2017
- Recertification DIN EN ISO 9001:2015
- Extension of BeamTuning product range with beam shapers a|TopShape and a|AiryShape
- asphericon introduces the first aspheric Fizeau transmission sphere a|FizeriC
- Investment in measuring instruments (e.g. MarOpto TWI 60)
- Expansion of production area at Jena site by 1,800 sqm
2016
- leading participation in the publication of DIN ISO 10110-19 (Characterisation of feeform optics)
- 15th company anniversary
- participation in the “Day of Photonics”
- introduction of high-precision mounted aspheres and axicons
- asphericon offers employment to 150 people by the end of the year
2015
- Expansion of production and measuring capacities
- Investment in new ultrasonic cleaning unit
- asphericon presents live experiment at Highlights of Physics
- Electric cars and charge stations added to the asphericon fleet
- Introduction of the SPATM Beam Expander 355nm
2014
- Recertification DIN EN ISO 9001:2008
- DIN Innovationspreis 2014
- Implementation of asphericon Ångström polish
- Expansion of capacities in High-End Finishing
- Development of a new production process for CaF2 aspheres
- Involvement in the research project ‘Freeform Optics Plus (fo+)’
2013
- New distribution partnership for Japanese market
- Presentation of the world’s first monolithic beam expander
- Diamond-turning technology enables IR-based asphere production
- asphericon introduces ultra-precise machine technology to process plastic aspheres
- Foundation of asphericon Inc. – a milestone in serving the North American market
2012
- Start of the expansion to double the production capacity
- Extension of our SPATM product range with the new UV asphere A25-25 FPX
- asphericon ION FinishTM technology now enables precision of λ/600 RMS for plane surfaces
- Grows to 70 employees by the end of the year
2011
- asphericon is celebrating its anniversary – 10 years of ‘making the difference in optics’
- New company headquarter with about 5.000 sqm
- Technological innovation “asphericon ION-Finish” wins Industry Award 2011 in the category “Optical Technology”
- asphericon donates two Germany-scholarships for the University of Applied Sciences in Jena
- Grows to 50 employees by the end of the year
2010
- Launch of asphericon’s ION-Finish, an ion-based processing of complex surfaces
- Offering coating services
- asphericon welcomes the new sales representative Mr. Masanori Okawa for Japan
- asphericon receives the IQ-Innovation Prize of the City of Jena
- Start of the new optical design department
2009
- Recertification ISO EN 9001:2000
- Introduction of the new line asphericon SPA™ UV-grade fused silica
- Precision aspheres now available starting with 1 mm Diameter
- Extended partnership with Thorlabs
- Finishing a large investment programm (machinery, measuring instruments)
- Grows to 35 employees by the end of the year
2008
- ISO EN 9001:2000 certified
- Development and marketability of asphericon SPATM Acylinders
- asphericon successfully finished its investments
- 35% growth in sales
- 5 years production of aspheres
- First trainee adopted, three trainees in apprenticeship
- Over 250 customers worldwide
- Grows to 33 employees by the end of the year
2007
- Webshop for off-the-shelf-optics asphericon SPATM aspheres and axicons
- asphericon SPATM available in diffraction limited designs and for increased focal length
- Opening of a branch in Pretoria/South Africa with the company Saetra Ltd. and in Israel with the company OR-YAM Optronics Ltd.
- More than 180 customers worldwide
- Grows to 30 employees by the end of the year
2006
- First participation at Photonex in Coventry/UK
- First manufacturing of aspheric cylinders
- Purchase of an ultrasonic cleaning system with 10 cleaning tanks
- More than 12.000 produced aspheres
- More than 90 customers worldwide
- Grows to 24 employees by the end of the year
2005
- First participation at Photonics West in San Jose/California and at Laser in Munich
- First manufacturing of Off-Axis-Mirrors and axicons
- Relocation of the production facility to a larger site in Jena
- Purchase of new, state-of-the-art measurement tools
- First apprentice for precision optics
- Opening of a branch in Orlando/Florida with the company AgilTek
- More than 60 customers worldwide
- Grows to 18 employees by the end of the year
2004
- First free form suitable manufacturing of aspheres with a precision below 25nm RMS
- Expansion of production capacity in Erfurt
- First participation in a foreign exhibition (Paris)
- First manufacturing of parabolic reflectors
- First major order for the production of 14.000 precision aspheres
- Grows to 11 employees by the end of the year
2003
- IGB in Magdeburg partly finances asphericon
- Participation in BMWI’s Futour program
- Building a aspheres production facility in the TMZ Erfurt
- First manufacturing of aspheric lenses with aspheric profiles on both sides
- Manufacturing of aspheres made of titanium and silicon
- Manufacturing of the first aspheres made of germanium and quartz
- Grows to 6 employees by the end of the year
2002
- Lambda technology GmbH changed its corporate name to asphericon GmbH
- Award winner at the Start-Up-Company competition Hesse-Thuringia in 2002 and participation in 10 best nationwide Start-Up-Companies
- First participation in the OptaTec in Frankfurt
- Award winner of the Thuringian Innovation Award in 2002
- Member of the association OptoNet e.V.
- Grows to 5 employees by the end of the year
1995 - 2001
- Research paper by Sven Kiontke explaining the “Process for handling of rotationally symmetric functional surfaces”
- First patent application “Process for handling of rotationally symmetric functional surfaces”
- Thesis by Sven Kiontke on the conditioning of aspheres
- Formation of the lambda technology GmbH on May 17th 2001 in Jena with two employees
- Won the 1st, the 2nd and a special award at the Thuringian Business plan competition