# Surge and Scale: Inprentus Closes the Supply Gap for Dual-Use Infrared Gratings - Published: 2026-11-10 - Author: [Tech Magazine](https://techmagazine.io/author/techmagazine-io.md) - Topics: [News](https://techmagazine.io/news.md) - Source: https://techmagazine.io/news/surge-and-scale-inprentus-closes-the-supply-gap-for-dual-use-infrared-gratings/ - Publication: Tech Magazine - Publisher: Connectively (Terkel, Inc.) - Editorial policy: https://techmagazine.io/editorial-policy/ ![](https://www.einpresswire.com/image/medium/648189/inprentus-logo.jpeg) Inprentus Closes the Supply Gap for Dual-Use Infrared Gratings [![Key markets include terrestrial sensing; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites; communication satellites; high energy lasers (HELs) for space power beaming; and counter-drone systems.](https://www.einpresswire.com/image/medium/1245485/composite-ir-gratings.jpeg)](https://www.einpresswire.com/image/large/1245485/composite-ir-gratings.png#1183x628) Key markets include terrestrial sensing; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites; communication satellites; high energy lasers (HELs) for space power beaming; and counter-drone systems. *Inprentus, Inc., the world leader in precision diffraction grating components, is meeting growing demand for custom infrared gratings for dual-use applications* **There are currently not enough commercial suppliers of this grating component for dual-use applications, and that is a national security risk”** — Subha Kumar, Inprentus CEO CHAMPAIGN, IL, UNITED STATES, November 10, 2026 /[EINPresswire.com](https://www.einpresswire.com/)/ -- Inprentus, Inc., the world leader in precision diffraction grating components, is meeting growing demand for custom infrared (IR) gratings for dual-use applications - components that serve both commercial and [defense](https://inprentus.com/defense-and-security/) markets. Demand is rising not only in national security, defense and [space](https://inprentus.com/space-nasa-gratings/), but also in emerging fields where industry is pushing the boundaries of what technology can do. Yet few manufacturers can supply both commercial and defense customers, and fewer still can produce custom master gratings built to withstand extreme conditions such as high-power lasers, radiation and the vacuum of space. Inprentus is stepping up to fill that gap. Key markets include terrestrial sensing, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites in low Earth orbit, optical communication satellites, high-energy lasers (HELs) for space power beaming, and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (counter-UAS), commonly known as counter-drone systems. Gratings are central to many of these applications. In terrestrial sensing, for example, gratings tune and steer a pulsed long-wave infrared (LWIR) laser used for long-range standoff detection of toxic gases. Using a technique called differential absorption LIDAR (DIAL), the system fires high-power IR laser pulses into suspect areas and measures the light reflected back. The wavelength and intensity of the returning light identify the gas, while the return time pinpoints its distance at ranges of up to 4 miles. “One customer has ordered more than 200 LIDAR gratings from us over the past two years, and we only see demand growing,” said James Lee, business development associate at Inprentus. “Producing a custom master grating 200 times over with excellent grating-to-grating consistency is an achievement in itself. Many manufacturers struggle to make even two master gratings that match. Inprentus’s high-fidelity, digital manufacturing platform is what makes volume production at this level of precision possible.” “This is an important commercial distinction for Inprentus,” said Subha Kumar, chief executive officer of Inprentus. “We are a true domestic scale-up partner for a deep-tech optical grating component, which can turn into a supply chain chokepoint in defense and other critical technology sectors.” Asked how Inprentus balances custom work with volume production, Kumar said: “Since its founding in 2012, Inprentus has been built to revolutionize how master gratings are made, and to make them at scale. We have the commercial focus that volume clients need and the intellectual drive to take on custom grating challenges. We like to say we can build both the Toyota and the Ferrari of gratings.” Space is another fast-growing market. This year, several commercial space companies and government laboratories have asked Inprentus to design and manufacture blazed diffraction gratings for compact IR spectrometers on small satellites. This summer, NASA contracted Inprentus for an optical design study to develop a blazed grating for mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and LWIR spectroscopy, for a mission that will track the recovery of Earth’s ozone layer and support longer-range weather forecasting. Two commercial space companies and a U.S. government laboratory are also in design and manufacturing discussions with Inprentus about IR blazed gratings for Earth observation satellite constellations. One such satellite is the miniature greenhouse gas observatory being built by the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA). In early 2026, TASA awarded Inprentus a contract to produce convex spherical diffraction gratings for imaging clouds and gas plumes by their MWIR and LWIR signatures, such as those of methane and carbon dioxide. Inprentus will soon deliver the gratings to TASA for ground testing. Defense priorities are also driving demand. The widespread use of armed drones in recent conflicts has reshaped military strategy, and the current administration has placed a sharp focus on low-cost counter-drone technology and space security. Not many people know that a single optical technology connects both priorities. Whether the goal is to disable a drone or beam power to a satellite, the system needs a high-energy laser. These lasers can’t be built as a single unit. Instead, multiple lower-power lasers, for example ten 1 kW lasers, are merged into a single 10 kW beam using a technique called spectral beam combining (SBC). The key optical component that makes the combining of individual lasers possible is one or two master diffraction gratings per HEL, which must be both highly precise and able to withstand intense laser power. That puts Inprentus at the center of both markets. “Inprentus is in discussions with multiple companies in both counter-UAS and space power beaming, and they are all using near-infrared (NIR) lasers,” said Kumar. “Based on the market pull, we recently tested one of our bare gold blazed gratings at this wavelength, and it surprised everyone by showing no damage at intensities up to 600 kW/cm². Our next step is developing specialized coatings for these gratings for withstanding even more damage, and from there, the sky is the limit. Pun intended.” That durability traces back to the company’s origins. Inprentus was founded by University of Illinois professor Peter Abbamonte to supply gratings for synchrotron beamlines. Soft X-ray beamlines operate under ultra-high vacuum, intense radiation and high heat loads, conditions much like those these gratings face in orbit and in high-energy laser systems. “Inprentus is an ideal domestic partner to bring the HEL industry a new blazed grating architecture while making the supply chain for this critical component more resilient,” Kumar said. “There are currently not enough commercial suppliers of this grating component for dual-use applications, and that is a national security risk. We are exceptionally well suited for this market.” About Inprentus About Inprentus: Founded in 2012 by University of Illinois Professor Peter Abbamonte, Inprentus specializes in the manufacturing of blazed diffraction gratings using a novel, nano-scale mechanical ruling technique. The company provides state-of-the-art optical solutions for synchrotrons, free-electron lasers, semiconductor metrology, and space-based imaging systems worldwide. Inprentus aims to apply 21st century mechanical ruling to solve critical current and future grating-centered challenges. We are committed to excellence, risk, and pushing boundaries by providing state-of-the-art blazed gratings that perform to unprecedented specifications and that enable novel applications. Cynthia Ottemann Inprentus, Inc. +1 217-239-9862 Visit us on social media: [LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/company/inprentus/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Inprentus/) [YouTube](https://youtube.com/@inprentusmedia2407?si=k_R_E9O_YfwIPk6m) [X](https://x.com/inprentus) Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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