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Tucson is often referred to as "Optics Valley" because of its high concentration of highly visible optics-related companies and the large talent pool that has located here.
Benchmark data collected in 2001 suggests that while cluster membership is predominantly from small companies, optics revenue in Tucson alone may account for over $600 million and more than 1400 jobs. The optics cluster encompass around 200 entities, 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
- 150 local companies
- 4,573 employees in Pima County
- $650 million in revenues
(source: Arizona Optics Industry Association, 2006, Arizona Daily Star, 2006)
Major Employers
(source: Book of Lists, 2008)
Education
- 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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