About Us

InovaQuartz LLC offers an array of products and services to the optics and instruments communities that are technologically unmatched and competitively priced. IQllc. employs computer controlled, CO2 laser micro-machining, microscale glassblowing, and hybrid mechanical methods for manipulating fused quartz and synthetic fused silica raw stock (optical fiber, tubing, and rod) to form reproducible structures on a microscopic and semi-microscopic scale. We manufacture precision fused silica components, subassemblies and complete products for applications in analytical chemistry (chiefly separation sciences, and spectroscopy), industrial and military photonics, sensor devices, telecommunications and medicine (laser surgery and diagnostics).

Many of our products and services are not available anywhere else in the world. Our products, simple and complex, include: fused fiber optic arrays for the elimination of interstitial losses in fiber optic bundles, no splice tapered fibers (available on both fiber ends) for tailored NA, silica ferrules and mating sleeves with conical lead-ins of precise geometry, lateral launch and delivery fibers with record-breaking transmission efficiency (greater than 99%) and energy density, sculpted tip fibers (cones, chisels, balls, lenses), high damage threshold, laser polished fiber terminations, capillary aspirators and micro-nozzles, fused chambers and cells, as well as high efficiency, fiber optic assemblies for spectroscopy and other applications.

At IQllc, we have accumulated many decades of experience in product design, prototype development and large scale manufacturing of custom fiber optic bundles and assemblies incorporating specialized features. Our engineers, scientists and technicians are experts in the application of fiber optics for high energy density applications, spectroscopy in hostile environments, from ocean vents to satellites as well as capillary gas chromatography and capillary electrophoresis.

History of InnovaQuartz

InnovaQuartz Incorporated (IQ) was founded by Stephen Griffin in 1991 in a classic "garage start-up" with Brian Barr joining in 2002, as CEO. IQ's first products were for gas chromatography: the first fused quartz press-fit unions to be made with a CO2 laser (instead of a torch) and the first fused quartz Y splitters. More products rapidly followed and were concentrated in the fields of analytical chemistry, medical devices and bulk specialty fiber optics.


By 2006, IQ's intellectual property patent portfolio consisted of about a dozen issued patents, licenses to a few other patents and a half dozen new patents pending. This innovation rate exceeded IQ's ability to fund the ever increasing R&D and FDA approval costs so, after a couple of years of negotiations, IQ entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Laserscope Surgical Systems (ticker LSCP), a long-time customer and publicly traded company.


Laserscope purchased IQ's stock in 2006 with the contractual obligation to fund our R&D while promoting IQ's existing product lines. Less than one month after the IQ/Laserscope transaction closed, a much larger company, American Medical Systems (ticker AMMD) made a generous tender offer to the shareholders of Laserscope and successfully purchased all of their stock: IQ became a tiny division of AMS. Unfortunately for all affiliate with IQ, AMS chose to ignore the provisions of the Laserscope/IQ Stock Purchase Agreement and pursue only products related to pelvic health, their core competency.


After a brief legal dust-up, a settlement was reached but we were unable to protect or support our valued customers. After non-compete provisions expired, Griffin & Barr reestablished InnovaQuartz and are now able to provide improved products for our principle markets with the attentive service and constant innovation our customers came to know us for while we were independent. We sincerely apologize for the supply chain disruption that resulted from the takeover, but trust that we do understand your needs and will work hard to regain your trust.


Innovation and customer support never stops at IQ. Today IQ holds 14 patents with 5 more pending. In addition to constantly improving our existing products, there is ongoing R&D to develop exciting new products with paradigm shift potential.

Thank you to those who have embraced our return: we are honored and humbled. IQ will continue to provide you with the highest quality products and innovation you demand.

Stephen Griffin – VP for Engineering, R&D

Brian Barr – President/CEO