FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Leadership Transition at Luminit: Dr. Mitch Jansen Assumes CEO Role as Dr. Engin Arik remains as Chairman of the Board
Luminit's CEO, Dr. Engin Arik, steps down, appointing Dr. Mitch Jansen as the new CEO of the company. Dr. Arik will continue to serve as Charman of the Board. He expresses confidence in Dr. Jansen's leadership, which aligns with Luminit's vision of growth and innovation.
Torrance, CA, April 24, 2024 -- Luminit, a leading provider of light shaping technology solutions, today announced a significant leadership transition. Dr. Engin Arik, the company's Founder, Chairman, and CEO for the past 19 years, has stepped down from his CEO position as of April 1, 2024. Dr. Mitch Jansen, Luminit's Chief Operating Officer for the last 6 years, has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Arik will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board, providing strategic guidance and support to the company. He commented on the transition:
"As Luminit transitions into its next phase of growth and expansion, I am confident that Dr. Mitch Jansen is the right leader to guide the company forward. His extensive leadership experience and technical expertise make him exceptionally well-suited for the role of CEO. I look forward to working closely with Mitch and the entire Luminit team in my continued capacity as Chairman of the Board."
Dr. Mitch Jansen, newly appointed CEO of Luminit, added:
"I am honored to take on the role of CEO and lead Luminit into the future. With a strong foundation established by Dr. Arik, we are well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities for growth and further enhance our market presence. I am excited about the possibilities ahead and committed to driving success for Luminit and our valued customers."
Dr. Jansen brings over 30 years of technical and business experience to his new role, having held various leadership positions within the Photonics Industry.
This transition comes at a time of significant opportunity for Luminit, as the company continues to innovate and expand its portfolio of Transformative Integrated Optics solutions for various industries, including automotive, defense, industrial and lighting markets.
About Luminit:
Luminit is a global leader with a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction located in Torrance, CA with manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Taiwan.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luminit Names Jonathan Waldern as Chief Technology Officer
Luminit Gears Up for Technological Transformation with the Appointment of Dr. Jonathan Waldern as Chief Technology Officer, a Visionary Leader with Over Two Decades of Pioneering Product Innovation and Manufacturing Scale-Up, including AR/VR and "Smart Glass."
TORRANCE, CA – January16, 2024 – Luminit LLC, (“Company”) a world leading manufacturer of Holographic Light Shaping Diffusers® (LSD®), announced today that Jonathan Waldern, Ph.D., has joined the Company as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this role, he will oversee the company’s global technology and engineering to support new product introductions. In addition to those priorities, Waldern will also lead the planning, management, delivery, and transformation of the company’s technology, in both strategic partner and licensed manufacturing initiatives.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Waldern to our team as we increasingly shift our focus from R&D to commercialization and increased revenue growth,” said Dr. Engin Arik, Chairman, President & CEO of Luminit. “His wide experience in photonics, including, AR/VR/MR, 'Smart Glass' applications, manufacturing and strategic partner development, will lead to multiple product introductions, including Automotive Head-Up Displays.”
Dr. Waldern brings over 20 years of developing and commercializing Holographic, Lithographic and Metamaterial-based products for both illumination and display applications. With over 170 patents to date, he has also pioneered the development of novel thin film photopolymer materials and Roll to Roll (R2R) Manufacturing processes, enabling a wide variety of breakthrough products. Using a novel metamaterial R2R manufacturing line his team developed, Dr. Waldern recently launched a CES 2023 award-winning completely transparent Microwave Oven window and a range of Smart Glass (SG) embedding invisible thin films for de-fogging, 5G antennas and electrochromic dimming – critical for next generation Auto, Aero, Architecture and eyewear applications including Augmented Reality (AR).
“I was attracted by Luminit’s holographic R2R production platform, along with their growing revenue,” said Dr. Waldern. “In 2024, I believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered applications will transform AR Head-Up Display (HUD) and eyeglass demand. Using my experience combining Holographic and Metamaterial films, I can see many high-value growth and differentiated product opportunities, which can increase revenue in the near term. As CTO I plan to champion collaborative innovation and build manufacturing capacity with both existing and new corporate customers.”
Waldern joined Luminit from MetaMaterials Inc. where he served as CTO from 2020-2023. His organization pioneered metamaterials technology to accelerate the company's significant growth goals across a diverse portfolio of R2R film-based products from plasmonic security holograms to automotive heaters, EMI shielding and battery insulators. The company successfully listed on NASDAQ in May 2021. Previously, he founded DigiLens Inc., a leader in holographic waveguides used for AR displays including HUD’s. As CTO, he led the technical development of their optical platform and photopolymer technology using a unique, low-cost contact-copy manufacturing process. DigiLens strategic investors include Samsung, Mitsubishi Chemical, Universal Display Corporation, Niantic, Sony, Dolby and Continental AG. He led the development of the world’s first commercial waveguide HUD for aerospace (Collins Aerospace) and Wide Field-of-View automotive HUD (Continental) and eyeglass-thin wearable AR displays (DigiLens).
Luminit, is a high technology company with a broad patent portfolio. Today, Luminit’s production Light Shaping Diffusers® are used in Automotive, Aerospace and Architectural lighting applications and available directly or through a network of domestic and international distributors. Other specialist custom solutions include precision light management for bio-medical and semiconductor metrology products.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luminit Granted A New Patent for Unique 180-degree TIR Optic
Designed for LiDAR, automotive lighting, and beacon lighting, the new optic converts a collimated light source to a wide 180 degree fan of illumination.
TORRANCE, CA – April 13, 2021 – Luminit LLC, a privately held high technology company specializing in custom and standard holographic Light Shaping Diffusers, has been granted a patent for a new optic that takes a collimated light source and converts it to a wide 180 degree fan of illumination. The novel design is uniquely suited for LiDAR for autonomous vehicles, automotive lighting, and beacon lighting where a wide fan of light is required but often difficult and expensive to achieve.
Dubbed the 180 degree Illuminator, the patented design uses a different approach than flat optics (i.e., Lighting Shaping Diffusers), which are typically limited to a 100-degree beam angle due to the limitations of refractive optics. The 180 degree Illuminator, however, uses a combination of cylindrical and conical sections to convert a collimated light source such as a VCSEL, laser, or LED to 360 degrees, half of which exits through the side of one cylinder and the other half which is reflected from another set of cone surfaces. A diffuser is then combined with the cylindrical area in order to spread the light in the vertical direction. The result is a perfectly uniform 180-degree light field.
“We’re no strangers to inventing ground-breaking optical designs, but this one is a game-changer for the lighting and photonics industry,” notes Suleyman Turgut, Chief Revenue Officer at Luminit, LLC. “We’re already seeing great interest from engineers who are excited about the possibilities of such a unique optic.”
The 180 degree Illuminator can be an ideal solution for LiDAR for autonomous vehicles, as well as general automotive lighting, and beacon lighting where a wide fan of light would vastly increase the visibility or field of view of the system.
To learn more about the 180-degree Illuminator, contact sales@luminitco.com or read an article that details the technology further.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luminit Launches Low-Cost E-Lite Light Shaping Diffusers®
The competitively-price line of Light Shaping Diffusers gives budget-sensitive customers access to Luminit-level homogenization and transmission efficiency.
TORRANCE, CA - July 30, 2020 – Luminit LLC, a privately held high technology company specializing in custom and standard holographic light shaping diffusers, is adding a new low-cost line of Light Shaping Diffusers. Available in 10°, 30°, and 60° angles, E-Lite diffusers target customers who want the highest-level of diffusion quality but purchase lower-quality diffusers due to budgetary restrictions.
“Luminit diffusers are the industry gold standard but not every company has the budget for our level of performance, particularly now,” notes Suleyman Turgut, Chief Revenue Officer at Luminit, LLC. “Our E-Lite line is equivalent to bulk diffuser pricing but offers substantially better beam shaping capabilities.”
Referring to Luminit’s patented mastering and replication techniques, Light Shaping Diffusers use surface relief structures that are replicated from a holographically-recorded master. The pseudo-random, non-periodic structures manipulate light to provide precise beam control and superior homogenization. Because the products are based on optical refraction instead of volumetric or bulk scatter, Luminit diffusers have a much higher transmission efficiency (85%-92%) than conventional diffusers. Available on polyester substrates with a minimum order quantity of 1000 feet, the new low-cost E-Lite line delivers the same diffusion capabilities in a seamless roll format.
“It’s a tough time for a lot of companies right now, and the lighting industry is under cost-cutting pressures,” says Suleyman Turgut. “We believe the competitive pricing of our E-Lite line which is up to 50% to 70% lower than our standard pricing will persuade buyers who want Luminit performance and quality to make the switch.”
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luminit Launches Display Brightness Film for LCD Displays
The new light-management film increases the brightness of LCD displays used in automotive, avionics and consumer electronics applications.
TORRANCE, CA – April 29, 2019 – Luminit LLC (Display Week booth 1633), a privately held high technology company specializing in advanced light management solutions, is introducing Display Brightness Film at this year’s Display Week in San Jose, CA. A highly specialized light-management film, Display Brightness Film (DBF) increases the brightness of LCDs used in automotive, avionics, medical and portable device applications.
“DBF fills a market need and solves design challenges by increasing the brightness of LCD backlights,” notes Suleyman Turgut, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Luminit, LLC. “Outside testing shows DBF to be within 4% of the performance characteristics of similar films such as BEF-2.”
Luminit’s Display Brightness Film is a prismatic structure embedded on a 250um thick polycarbonate substrate which has higher temperature durability when compared to polyester films. Using the principles of refraction and total internal reflection to recycle and redirect light, DBF manages the angular output from a back-light unit (BLU) and increases the brightness of a display. The standard version of DBF has a gloss finish on one side, and an optional diffuser can be added to the other side to reduce unwanted optical artifacts such as mura, sparkle and moiré.
Luminit Display Brightness Film is non-birefringent and when combined with a diffuser can reduce film stack assembly as well as result in power savings or improved thermal management. For more information or to speak with a sales engineer, contact info@luminitco.com or sales@luminitco.com
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luminit LLC Announces Joint Venture with RiT Display for Next-Gen Automotive Optics
Taiwan-based Luminit Automotive Technologies will develop and manufacture optical solutions for automotive taillights and next-generation light sources for LiDAR and HUD applications.
TORRANCE, CA – January 21, 2019, Luminit LLC, a privately held high technology company specializing in thin-film optics, will embark on a joint venture with RiT Display, a Ritek Group Company, to provide lighting and driver assistance solutions for US-, Europe- and Asia-based automakers. The newly-formed JV, Luminit Automotive Technologies (LAT), will develop and produce curved injection molded diffusers for automotive taillights, as well as diffusers for LiDAR and HUD applications.
“Luminit is a leader in microstructure mastering and the Ritek team are experts in the field of microstructure fabrication,” notes Luminit Automotive Technology’s President and CEO, Stanley Kao. “Combining both areas of expertise with the global logistics that Ritek will make LAT a major player in automotive lighting and driver assistance technologies.”
According to Kao, the joint venture is the result of years of collaboration between RiT Displays and Luminit Light Shaping Diffuser technologies. RiT Display’s advanced optical manufacturing facilities will produce Luminit’s proprietary Curved Injection Molding (CIM) process, a 2.5D and 3D injection molded Light Shaping Diffuser with superior transmission efficiency for smooth, bright and homogenized LED taillights. Luminit diffusers are currently designed into several automotive taillights and are gaining popularity with designers and engineers who prefer the highly efficient properties of surface relief diffusion over standard bulk diffusion.
Luminit’s AMECA-approved Light Shaping Diffusers enable HUD Tier 1 manufacturers in the automotive market to produce sharp and bright image-based TFT and projector-based units and allow designers to customize the field of view of the display and de-speckle images for laser-based systems. Light Shaping Diffusers for LiDAR beam shaping provide high quality homogenized light or custom light profiles with 92% transmission efficiency and controlled extreme elliptical beam angle divergence as well as laser speckle reduction.
Based in Taiwan, RiT Display Corporation is a subsidiary of Ritek Group, pioneers in optical fabrication and nanotechnology with global facilities worldwide. RiT Display will be listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in the first quarter of 2019.
Leveraging RiT Display’s global manufacturing and warehouse facilities, Luminit Automotive Technologies (LAT) will develop next-generation light sources for automotive lamps, LiDAR and HUD. “Luminit has unique diffusion technology,” concludes Kao, “and this joint venture allows us to design and mass produce parts for the automotive market on a global scale.”
About Luminit
Luminit is a privately held, high technology company specializing in custom and standard holographic diffusers based on multiple technology patents. Luminit’s commercial experience covers applications including LED lighting, architectural lighting, bio-medical illumination, semiconductor metrology, aerospace, automotive, laser and display applications. Luminit’s Light Shaping Diffusers are available directly or through a network of domestic and international distributors.
About RiT Display Corporation
RiT Displays is a subsidiary of Ritek Group. Established in 1988, Ritek Corporation is a global leader in storage media, nano-technology, and OLED displays with decades of experience and expertise on microstructure fabrication. Ritek has offices in seven countries, employs over 6000 people and is a publicly traded company.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luminit Announces Light Shaping Micro Optics Capabilities for LIDAR, Time of Flight, Facial ID and Eye/Head Tracking
The company now offers in-house direct-writing of masters to bring custom micro-optics design from conception to high volume production.
TORRANCE, CA - August 3, 2018 – Luminit LLC, a privately held high technology company specializing in fine optics and holographic light shaping diffusers, announces new Light Shaping Micro Optics capabilities for LIDAR, ToF, facial ID, and eye/head tracking applications. In-house direct-writing of masters, along with greyscale photolithography and advanced microscopy tools, allow pixel-by-pixel design and write capabilities for a full-range of micro-optics solutions at high volume production levels.
“LIDAR, time of flight, facial recognition and similar advanced technologies are growth areas, and Luminit continues to develop high-performance optics to meet market demand,” notes Suleyman Turgut, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Luminit, LLC. “With Light Shaping Micro Optics, we can design, master, replicate, test and measure under one roof and our customers benefit from reduced time-to-market and simplified supply chains.”
Luminit’s new capability in greyscale photolithography allows the creation of advanced refractive (micro lenses, prisms, Fresnels) and diffractive optics (CGH, phase plates) with feature sizes down to 1 micron. Optical outputs include flat-top intensity profiles, structured lighting (random dot generators, pattern generators), and custom illumination shapes (square, rectangular, logos). Luminit is now able to manufacture a variety of precise digital and analog micro optics that can later be replicated on a variety of plastic and glass substrates depending on thickness, temperature, and volume requirements.
According to the company, Luminit's new offering of Light Shaping Micro Optics provides customers with the ability to bring their designs straight from concept to high-volume production in a matter of weeks.
For more information or to speak with a sales engineer, contact info@luminitco.com or sales@luminitco.com
Luminit Light Shaping Diffuser® Material Added to AMECA’s List of Acceptable Plastics in Automotive Exterior Lighting
The company’s automotive-grade diffuser material has been accepted by AMECA as meeting the three-year weathering test for plastics used in optical lenses and reflex reflectors.
TORRANCE, CA - March 15th, 2018 – Luminit LLC, a privately held high technology company specializing in custom and standard holographic light shaping diffusers, is pleased to announce that its propriety Light Shaping Diffuser® material has been added to the Automotive Manufacturers Equipment Compliance Agency, Inc. (AMECA) list of acceptable plastics.
A centralized agency that performs rigorous laboratory testing of materials for color and plastic stability, AMECA has added Luminit to their list of materials that have met the three-year weathering test of SAE J576 for plastics used in optical lenses and reflectors used on motor vehicles.
“AMECA-certification is difficult to obtain for exterior plastics so we’re very excited about what this means for our future in the automotive industry,” notes Suleyman Turgut, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Luminit, LLC. “Our Light Shaping Diffusers provide world-class LED hiding power and present unique branding opportunities for lighting designers. Being able to say that we are AMECA certified opens up many new opportunities for Luminit.”
The AMECA approval is valid for all of Luminit’s thin film products, including Light Shaping Diffusers and Luminit’s periodic prismatic. When incorporated into LED automotive tail lights, the company’s extreme angle diffuser offers excellent hiding power for designers who want to eliminate LED hotspots without losing a significant amount of light. The high-performance diffusion ability of Luminit diffusers allows automotive engineers to design highly energy efficient taillights with high levels of uniformity.
For more information, contact sales@luminitco.com
Luminit’s Transparent Holographic Components for Motorcycle Head-up Display Earns Prestigious SID Award at this Year’s Display Week
The first mass-produced volume holographic components incorporated in a head-up display, Luminit’s THC technology receives the Component of the Year Award.
TORRANCE, CA – May 25, 2017, Luminit LLC (booth 508), a privately held, high technology company specializing in holographic products and technologies for the lighting and display industries, received SID’s Display Component of the Year Award for their breakthrough advances in holographic master recording for special-purpose head-mounted, head-up and near-to-eye displays. The award, which was given at this year’s Display Week in Los Angeles, CA (May 22-May 25), acknowledges novel components that make significant enhancements to the performance of a display.
“We’re very excited and honored to be recognized for the work our team has done along with the team at REYEDR to advance augmented reality within the commercial market,” exclaims Dr. Seth Coe-Sullivan, Luminit’s Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. “We believe Transparent Holographic Components will expand what’s possible in AR and introduce new opportunities for the automotive and wearables markets that seemed out of reach just a few years ago.”
A collaborative effort with New Zealand-based REYEDR, makers of HUDs for motorcycle enthusiasts, Luminit THCs were introduced to the public for the first time at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV. With Luminit THCs, holographic wavefronts are embedded into a thin, clear photopolymer film that can be applied to a glass or plastic surface such as a helmet visor or waveguide. Because the holographic information is captured on thin film, THCs replace bulky, conventional optics and allow images to be viewed at a virtual distance without added weight to the user. In addition, Luminit’s patented optical designs and roll-to-roll mass production allow THCs to enter the market at a cost point consistent with consumer electronics and augmented reality.
“The impact THC technology will have on the augmented reality market is certain to be significant,” notes Dr. Engin Arik, President and CEO of Luminit, LLC, “We have an exceptional team of holographers and engineers who worked tirelessly on this effort. This award belongs to everyone at Luminit.”
Luminit Adds Lenticular Batwing Format to Its Expanding Line of Light Shaping Diffusers
Designed for recessed and suspended ceiling lights in commercial settings, the Lenticular Batwing Diffuser is a cost-effective, single-piece solution for spreading peak distribution while also eliminating hot spots and reducing glare.
TORRANCE, CA – December 5, Luminit LLC, a privately held, high technology company specializing in custom and standard holographic diffusers, is adding a Lenticular Batwing Diffuser (LBD) to its expanding line of products. Ideal for retail chains, offices spaces and other commercial environments with multiple recessed or suspended ceiling lights, LBD is a double-sided, single-film that includes an elliptical Light Shaping Diffuser on one side and a prismatic structure on the other. The unique design not only increases the light distribution of linear light fixtures but eliminates hotspots and reduces glare at the same time.
“We’re very pleased with the results of our new batwing diffuser,” notes Suleyman Turgut, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Luminit. “The design is a unique single-film that accomplishes critical light shaping goals but saves manufacturing costs and assembly time.”
According to Turgut, Luminit’s Lenticular Batwing Diffuser enables larger spacing ratios for fixtures but also allows designers and engineers to adjust hiding power without sacrificing lobe distribution. The film has a high transmission efficiency and a unique design that spreads the peak distribution away from the center, while eliminating hot spots and reducing glare for more aesthetic and human-centric lighting conditions.
Luminit’s Lenticular Batwing Diffuser can be integrated into linear recessed fixtures up to 8’ long, LED light panels, down lights, linear fixtures, hanging pendants and backlights, as well as luminaires. LBD is available in mini-roll tapes in custom widths, and designers can choose either a 60° x 30° or 60° x 10° diffusion angle. For more information or to request a free sample, email sales@luminitco.com
Luminit Announces Monolithic Glass Light Shaping Diffusers®
Luminit’s Light Shaping Diffusers are now available in a durable All-Glass version for high volume and low cost applications like laser and LED based light engines in conference room/movie projectors as well as general/entertainment lighting fixtures/projectors.
TORRANCE, CA – May 26, 2016 – Luminit LLC, a privately held, high technology company specializing in custom and standard holographic diffusers, introduces a new line of high volume and low-cost Light Shaping Diffusers at Display Week (booth #611). Available in angles from 1° up to 15°, Luminit’s new Monolithic Glass Light Shaping Diffusers can be mass produced at a low per piece cost and offer original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) a cost-effective path to improve beam quality of their light engines.
“Laser and LED light engines are extremely efficient and offer brighter images but beam quality can be a challenge due to inherent speckle and/or multiple light sources” notes Suleyman Turgut, VP of Sales & Marketing at Luminit. “Our new monolithic glass diffusers can be integrated at the design phase and help solve these issues with minimal addition to the bill of materials (BOM) and minimal impact to the system’s optical efficiency.”
Available in various shapes, the material composition of MG-LSD is entirely borofloat glass so there is no organic material that can degrade or outgas over time. The diffusers can endure temperatures up to 400° C, and provide light transmission between 91% -93% or 95%-98% with optional AR coating.
“Improving beam quality and reducing laser speckle is now possible at a very low cost,” concludes Turgut. “We’re excited about this new product and how it will enable our customers in the lighting and projector industries to provide more cost-effective solutions to their customers.”
Luminit is currently working with key customers and sampling is limited. For more information about Luminit’s Monolithic Glass Light Shaping Diffusers, contact sales@luminitco.com