Spinoff story
Space Research Results Purify Semiconductor Materials
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
One of NASA's Commercial Space Centers, the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center (SVEC), had a mission to create thin film semiconductor materials and devices through the use of vacuum growth technologies. In partnership with Johnson Space Center, researchers spent years in the lab where they advanced a technique called molecular beam epitaxy. In 1997, researchers from the SVEC formed a company called Applied Optoelectronics Inc., of Sugar Land, Texas, to fabricate devices using the advanced techniques and knowledge. Today, the company develops and manufactures optical devices for fiber optic networks including cable television, wireless, telecommunications, data communications, and fiber-to-the-home applications.