Apple Awards $410 Million to Face ID and LiDAR Scanner Supplier II-VI

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Apple today announced it has awarded $410 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to Pennsylvania-based II-VI, a manufacturer of optical technology.

apple adv manufacturing fund ii vi hero 05052021 big
The funds will help create additional capacity and accelerate delivery of future iPhone components, supporting more than 700 jobs in Sherman, Texas; Warren, New Jersey; Easton, Pennsylvania; and Champaign, Illinois, according to Apple.

II-VI manufactures vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that help power Face ID, along with lasers for the LiDAR Scanner:

II-VI manufactures vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that help power Face ID, Memoji, Animoji, and Portrait mode selfies. Apple also works with II-VI to manufacture lasers used in the LiDAR Scanner — technology that helps deliver faster, more realistic augmented reality experiences and improves autofocus in low-light scenes in photos and videos.

"We established Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund to support American businesses creating next-generation technology and the jobs of tomorrow," said Apple COO Jeff Williams. "II-VI shares our commitment to push the boundaries of innovation and we're proud to be extending our work together across the country."

Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund already awarded $390 million to optical supplier Finisar in 2017, and that company has since been acquired by II-VI.

Tag: Advanced Manufacturing Fund

Top Rated Comments

DanTSX Avatar
DanTSX
23 months ago
Apple Investing in USA. Love it.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
totom_ Avatar
totom_
23 months ago
Maybe II-IV could use some of these funds to come up with a better name.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Razorpit Avatar
Razorpit
23 months ago

Maybe II-IV could use some of these funds to come up with a better name.
The name II-VI Incorporated is a reference to the groups II and VI in the periodic table ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Periodic_table'), since the company started its business by producing cadmium telluride ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Cadmium_telluride') consisting of cadmium ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Cadmium') which belongs to group II and tellurium ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Tellurium') which belongs to group VI.

Early on they alloyed ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Alloy') it with mercury ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Mercury_(element)') to make an infrared detector ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Infrared_detector') material (HgCdTe ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Mercury(II)_cadmium(II)_telluride')). CdTe alloyed with a small amount of zinc ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Zinc') makes an excellent solid-state X-ray ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/X-ray') and gamma ray ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Gamma_ray') detector (CdZnTe ('https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/page/mobile-html/Cadmium_zinc_telluride')).

The above was copied and pasted from Wiki, but I‘ve known of this company since the mid 90’s.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GuruZac Avatar
GuruZac
23 months ago
Awesome news. Love to see the work done in the US.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
robinp Avatar
robinp
23 months ago
This kind of hardware is going to be essential for a number of products:
- faceID on macs
- AR headset / glasses
- car

Of course they only mention iPhone, but lidar seems like it will be heading to many more Apple products beyond iPhone and iPad.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Razorpit Avatar
Razorpit
23 months ago
As a current owner of Apple and II-IV, I approve! ?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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