12 July 2011

Daylight raises $15m in funding round led by Northrop Grumman

Daylight Solutions Inc of San Diego, CA, USA, which makes molecular detection and imaging systems based on its quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology, has closed a $15m Series C equity financing round with US defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp as lead investor, together with several of the company’s existing investors.

The firm says the financing will enable it to continue its high rate of growth, while further maturing and advancing its technology and expanding its product offering and manufacturing infrastructure. Manufacturing capacity, quality processes, reliability, and field support will be enhanced.

Daylight has developed a wide range of QCL-based products for scientific research, defence, and commercial markets, suited for addressing molecular detection and imaging applications that benefit from mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) illumination. An example is the JammIR family of laser products for infrared countermeasures (IRCM). 

Multiple configurations and capabilities of the JammIR product line have been tested under environmentally demanding conditions for military rotary and fixed-wing applications, and have undergone multiple flight tests, being verified as a highly effective infrared countermeasure against a variety of missile threats.  The firm says that several hundred QCL-based commercial laser systems have already been manufactured and delivered for a wide range of markets. 

Daylight Solutions and its subsidiary Daylight Defense LLC have leveraged their core technology in QCL modules to create multiple versions of its JammIR line of products. The firm claims that its modular approach allows great flexibility, reducing the cycle-time from design to deployment, while improving reliability and lifetime over existing technologies.

“The Series C financing will allow us to serve all of our customers with a family of QCL-based products based on a modular, open-source, core technology platform meeting the requirements of the most demanding environments in defense as well as commercial markets,” says chairman & CEO Dr Timothy Day. “Our manufacturing infrastructure, capacity and reliability programs will be expanded as a result of the financing transaction,” he adds. 

“Our investment in Daylight Solutions serves as an acknowledgement of their leadership position in QCL-based products, and reflects our commitment to deliver best-in-class solutions to our customers in support of our warfighters,” comments Jeff Palombo, sector VP & general manager of Northrop Grumman’s Land and Self Protection System Division. 

See related items:

Daylight expands Aries line of high-power, multi-wavelength mid-IR lasers

Tags: Daylight Solutions QCL Northrop Grumman

Visit: www.daylightsolutions.com