Finisar UK modulator business taken private as aXenic

The management of Finisar UK Ltd. have purchased the company from Finisar Germany (and thus Finisar itself) and renamed it aXenic. Company leadership hopes to expand beyond Finisar UK's focus on gallium arsenide (GaAs) based modulators for telecom markets into new applications areas.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The company has its roots in Filtronic, which u2t Photonics purchased in 2009 (see "u2t acquires high-speed GaAs optical modulator business"). Finisar bought u2t in 2014 (see "Finisar to buy u2t Photonics for $20 million"). aXenic currently offers 400-Gbps and 100-Gbps dual-polarization IQ modulators, a 40-Gbps IQ modulator, and a 40-Gbps Mach Zehnder modulator. However, management believes the company's expertise in semiconductor modulator design, optical and high-speed test, and optical packaging can apply beyond telecom.

It therefore will "continue to develop its business with support of European collaborative projects which are aimed in particular at the high frequency and analogue business markets," according to an announcement on its website (hat tip to SPIE's optics.org for finding it first).

"We are really excited about the prospects of the new operating business with the opportunity to broaden our market access and interests for the developing business in highest speed and high bandwidth modulator products" said aXenic CEO Steve Clements via the online announcement. "We look forward to engaging with our customers in this area to offer high performance yet cost effective functions in a growing business."

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