Profile: Advanced Photonix Inc (API)

Advanced Photonix, Inc. (API), incorporated in June 1988, is engaged in the development and manufacturing of optoelectronic devices, and sub-systems and systems. The Company is a supplier of optoelectronic semiconductors packaged into high-speed optical receivers, custom optoelectronic subsystems and Terahertz instrumentation, serving a range of global original equipment manufacturers (OEM) markets. The high-speed optical receivers include avalanche photodiode technology (APD) and positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) photodiode technology based upon III-V materials, including InP, InAlAs, and GaAs. The optoelectronic subsystems are based on the silicon Large Area Avalanche Photodiode (LAAPD), PIN photodiode, FILTRODE detectors and light emitting diode (LED) assemblies. The Terahertz sensor product line is targeted at the industrial Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), quality control, homeland security and military markets.

The product technologies used in the majority of the products are opto-electronic semiconductor devices, including photodiodes and antennae made of Si or III-V compound semiconductor material and high speed semiconductor analog amplifiers. Photodiodes and antennae sense light of varying wavelengths and intensity and convert that light and/or Terahertz wave into electrical signals. Analog amplifiers improve the converted electrical signals output power to a level required to communicate with follow on electrical components. API manufacture photodiodes of varying complexity, from basic PIN photodiode to the sophisticated APD and antennae that transmit and receive Terahertz signals (Transceiver). The APD is a specialized photodiode capable of detecting very low light levels due to an internal gain phenomenon known as avalanching.