Qualcomm invests in wafer thin lens firm

San Diego-based chip manufacturer Qualcomm on Monday announced an investment in Dutch micro optics firm Anteryon. Based in Eindhoven, Anteryon designs and produces micro-optics and refractive-optics, enabling wafer-based production and integration of optics for miniature camera and laser projection modules.

Well, that’s what the announcement says. Anteryon is now privately owned after it was acquired from electronics firm Philips in 2006.

Qualcomm Ventures Europe, is partnering on funding with existing investors BNP Paribas Private Equity and Biggell Finance as well as new shareholder Quest for Growth. The investment funds will be used on Anteryon’s WaferOptics optical module production technology and the company’s Asia production facility expansion.

The firm’s WaferOptics technology handles the production of micro-optics for miniature camera and laser projection modules, enabling extensive miniaturization and cost saving on the same wafer format as the CMOS image sensor industry, which vastly simplifies the camera module supply chain.