CMC is a leading supplier of optoelectronics products and custom microelectronics hybrids for defense, aerospace, and precision industry markets. Our strategic approach ensures the design, manufacturing, and qualification of complex hybrid microcircuits and electro-optical devices.
At CMC Electronics, our optoelectronics capabilities are shaped by a commitment to vertical integration, precision craftsmanship, and collaborative flexibility. We want to collaborate with you to ensure mission-critical success in even the harshest environment with the most advanced optoelectronics on the market.
Keep reading to find answers to common questions covering everything from production workflows and supply chain strategy to lead times, quality assurance, and design options.
CMC operates a vertically integrated production model for optoelectronics hybrid modules. Thick film design, ceramic design, packaging, placement, sealing, testing, and qualification efforts are executed in-house.
We maintain a strong relationship with multiple suppliers for each component and practice dual sourcing wherever possible to ensure reliability and scalability for our customers.
Typical lead times vary depending on complexity, but CMC prioritizes rapid delivery: first samples are often available soon after order receipt. Standard COTS parts can be quickly adapted to meet customer specifications, while more complex developments may take longer. To minimize delays, we maintain stock of critical parts and leverage our long-standing experience supporting military and aerospace programs to accelerate development whenever possible.
CMC enforces rigorous quality control through visual checks, incoming and outgoing inspections, and strict adherence to the highest MIL standards for assembly, screening, and qualification. Our proven screening processes and specifications ensure reliable design and production workflows, a commitment reflected in our extremely low return rates.
CMC is well-positioned to support custom builds, having produced multiple units for evaluation. We entertain both low-volume and high-volume design reviews and production for well-qualified customers and programs! Our customer philosophy? We believe in co-development that starts with catalog offerings and evolves based on your specific needs.
Below are frequently asked questions that highlight the technical strengths and operational benefits of CMC’s optoelectronic solutions.
We design and manufacture high-performance optoelectronic components tailored to operate reliably in extreme environments for your defense and aerospace applications. Optoelectronics truly permeates our daily lives; thus, CMC Electronics also supports commercial, industrial, automotive, robotic, and medical platforms.
These end-to-end solutions are engineered to deliver precision sensing, targeting, sensing and communication capabilities.
CMC’s next-gen optoelectronic systems offer superior bandwidth, faster response times, and enhanced sensitivity to light-based signals. They can operate effectively in low-light or high-interference environments, making them ideal for applications such as laser targeting, infrared remote sensing, and secure optical communications.
Hermetic sealing protects internal components from moisture, dust, and corrosive gases, ensuring long-term reliability. Low-noise detection circuitry enhances signal clarity, especially in low-light or high-interference environments. Susceptibility to EMI and other interference are significantly reduced when fully enclosed within a hermetic transistor-outline (TO) can. Alternative packaging options are possible for different markets.
InGaAs detectors are highly sensitive to short-wave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths, used in conjunction with 1550 nm eye-safe pulsed laser diodes, they can allow detection of targets at longer ranges than traditional Silicon and 905 nm lasers, with reduced negative impact of environmental background light.
While quadrant PINs can be used to locate and validate laser targeting and spot tracking, APDs are used to amplify weak optical signals reflected from targets through internal gain mechanisms. Careful design and selection of APDs enables CMC to get much closer to an ideal electrical amplifier, represented by the Excess Noise Factor (F), in contrast to using only a PIN photodiode with an external transimpedance Amplifier (TIA) operating at a much larger gain. APD hybrid receiver designs reduce the impact of amplified shot noise and picked-up interferences due to longer signal paths on traditional PCBs or CCAs.
CMC, by integrating the amplification within the same TO-can, can detect much lower signal levels, as evidenced by the reported noise equivalent power (NEP), deliver extremely fast active recovery from overload, and very high responsivity.
CMC’s optoelectronic modules are built to meet MIL-STD environmental specifications and are heavily influenced by our heritage in supporting microelectronics circuits MIL-PRF-38534 Class H standards.
We have experience in screening for thermal cycling, mechanical shock, and vibration, and can partner with customers for further screening requirements due to specific mission profiles (high incident light flux, radiation, etc.).
Key metrics include:
These metrics help validate system performance under operational conditions.
With expertise in supporting microelectronics circuits up to MIL-PRF-38534 Class H, CMC’s optoelectronics hybrid detectors also demonstrate the same focus on high-reliability and performance, as validated by the very low-noise InGaAs Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs) or quadrant PIN detectors with advanced packaging, additional signal conditioning features and packaging options.
These detectors have been engineered to cover the full range of very high responsiveness (up to 100 MV/W), with extremely low NEP, and bandwidths up to 450 MHz.
CMC can go beyond standard COTS components to optimize performance and capture every possible photon.
