# First Light Imaging

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{{Short description|French scientific camera company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox company
| name = First Light Imaging
| logo = First_Light_Imaging.jpg
| caption = 
| type = 
| traded_as = 
| genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| fate = 
| predecessor = 
| successor = 
| foundation = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| founder = David Boutolleau<br />Jean-Luc Gach<br />Philippe Feautrier<br />Eric Stadler
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city = Meyreuil
| location_country = France
| location = 
| locations = 
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = 
| industry = Scientific instrumentation
| products = 
| services = 
| revenue = 1-2M€
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| assets = 
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| owner = 
| num_employees = 10-15
| parent = 
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| subsid = First Light Imaging Corp.
| homepage = https://www.first-light-imaging.com
| footnotes = 
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}}
'''First Light Imaging''' is a French company headquartered in [Meyreuil](/source/Meyreuil) near to [Aix-en-Provence](/source/Aix-en-Provence), France. The company designs and manufactures scientific cameras for visible and infrared spectra based on [EMCCD](/source/EMCCD), [e-APD](/source/%3Aen%3AAvalanche_photodiode).<ref>{{cite web|title=Advances in Imaging: Electron-initiated APDs improve high-speed SWIR imaging|url=http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/print/volume-51/issue-09/features/advances-in-imaging-electron-initiated-apds-improve-high-speed-swir-imaging.html|website=www.laserfocusworld.com|access-date=2017-11-08}}</ref> and [InGaAs](/source/%3Aen%3AIndium_gallium_arsenide) technologies.

First Light Imaging's products are used to high-end scientific application such as [astronomy](/source/astronomy), [adaptive optics](/source/adaptive_optics), [biological imaging](/source/biological_imaging) and industry.

== History ==
The company, founded in 2011, is a spin-off of 3 French laboratories: [Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille](/source/Laboratoire_d'Astrophysique_de_Marseille) (LAM), [Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble](/source/Institut_de_Plan%C3%A9tologie_et_d'Astrophysique_de_Grenoble) (IPAG) and the [Haute-Provence Observatory](/source/Haute-Provence_Observatory) (OHP).

The [European Commission](/source/European_Commission) as part of the [Horizon 2020](/source/Horizon_2020) SME Instrument phase 2 has supported First Light Imaging for the development of C-RED One, an ultrafast low noise [short-wavelength infrared](/source/short-wavelength_infrared) commercial camera based on e-APD MCT technology.<ref>{{cite web|title=First Light Imaging Wins EC Grant to Develop IR Camera|url=https://www.photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=57318|access-date=2017-11-08}}</ref>

First Light Imaging is a member of several French competitiveness clusters: Optitec, Alpha-Route des Lasers and Opticsvalley.

First Light Imaging is also a member of [Aix-Marseille French Tech](/source/French_Tech).<ref>{{cite web|title=First Light Imaging, Aix-marseille French Tech|url=https://amft.io/startup/first-light-imaging/|website=amft.io|date=8 January 2023 }}</ref>

In January 2016, First Light Imaging created a US subsidiary located in [San Francisco, California](/source/San_Francisco).

10 January 2024, First Light Imaging is acquired by [Oxford Instruments](/source/Oxford_Instruments).

== Products ==
First Light Imaging designs and manufactures high speed and low noise scientific cameras for both visible and infrared spectra. 
 
* OCAM² is an ultrafast low noise camera, coming from a transfer of know-how from French laboratories and leading to the creation of the company. OCAM² is operating on the visible wavelength (from 400 to 900&nbsp;nm) and based on an EMCCD sensor from [E2V](/source/E2v) / [Teledyne](/source/Teledyne_Technologies).<ref>{{cite web|title=Teledyne e2v wins CCD contract for world's largest telescope camera {{!}} Imaging and Machine Vision Europe|url=https://www.imveurope.com/news/teledyne-e2v-wins-ccd-contract-worlds-largest-telescope-camera|website=www.imveurope.com|language=en|access-date=2017-11-08}}</ref> A version with an electronic shutter embedded is also available.
* C-RED One is a scientific camera operating on the short-wave infrared wavelength (from 0.8 to 2.5&nbsp;μm) based on a e-APD MCT sensor from [LEONARDO](/source/Leonardo_S.p.A.).
* C-RED 2 is a scientific camera operating on the short-wave infrared wavelength (from 0.9 to 1.7&nbsp;μm) based on an InGaAs sensor from [SOFRADIR](/source/Sofradir).

First Light Imaging's cameras are used at the [Subaru Telescope](/source/Subaru_Telescope)<ref>{{cite web|title=First images with the new pyramid wavefront sensor|url=https://www.naoj.org/Projects/SCEXAO/06hotnews/index.html|website=Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics|date=October 2014|access-date=2017-11-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214182815/https://www.naoj.org/Projects/SCEXAO/06hotnews/index.html|archive-date=2017-12-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> in [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii); the [GranTeCan telescope](/source/Gran_Telescopio_Canarias)<ref>{{cite web|title=Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias - IAC - Divulgación|url=http://www.iac.es/divulgacion.php?op1=16&id=718|website=www.iac.es| date=19 December 2011 |language=es|access-date=2017-11-08}}</ref> in the [Canary Islands](/source/Canary_Islands); and the MIRC-X interferometry instrument on the [CHARA Telescope](/source/CHARA_array).<ref>{{cite web|title=C-Red One IR interferometer now operational at the CHARA telescope array|url=http://www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/2017/10/c-red-one-ir-interferometer-now-operational-at-the-chara-telescope-array.html|website=www.laserfocusworld.com|date=22 October 2017 |access-date=2017-11-08}}</ref>

Since 2014, First Light Imaging also brings its expertise to the [JPL NASA.](/source/Jet_Propulsion_Laboratory)<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=2014-05-19|title=First Light Imaging reconnue par la NASA|url=http://www.latribune.fr/regions/paca/20140519trib000830751/first-light-imaging-reconnue-par-la-nasa.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2017-03-11|website=La Tribune.fr|language=French}}</ref>

== Awards ==
2014: The French Newspaper [La Provence](/source/La_Provence) has rewarded First Light Imaging during its Economic Awards annual ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|title=Trophées de l'économie de La Provence, sept lauréats récompensés {{!}} CCIMP|url=https://www.ccimp.com/actualite/entreprises/30377-trophees-leconomie-provence-sept-laureats-recompenses|website=www.ccimp.com|language=fr|access-date=2017-11-03|archive-date=2017-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214184644/https://www.ccimp.com/actualite/entreprises/30377-trophees-leconomie-provence-sept-laureats-recompenses|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=trophées Entreprendre FIRST LIGHT IMAGING {{!}} Initiatives TV|url=http://www.initiatives.tv/trophees-entreprendre-first-light-imaging|website=www.initiatives.tv|access-date=2017-11-03|archive-date=2017-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214183026/http://www.initiatives.tv/trophees-entreprendre-first-light-imaging|url-status=dead}}</ref>

2015: First Light Imaging's founder Jean-Luc Gach was rewarded on January 13 with the Crystal Medal of the [CNRS](/source/Centre_national_de_la_recherche_scientifique) among 16 people. This medal honors very innovative engineers and technicians who contribute to French Research Excellency.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jean-Luc Gach a reçu la médaille de Cristal du CNRS - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers - Institut Pythéas|url=https://www.osupytheas.fr/?Jean-Luc-Gach-a-recu-la-medaille|website=www.osupytheas.fr|language=fr|access-date=2017-11-03}}</ref>

2016: First light Imaging won the [Prism Awards for Photonics Innovation](/source/Prism_Awards_for_Photonics_Innovation) in the "Imaging and Cameras" category, for the development of C-RED One. The Prism Awards is a leading international competition, organized by [SPIE](/source/SPIE) and [Photonics Media](/source/Photonics_Media)<ref>{{cite web|title=SPIE Professional: Prism Awards Honor 9 innovative products|url=https://spie.org/membership/spie-professional-magazine/spie-professional-archives-and-special-content/2016_april_archive/2016-prism-awards-9-winners|website=spie.org|access-date=2017-11-08}}</ref>

==Acquisition==

On 10 January 2024, it was announced that [Oxford Instruments](/source/Oxford_Instruments) acquired First Light Imaging.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oxford Instruments acquires First Light Imaging SAS |url=https://www.oxinst.com/news/oxford-instruments-acquires-first-light-imaging-sas/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Oxford Instruments |language=en}}</ref> 

== References ==
<references />

Category:French companies established in 2011
Category:Optics manufacturing companies

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [First Light Imaging](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Light_Imaging) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Light_Imaging?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.