Advanced Optical Technologies

Advanced Optical Technologies (AOT) is a privately held American photonics company headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Brian Hoover, AOT develops multi-dimensional micro- and nano-structural material characterization, mapping, and assessment technologies, along with custom sensors for defense and commercial customers. The company operates from a 5,000-square-foot facility at the Sandia Science & Technology Park in southeast Albuquerque, which includes 3,500 square feet of modern laser laboratories, a 225-square-foot clean room, and a 68-foot indoor laser range. AOT's core expertise lies in optical metrology and machine-learning algorithms that power innovative photonic products for manufacturing, defense, space, and additive technologies. Its patented CrystalView Crystallographic Polarization-Classification Imaging (CPCI) provides crystallographic orientation images in air at high speeds with less surface polishing and over larger areas than traditional EBSD methods. The company also offers registered-channel multiplexers (RCM) that switch probe states at video rates, enabling multi-channel polarization video for applications in lidar, free-space laser communication, high-speed remote sensing, microscopy, and material processing. Field polarimeters, metrology instruments such as scatterometers, fluorometers, microscopes, interferometers, and autocollimators, and optical signature databases round out its product portfolio. AOT provides measurement services spanning from laboratory to field, offering complete polarization signatures of samples at various wavelengths with better than 1% overall elemental error in measured Mueller matrices. Its crystallographic non-destructive testing service, CrystalView CPCI, visualizes material microstructural properties correlated with failure and corrosion probabilities in high-strength and high-performance parts for aerospace, architectural, automotive, energy, and medical applications. The company also offers material characterization services and optical signature databases for specular or diffuse reflection or transmission. AOT spent its initial 12 years on an Air Force base, gaining extensive experience with optical- and laser-based material characterization and sensor development. In 2016, the company relocated several laser laboratories it had helped build to a new commercial facility and expanded. Malini Hoover took over as CEO and streamlined operations to serve a larger variety of markets and customers. AOT operates under NAICS codes including 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), 541330 (Engineering Services), 541380 (Testing Laboratories), 541713 (Research and Development in Nanotechnology), and 927110 (Space Research and Technology).

Advanced Optical Technologies (AOT) was founded in 2004 by Dr. Brian Hoover, following his PhD from the renowned optics program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and several years with a small defense contractor. The company spent its initial 12 years on an Air Force base, where it gained intense experience with a variety of optical- and laser-based material characterization and sensor development. In 2016, AOT seized the opportunity to relocate several laser laboratories it had helped build to a new commercial facility and expand. Malini Hoover took over as CEO and streamlined operations to serve a larger variety of markets and customers. The company is now headquartered at the Sandia Science & Technology Park in SE Albuquerque, New Mexico, operating from a 5,000-square-foot facility that includes 3,500 square feet of modern laser laboratories, a 225-square-foot clean room, and a 68-foot indoor laser range. AOT is a privately held, woman-owned S-Corp.

• 2016

  AOT relocated several laser laboratories to a new commercial facility and expanded; Malini Hoover became CEO.

• 2004

  AOT founded by Dr. Brian Hoover.

AOT positions itself as a provider of patented innovative photonics for multi-dimensional material characterization, mapping, and assessment, with a focus on defense and commercial sensor solutions.

• CrystalView CPCI

  Patented Crystallographic Polarization-Classification Imaging that provides crystallographic orientation images in air at high speeds with less surface polishing and over larger areas than EBSD.

• Registered Channel Multiplexer (RCM)

  Switches probe states at video rates, enabling multi-channel polarization video for lidar, free-space laser communication, high-speed remote sensing, microscopy, and material processing.

• Field Polarimeters

  Patented field polarimeters that classify materials in real time using measured material signatures and advanced classifiers.

• Metrology Instruments

  Custom metrology instruments including scatterometers, fluorometers, microscopes, interferometers, and autocollimators.

• Optical Signature Databases

  Databases offering quality and accuracy for specular or diffuse reflection or transmission.

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