mso jena GmbH was founded as a spin-off from the Jena-based Fraunhofer IOF by the graduate physicists Uwe Schallenberg and Stefan Jakobs in 1998. Substantial expertise in the fields of plasma ion-assisted deposition and micro-patterned optical coatings was the starting point of the company formation. Soon this expertise became fully developed technology and allowed the supplying of leading system producers.

After a start-up phase with rented equipment, in 2001 the company opened up a new facility located within the industrial complex Carl-Zeiss-Promenade in the city of Jena. During the following years its production capacity has been continuously extended and today includes up-to-date vacuum deposition systems as well as a clean-room photolithographic manufacturing line. Moreover, mso jena closely collaborates with various companies and research institutions in Jena – a city renowned for its rich optical tradition.