Photonics has given rise to new developments in many different areas of technology, often serving as a catalyst in innovation-driven sectors of the economy, ranging from spaceflight to IT and industrial manufacturing. Germany is one of the leaders in photonics, and to ensure that this remains so, numerous Fraunhofer Institutes are working on research projects focused on applications in this future-oriented domain.
At LASER World of PHOTONICS, Fraunhofer will be presenting its latest research findings and the latest developments in various relevant fields. Researchers will be in Hall A2 (Booth 431) to demonstrate laser-based solutions and technologies for manufacturing, imaging and optical measuring systems. In Hall B3 (Booth 335), the emphasis will be on optical information and communication systems. Examples of some of the many fascinating exhibits include:
Ultrafast lasers for maximum precision
Ultrafast lasers enable any kind of material to be machined with the highest precision. However, their power output at present is too low for high-throughput applications. To change this, 13 Fraunhofer Institutes have joined forces in the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Advanced Photon Sources CAPS. By pooling their expertise, they aim to increase the output of multikilowatt ultrafast lasers to 10 kW and thus expand these lasers’ areas of application.
Compact quantum cascade lasers for real-time spectroscopy
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF develops together with Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS extremely compact and robust quantum cascade lasers for various spectroscopic applications in the mid-infrared. The researchers present a measurement system that enables remote and non-destructive real-time identification of a wide range of chemical and pharmaceutical substances and is thus suitable for quality monitoring in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries as well as for process control in general.
Laser processes for e-mobility
Electric mobility would be unthinkable without lasers. That’s one of the messages of LASER World of PHOTONICS 2019. Fraunhofer ILT’s Laser-Based Tape-Automated Bonding (LaserTAB) is a rapid and precise processing technique based on laser micro-welding that enables battery cells and power electronics circuits to be joined reliably. It effectively combines optics, joining technology and process monitoring in a robotic industrial process. The “eace05” electric racecar of the Ecurie Aix – Formula Student Team, RWTH Aachen University, will be on show to demonstrate laser-welded batteries as well as laser-cut CFRP components.
Optical Quantum Technologies
The Fraunhofer IOF is a pioneer in applied research on photonic quantum technologies. For the first time, developments in the field of quantum imaging will be presented at this year’s LASER World of PHOTONICS. It is a quantum photonically based imaging system. By using high-power sources of entangled photons, such as those developed at the Fraunhofer IOF, future imaging systems based on quantum technologies can become even more compact, e.g. for applications in biology and medical technology.
MEMS scanner for 3D vision
Robots must be equipped with sensors and software that allow them to see in three dimensions, so that they can orient themselves with respect to their surrounding environment and locate objects precisely. For more than ten years, a team of researchers at Fraunhofer IPMS in Dresden has been developing and building microscanner mirrors, also known as MEMS scanners, with the aim of enabling robots to “see” objects around them and perform tasks requiring a wide field of vision.
Frequency comb spectroscopy for trace gas measurement
The Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM offers optical and spectroscopic measurement solutions for applications ranging from laboratory research to heavy-duty industrial environments. One of its new products in 2019 is a frequency comb spectrometer for trace gas measurement in the mid-infrared region. It has a particularly wide spectral tuning range, thanks not least to Fraunhofer IPM’s many years of experience in non-linear frequency conversion.
Precision optics on curved surfaces
When conventional PVD processes are used to coat curved optical components, this may result in an undesirable layer thickness gradient. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST have developed a coating process using the MOCCA+® Modular Coating Control Application which compensates for this effect by precisely controlling the deposition of gradient layers. In this way, the desired filter performance can be achieved over the entire surface of the lens. The institute’s exhibit features a bandpass filter/lens array with a central wavelength of 670 nm and a very broad blocking range of 200-1100 nm in the rest of the spectral region.
