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Tucson is often referred to as "Optics Valley" because of its high concentration of optics-related companies and the large talent pool that has located here. A key component of the optics strength in Tucson is the University of Arizona’s research and development efforts in this field.
The optics cluster represents a broad range of products and services, including optical design and engineering, fiber optic components for telecommunications, lasers and semiconductors, metrology instrumentation, high volume precision plastic optics, telescopes, and optical coatings/thin films.
Proximity to the Mexican border and an active relationship with Canada’s optics leaders have added to Southern Arizona’s market position.
Optics Industry Highlights
Tucson and Southern Arizona
Arizona optics and nanotechnology at a glance
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68 percent of firms are in Pima County and 28 percent are in Maricopa County.
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25,535 people are employed in Arizona's optics industry.
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Local optics companies employ an average of 25 people each.
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The Arizona optics industry has annual revenue of more than $2 billion.
Source: AZ Daily Star, 2008; Arizona Optics Industry Association
Major Employers
(source: Book of Lists, 2011)
Education
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The University of Arizona offers through the College of Optical Science BS, MS, and PhD programs focus on providing students with a broad education in all areas of optics and on educating students with practical experience and competitive technical skills.
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Photo courtesy
The University of Arizona
Quick Facts:
Pima County accounts for about 60 percent of state jobs in optics.
Around 30 percent of the optics workforce is comprised of engineers.
Within 100 kilometers of Tucson, there are more square centimeters of astronomical glass pointed out toward the universe -- including the recent $80 million Mount Graham International Observatory -- than at any other location on earth.
The vast data storage capacity of today’s high-density optical disk drives is possible because of technologies pioneered in Optics Valley.
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