Advanced Photonix Opens Semiconductor Fab

Advanced Photonix Inc. announced it has opened its new multimillion dollar, 5000-sq-ft microfabrication facility for R&D and manufacturing of optoelectronic semiconductors in Ann Arbor, Mich. The facility consolidates the company's microfabrication operations, including its California and Wisconsin cleanrooms, at the site of its wholly owned subsidiary, Picometrix LLC. (See also: API Moves Microfab Ops to Michigan). Michigan provided a business tax credit, approved by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), valued at more than $1.1 million over 10 years, and Ann Arbor provided a personal property tax abatement of as much as $94,000 over a five-year abatement period. According to a University of Michigan economic analysis, the project is expected to generate more than $44.2 million in personal income for Michigan workers over the life of the tax credit and to create 105 direct and indirect jobs over a 10-year period. Advanced Photonics, based in Ann Arbor, makes optoelectronic photodetector components, subsystems and systems -- including terahertz instrumentation -- for telecommunications, medical, military, industrial and homeland security markets.