Leaders in Optical Measurement Technology for over 45 years

Photon Kinetics (PK) designs and manufactures high-performance testing solutions for the optical fiber and cable manufacturing industry. Established in Beaverton, Oregon, and now trusted by optical fiber and cable manufacturers across the globe, our systems are renowned for setting new benchmarks for quality, reliability, and reducing the cost of measurement. 

Our History

  • 1979

    Photon Kinetics is founded

    Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR USA) and York Technology (Southampton, UK; Princeton, NJ USA) are founded. Both offer the first commercial testing solutions for the optical fiber manufacturing industry.

  • 1980

    De facto industry standards

    The industry leaders establish de facto industry standards: York P10X Preform Analyzers, S14 Fiber Refractive Index Profiler, S18 Chromatic Dispersion System, Photon Kinetics 2200 and 2500 Fiberl Analysis Systems, 2400 Fiber Geometry System, 6500 OTDR.

  • 1995

    The two biggest industry leaders connect

    Having led the industry for over a decade, Photon Kinetics and York Technology merge to form the undisputed leader in the optical fiber test industry.

  • 1999

    A new era at GN NetTest Group

    A brand-new era begins when PK is acquired by Great Nordic as a part of the GN NetTest group.

  • 2000

    The 8000 Production and Laboratory OTDR sets the industry standard.

    It’s adopted industry-wide for high-speed, long-length OTDR testing. Combined with the 1001-MFH MultipleFiber Handler, it facilitates production of high fiber-count cables. 

  • 2003

    Photon Kinetics becomes a private company

    After the Telecom/DotCom crash, PK re-emerges as a private company, working closely with industry partners to keep optical fiber and cable production viable.

  • 2010

    A new patent for environmental testing

    PK introduces a patented technique for Environmental Testing of optical fiber and cable that offers greater improvements in precision and long-term stability.

  • 2015

    A period of re-growth across the industry

    With the industry expanding, especially in China, PK revolutionizes the optical fiber testing space with the 2300AG—the first system to combine spectral and geometry measurements on a single test system. 

  • 2016

    Another year of innovation, with the Full-Length Station

    PK introduces the first Full-Length Station combining OTDR, spectral attenuation, chromatic dispersion, and PMD with high-speed fiber alignment. This change merged five test stations into just two.

  • 2019

    Further developments in multimode bandwidth

    PK launched a dedicated solution for OM3/4/5 multimode bandwidth and SMLDMD testing at multiple wavelengths using both diode lasers and Ti-Sapphire lasers.

  • 2023

    Industry first Hollow-core test system

    PK develops a solution for spectral attenuation and geometry measurement of hollow-core fibers. 

  • 2024

    The launch of more multicore fiber measurements

    These included automated alignment and launch control for geometry, spectral, OTDR, chromatic dispersion, and PMD measurements.

  • 2025

    Further development into rare-earth doped preforms

    The year 2025 marked a new milestone in the launch of PK’s enhanced preform measurement for rare-earth doped preforms.

Our people are our biggest asset. That’s why we’ve created an environment that’s committed to helping our team thrive.

  • Medical, Vision and Dental Insurance

    Our comprehensive cover ensures you can access high-quality preventative and emergency care when you need it most.
  • Life and Disability Insurance

    Our financial protection plan offers you and your family peace of mind and support during challenging times.
  • 401k Plan

    When it comes to saving for retirement, we’ll help you secure your financial future by matching your contributions.
  • Paid vacation and sick leave

    Take time out from work, whether that be for rest and recovery or to spend time with friends and family.

Let’s talk

Solutions include optical fiber preform analyzers and test systems for characterizing the geometric and transmissive properties of fibers, as well as fiber handling and other test automation products that help minimize both measurement time and cost.