"Extreme" Engineering Innovation Launches High-tech Firm

An idea born in the labs of Ohio Eminent Scholar Andrew Steckl led to the birth of Cincinnati's newest high-tech company -- Extreme Photonix.

The company was started by Steckl, Gieringer Professor of Solid State Microelectronics in the electrical and computer engineering and computer science department. Research Corporation Technologies (RCT) of Tuscon, Ariz., recently announced it would support the company's research and development so prototype products can be made.

Steckl and his graduate students first demonstrated about three years ago that rare earth elements such as erbium and europium could be added to gallium nitride to create colorful displays. Over time, they were able to create a wide spectrum of colors, more than matching what you can see on TV.

"Our devices can generate all primary and mixed colors and are brighter with a wider field of view than is currently possible with active matrix LCD technology," said Steckl. "Displays made of this material are rugged, temperature independent and can be viewed outdoors under ambient light conditions."

Because the technology has many potential uses from flat panel displays for High-Definition television (HDTV) to improved screens for personal digital assistants, Steckl's research attracted quick attention from investors. It also made a lightning quick jump from discovery to application.

"It was about three years from the first discovery to the point where we started Extreme Photonix. For a technology development, that's surprisingly short," noted Steckl.

Extreme Photonix is housed in BioStart, the UC-supported incubator on East Campus. The company has just one employee right now, but Steckl says he couldn't ask for a better one. He's Jason Heikenfeld, who recently earned his doctoral degree in Steckl's lab. "He could have gone anywhere in the country," said Steckl. "He's extremely productive, but he made the big leap of faith to join me."

"The display technology should be pursued to it's fullest potential," said Heikenfeld. I believe that Dr. Steckl and I form an ideal team in terms of previous experience with the technology and general excitement towards bringing the technology to market."

Steckl's biggest dream is not just to see Extreme Photonix succeed. He wants to see Cincinnati develop as a national photonics hub in the same way Austin, Texas and Silicon Valley grew.

"To provide jobs in high tech for students who graduate from UC...that's the main goal and would be our major accomplishment," said Steckl. "If that happened, I could declare myself a winner and go home."

Steckl warns that it would be a mistake to expect an overnight success. He said Silicon Valley took decades to develop, but Stanford University was a key catalyst. So, he sees UC playing a key role in Cincinnati's high-tech development. He credits BioStart and Emerging Concepts with making it possible for university researchers to commercialize their discoveries.

"It's extremely beneficial for people to have this outlet to test the waters. The people at BioStart have been very helpful. They're very close to campus. They're very supportive, and you're rubbing shoulders with peers. I'm learning a lot."

To complete the picture, Steckl says Cincinnati needs a high-tech research park within walking distance of campus. "It's absolutely critical," he emphasized.

Over the next three years, Extreme Photonix will develop prototype products based on Steckl's discoveries. At the end of the three years, company officials will know which product has the best chance of making it to market.

Steckl said the support of RCT will be invaluable in the coming months and years. "I've been very impressed with them. They've had a long-standing relationship with UC and a photonics interest as well. They really understand what's going on in science and business."