TRW Inc. of Cleveland has announced that it will purchase Cutting Edge Optronics Inc. and its laser diode operation in Industrial Microphotonics Co., both in St. Charles, Mo., for $19 million in cash and the assumption of $5 million in debt. Under terms of the agreement, Cutting Edge would become a wholly owned subsidiary of TRW and remain headquartered at its current facility.

TRW said the deal will expand its line of extreme-ultraviolet light sources for semiconductor lithography. Cutting Edge's product line of solid-state and semiconductor lasers will remain unchanged, and the company said its customers and vendors will continue to work with the same staff.