ORLANDO, Fla., March 13, 2006 -- New Wave Research, a Freemont, Calif.-based manufacturer of laser and laser-based systems for laser ablation, PIV (particle image velocimetry) and semiconductor manufacturing, and Ocean Optics, a maker of electro-optical assemblies, optical fibers and precision optics, announced a partnership yesterday to develop and manufacture a new line of advanced laser-induced-breakdown spectrometers (LIBS). The companies said the partnership was forged after a successful collaboration on the LIBS-Elite, a high-speed, turnkey LIBS system that incorporates Ocean Optics' HR2000 high-resolution fiber-optic spectrometers and New Wave Research’s Universal Platform series laser ablation products. The system provides real time, high-resolution spectral analysis of elements in a variety of materials, including: metals, biological tissues, soils, optics, semiconductors and gems. The LIBS-Elite was the first laser-induced-breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) system to result from the collaboration between New Wave Research and Ocean Optics. The companies are teaming up to create a new LIBS line.The companies said their partnership will provide customers with the latest technological advances in the field of LIBS analysis. "Bringing together the leaders in both laser ablation and optical sensing will have a very positive impact on LIBS instrumentation and subsequently the LIBS community of users, researchers and developers," said Mike Morris, president of Ocean Optics. "The LIBS-Elite represents the most advanced LIBS platform in the world." "We have everything in place to sell, service and support our full range of laser-ablation, PIV and semiconductor-manufacturing systems," said New Wave Research CEO Pei Hsien Fang. "Adding LIBS systems into the mix is the next logical step." For more information, visit: www.new-wave.com or www.OceanOptics.com