CILAS is a French
company, a subsidiary of
Ariane Group, specialized in
laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fi ...
and
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultrav ...
technology, founded in 1966. This high-technology engineering company was the inventor of the
particle size analyzer. Today, it develops, manufactures and produces systems combining
laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fi ...
and precision
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultrav ...
in the field of high technology, accounting. Products for the
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
represent 50% of turnover against 50% civilian.
History
This company was founded in 1966 by two companies : CGE (Compagnie Generale d'Électricité becoming
Alcatel Alcatel may refer to:
* Alcatel, a former French telecommunications equipment company, which became Alcatel-Lucent and is now part of Nokia
* Alcatel Mobile, a brand of mobile phones, tablets and wearables, formerly a joint venture between Alcatel ...
-
Alsthom
Alstom SA is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer operating worldwide in rail transport markets, active in the fields of passenger transportation, signalling, and locomotives, with products including the AGV, TGV, Eurostar, Avelia ...
) and
Saint-Gobain
Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. () is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris and headquartered on the outskirts of Paris, at La Défense and in Courbevoie. Originally a mirror manufacturer, it now also produces a variety of ...
. The aim was to exploit industrially and commercially the work of laboratories working on
laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fi ...
sources and laser equipment.
In 1983, it became CILAS-
Alcatel Alcatel may refer to:
* Alcatel, a former French telecommunications equipment company, which became Alcatel-Lucent and is now part of Nokia
* Alcatel Mobile, a brand of mobile phones, tablets and wearables, formerly a joint venture between Alcatel ...
. In 1985, it was absorbed by two companies of optics : SORO Electro-Optics and BBT (Barbier Bernard and Turenne).
Alcatel Alcatel may refer to:
* Alcatel, a former French telecommunications equipment company, which became Alcatel-Lucent and is now part of Nokia
* Alcatel Mobile, a brand of mobile phones, tablets and wearables, formerly a joint venture between Alcatel ...
withdraws its laser activities in 1989, resulting in a change of ownership. In early 1990, the capital is divided between three companies,
CEA Industries (now
Areva), SAT and Unilaser Holding (Aerospace Group). CILAS-Alcatel becomes CILAS.
Meanwhile, from late 1989, the Unilaser group also acquired the Optronics Division of Alcatel Marcoussis laboratories and named it Laserdot. Unilaser now gather Quantel, LISA, CILAS and Laserdot.
From this moment, Laserdot and CILAS collaborate on joint projects. Laserdot is more oriented toward research and development whereas CILAS toward industrialization and production.
In 1994, SAT withdraws CILAS' capital and shares of the two remaining shareholders passed to 57% for Unilaser and 43% for CEA Industry. On September 1, 1995, CILAS and Laserdot are merged into a single entity which retains the name CILAS.
Defence and security
Cilas develops and manufactures different products in the field of defence and security. It offers laser designators, counter-snipers optical sight systems detectors, rangefinders, airborne laser sources and shipborne helicopters landing aids.
References
The M4 adaptive unit for the E-ELT B Crepy, 2009
Multifunction laser source for ground and airborne applications B Crepy, 4th International Symposium on Optronics in Defence and security in Paris, 2010
Mechanism of the liquid-phase sintering for Nd:YAG ceramics R. Bouleisteix, A. Maître, J-F. Baumard, C. Sallé, Y. Rabinovitch, 2008 (elsevier)
Five factors to consider when choosing a particle size analyzer Nicolas Marchet, PBE/I, 2010
Conference ceramics department - Optro 2010 Y. Rabinovitch, 2010
Progress on the laser source for DIRCM presented for the 4th International Symposium on Optronics in Defence and security in Paris (2010) B, Crépy, 2009
Stand-off biological detection by lif (laser induced fluorescence) lidar - Optro 2010 O. Meyer, 2010
Temperature insensitive laser for very compact designation function on small platforms - Optro 2010 J. Montagne, 2010
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cilas
Optics manufacturing companies
Technology companies of France
Laser companies
Articles containing video clips