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AlphaMicron

AlphaMicron is an award-winning, global leader in liquid crystal-based light reactive technologies. Over 22 years ago, our Company was founded to pursue research and development for the Department of Defense. U.S. Air Force fighter pilots flying in and out of clouds needed a way to keep track of the data on their Head-Mounted-Displays without intermittent bouts of the display “washing-out” in intense sunlight.

AlphaMicron met this challenge by inventing a new electronically controllable guest-host Liquid Crystal system that:

  • Switches from clear to dark faster than the blink of an eye, meaning faster than 0.1 second;
  • Can be implemented on plastic substrates;
  • Is fail-safe in case of a power outage; and
  • Has controllable tint

Thus was born e-Tint®, the world’s only Electronic Tint-on-Demand™ and the science behind the world’s fastest-changing eyewear.

Following the rapid success of the Air Force project, AlphaMicron began to do two things:

  1. Develop a line of highly sought-after products using its e-Tint® technology including sunglasses, motorcycle helmet visors, and ski goggles; and
  2. Apply its scientific expertise in the fields of liquid crystals and photonics to expand to other industry sectors to solve light management challenges.

Our advanced scientific capabilities, materials development, and processes provide new pathways to control reactions to lights of various color and intensity, from direct sunlight to different wavelengths of laser light. Applications of our work to date includes:

  • Sports Eyewear
  • Automotive
  • Military/Tactical
  • Architecture
  • AR/VR/MR
  • Light Shutters
  • Security
  • Aviation
  • Medical

Today, AlphaMicron continues to expand its expertise by working in different arenas, coming up with new solutions to a wide range of challenges and growing its design, prototyping and manufacturing capabilities.

At the same time, we continue to work with the military in the development of sensitive, necessary products to safeguard our servicemen and women in the field.

Why Kent?

Oh, how many times we’ve been asked that question! So here is the answer:

Kent is, for all intents and purposes, the birthplace of liquid crystal science as we know it today. So where better to gather a group of scientists devoted to innovating in this field?

Kent State University’s Liquid Crystal Institute is the world’s first research center focused on the basic and applied science of liquid crystals. Many AlphaMicron scientists, including our founders Bahman Taheri, Tamas Kosa and Peter Palffy-Muhoray either studied or taught at the Liquid Crystal Institute (LCI) and remain affiliated with it. In fact, AlphaMicron is currently housed in what was a Kent State University bus garage! Although it has grown independently, AlphaMicron’s proximity to LCI has fostered an intellectual cross-pollination resulting in a free flow of ideas and resulting in disruptive innovations that we wouldn’t trade for the world.

LCI

Where It Happens

AlphaMicron’s facilities offer a vertically-integrated state-of-the-art environment ideal for finding turn-key solutions. We have assembled all the expertise and equipment required to take a product from inception to production, including:

  • 3 class 1000 cleanrooms for manufacturing LC cells
  • State of the art chemistry, laser, materials, and electronics labs
  • in-house electronic, hardware & software design capability
  • an ISO 9001-2008 compliant quality assessment, testing, production line and shipping facility
Where it Happens

Dynamic Partnerships

Whether we are researching, developing, or producing new products, AlphaMicron enjoys long-standing relationships with its partners and clients, which include the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Federal government agencies and the Armed Forces (Air Force, Navy, and Army), as well as various global private companies. We have also collaborated with scientists from institutions around the world to solve a host of problems

In industry, AlphaMicron has collaborated with more than 30 distinguished organizations ranging from material suppliers to manufacturing, Tier 1, Tier 2, OEM and future tech companies. As a result, our work can be seen in everything from automotive design to zero-energy buildings. Products powered by AlphaMicron’s e-Tint® technology are offered for sale through US-based and international partners such as Uvex, AGV, Decathlon, and Giro. Meanwhile, our own brand of e-Tint® Products, such as CTRL®-eyewear and Akari® motorcycle visors are distributed around the world.

Whether we are structuring a product license agreement or engaging in research and technology collaborations, our approach to partnering is open and flexible, with creative deal structuring that allows for nimble, dynamic relationships geared to solving problems. We take pride in the fact that our partners choose to work with us time and again.

Life Beyond the Lab | AlphaMicron in the Community

Whenever possible, we contribute to life beyond our laboratory walls. AlphaMicron is dedicated to promoting education and excitement about the STEM fields. Our scientists actively encourage young students, especially young women, to consider joining the fields of science and engineering. We often host students to walk through, sample, and engage in hands-on projects, getting a feel for the entrepreneurial possibilities that erupt when you blend science, engineering and design. We also offer school trips for local middle schools as well as summer school internships for high school students. Lastly, our laboratories are buzzing with undergrad and postgrad students working on various projects as part-time employees.

AlphaMicron also supports the Case Western Reserve University Law School’s Intellectual Property Venture Clinic and the Patent Pro Bono Program for Ohio.

In the Community