive circularly polarized light output

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CREOL (University of Central Florida)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlasmonics became the first in-house UCF Photonics Incubator Client to become an Industrial Affiliate of CREOL. This collaboration has been critical for company growth and represents mutual support for research at the university. Plasmonics supports CREOL through the partnership.
• University of Central FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlasmonics contributed $250,000 in 2013 to support UCF research efforts and is supporting two university PhD candidates as they continue research and publish findings in their respective fields.
• Vision Engineering Solutions LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint team with Vision Engineering Solutions LLC was selected as winner of the Sikorsky Innovations 4th Annual Entrepreneurial Challenge Competition. Vision Engineering Solutions develops technology in Defense, Aerospace, and Industrial applications.
• Cornell NanoScale Facility (CNF)coreTechnology or IntegrationCornell NanoScale Facility provided nanofabrication capabilities and equipment for Plasmonics' small volume production of Circular Polarizer Infrared Device (CPIR). CNF was well equipped to solve production challenges.
• Sandia National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. James Ginn held a postdoctoral appointee position at Sandia National Laboratory where he carried out research in low-loss metamaterials, semiconductor processing, and characterization of new classes of infrared materials under the Lab's Metamaterial Grand Challenge.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: A large defense prime with major infrared and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems businesses supplying night vision, targeting pods, and IR detectors. Operates in the same customer set as Plasmonics but as a system integrator and volume manufacturer rather than an R&D specialist.
• Raytheon (RTX): Global defense prime with extensive EO/IR, sensing, and directed-energy portfolios. Overlaps Plasmonics on IR focal plane arrays and signature-management coatings but as a vertically integrated prime rather than a boutique R&D lab.
• Teledyne FLIR: Leading global manufacturer of thermal imaging cameras, infrared detectors, and integrated sensing solutions for defense, industrial, and commercial markets. Offers overlapping infrared sensor and thermal imaging capabilities but at vastly greater scale and product breadth than Plasmonics.
• II-VI / Coherent: A leading optoelectronic device and component manufacturer serving industrial, communications, defense, and semiconductor markets. Operates a vertically integrated portfolio that includes infrared optics, laser components, and photonic subsystems overlapping with parts of Plasmonics' technology stack.
• Hamamatsu Photonics: A large Japanese optoelectronics manufacturer producing photodetectors, infrared sensors, image intensifiers, and photonic components. Comparable on the receiver-side photonics technology and serves similar defense, scientific, and industrial sensing customers.

Direct peers

• Sensors Unlimited (Collins Aerospace): A division of Collins Aerospace (RTX) that designs and manufactures InGaAs shortwave infrared (SWIR) cameras, detectors, and arrays. Directly competitive in infrared sensors and focal plane arrays with overlapping defense and industrial end markets.
• Daylight Solutions (Leonardo DRS): Originally a small IR-photonics company building quantum-cascade-laser and IR detection products, acquired by Leonardo DRS. Comparable as a predecessor-stage specialist whose tunable infrared laser/mid-IR technology targeted defense and sensing end uses.
• Luminit LLC: A privately held optical components company specializing in holographic diffusers, light-shaping, and micro-optical elements. Comparable as a small, niche optical-components business serving defense, automotive, and industrial customers with proprietary photonic technology.
• Block Engineering: Developer of quantum-cascade-laser-based mid-infrared spectroscopy and chemical detection systems. Similar to Plasmonics in being a small specialist in advanced infrared photonics, targeting defense, security, and industrial sensing applications.
• Princeton Infrared Technologies: A small U.S. firm developing indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and other infrared detector/sensor products. Directly comparable as a similarly sized specialist in advanced infrared sensing technology serving defense, industrial, and scientific customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plasmonics-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Plasmonics