QED Optics Awarded Contract by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy


Rochester, NY, Jan. 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QED Technologies (QED), pioneer and provider of Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF®) polishing and Subaperture Stitching Interferometry (SSI®) metrology platforms for the precision optics industry, announces that the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) has awarded QED Optics a contract to manufacture precision optics for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST).

QED Optics will manufacture a significant portion of the precision optics and assemblies that constitute the telescope's Wavefront Correction System (WCS).  The WCS compensates for turbulence in the earth's atmosphere that causes image distortion.  Correction of the distortion is critical to ensure sharp, precise telescopic images.

"The Wavefront Correction System is a key element of the telescope, responsible for delivering a diffraction-limited light beam to the DKIST instruments," said Erik Johansson, Project Manager, Wavefront Correction System.  "Its proper operation and performance are fundamental to the DKIST meeting its basic science objectives.  AURA selected QED because they demonstrated their ability to manage the entire manufacturing process and to deliver on time and on budget."

"We are excited to be part of this important project," said Mike DeMarco, Business Manager of QED Optics.  "AURA is a great partner and the demands of the project fit perfectly with QED Optics' capabilities, from high precision finishing of optics to turnkey manufacturing."

ABOUT QED TECHNOLOGIES

Since it was founded in 1996, QED Technologies, based in Rochester, NY, has built a reputation for producing high quality products based on revolutionary, patented technology, advanced computer numerical control machines and world-class software to provide shop-ready solutions for nearly any precision optics manufacturing need. QED offers state-of-the-art finishing and metrology solutions that are designed to meet the needs of advanced optics manufacturers by increasing production speed and yield while decreasing costs. QED is dedicated to providing revolutionary technical solutions that enable or significantly enhance its customers' capabilities and positively impact their bottom line.  In 2011, QED Technologies established QED Optics.  QED Optics offers precision optics polishing, metrology and turnkey manufacturing services on a contract basis.  QED Technologies is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cabot Microelectronics Corporation (NASDAQ:CCMP).  For more information about QED Technologies, visit www.qedmrf.com or contact Robin Townell, Marketing Manager, at (585) 256-6540 ext. 241.

ABOUT CABOT MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATION

Cabot Microelectronics Corporation, headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, is the world's leading supplier of CMP polishing slurries and a growing CMP pad supplier to the semiconductor industry.  The company's products play a critical role in the production of advanced semiconductor devices, enabling the manufacture of smaller, faster and more complex devices by its customers.  The company's mission is to create value by developing reliable and innovative solutions, through close customer collaboration, that solve today's challenges and help enable tomorrow's technology.  The company has approximately 1,050 employees on a global basis.  For more information about Cabot Microelectronics Corporation, visit www.cabotcmp.com or contact Trisha Tuntland, Director of Investor Relations at 630-499-2600.

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