OEwaves

About OEwaves

OEwaves, Inc., founded in 2000 by Dr. Lute Maleki and Julie Schoenfeld, operates from Pasadena, California, as a specialized manufacturer of microwave and photonic products. The company's business model focuses on translating advanced microwave photonic technologies from conceptual stages into market-ready products. These products serve a diverse client base across commercial, military, aviation, and space sectors. Revenue is generated through the sale of both standard and custom-engineered photonic solutions.

The company's origins are closely tied to the extensive research background of its founder, Dr. Lute Maleki. Before establishing OEwaves, Maleki was a Senior Research Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where he led the Quantum Sciences and Technologies Group. His work at JPL on atomic clocks, ultra-stable photonic oscillators, and whispering gallery mode (WGM) micro-resonators laid the technical foundation for OEwaves. Co-founder Julie Schoenfeld served as the initial CEO and brought entrepreneurial experience from previous ventures like Net Effect and Perfect Market. A significant milestone for the company was the spin-off of Strobe, a LiDAR company co-founded by Maleki in 2014, which was subsequently acquired by GM/Cruise in 2017.

OEwaves' core product portfolio is built upon two primary technologies: the opto-electronic oscillator (OEO) and the Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) optical resonator. These technologies are the basis for a range of products including ultra-narrow linewidth lasers, RF and microwave oscillators, and laser noise measurement systems. The ultra-narrow linewidth laser modules, for instance, utilize a WGM micro-resonator to achieve low phase and frequency noise, making them suitable for applications like LIDAR, optical sensing, and metrology. The company also offers integrated laser systems that combine multiple components to enhance reliability and save space for clients. Furthermore, OEwaves provides test and measurement systems, such as the OE4000 Optical Phase Noise Analyzer, which allows for detailed characterization of laser sources without needing a second reference laser. These products are critical for next-generation communications, sensors, radar, and quantum technologies.