Apple today announced that it has awarded $410 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to Pennsylvania-based optical technology manufacturer II-VI.
The funds will help create additional capacity and accelerate delivery of future iPhone components, supporting more than 700 jobs in Sherman, Texas; Warren, New Jersey; Easton, Pennsylvania; and Champaign, Illinois, according to Apple. II-VI manufactures VCSELs (vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers) needed for the Face ID function, as well as lasers for the LiDAR scanner:
II-VI makes vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) that help power Face ID, Memoji, Animoji, and Portrait mode selfies. Apple also partners with II-VI to make lasers used in the LiDAR scanner—a technology that helps deliver faster, more realistic augmented reality experiences and improves low-light autofocus in photos and videos.
Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund has already awarded $390 million
Apple COO Jeff Williams expressed in the press release as follows:
We created the Apple Advanced Manufacturing Fund to support American companies that are creating next-generation technologies and the jobs of tomorrow. II-VI shares our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation, and we're proud to expand our collaborative work across the country.
In 2017, Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund already awarded 390 million US dollars to the optics supplier Finisar, which has since been taken over by II-VI.
