Dr. Tobias Steinle, Prof. Dr. Harald Giessen

SI Stuttgart Instruments GmbH & Universität Stuttgart

‍

The high-precision tunable ultrafast laser platform ‘Alpha’ is a product line of SI Stuttgart Instruments and the result of intensive research and commercial development. The fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator features a unique passive optical stabilization and pulse shaping scheme and serves in bioimaging, nano-spectro-scopy, and visible to deep mid-infrared ultrafast science around the world.

Prof. Dr. Bert Hecht, Dr. Xiaofei Wu

Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg & Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology

‍

Much smaller than human red blood cells, the laser-driven microdrones contain several optical nanomotors addressed individually by circular polarization components of unfocused light fields and will enable independent steering of all six degrees of freedom in 3D. Potential applications range from life sciences to nanotechnology, such as transport and release of cargos, nanomanipulation, local probing and sensing, as well as experiments in fundamental quantum physics.

Dr. Sofia Pazzagli, Dr. Sinan Gündogdu,
Grigory Kornilov, Prof. Dr. Tim Schröder

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin & Ferdinand-Braun-Institut

‍

Imprinting photonics elements inside glass and transparent materials is an emerging technology that is key to applications such as smart glasses, head- up displays, miniaturized sensors, and many more. ‘QLAS’ is a new 3D printer technology for these elements using cost and energy efficient laser diodes to produce localized refractive index changes in a glass like transparent material.

Dr. J. F. Kischkat, Dr. O. Supplie, Dr. R. Schlesinger,
N. Hahne, Prof. Dr. H. von Lilienfeld-Toal,

M. Silvestrov, A. Liero, R. Antal

Quantune Technologies GmbH

‍

For Mid-infrared spectroscopy ‘OSEC‘, optically stable external-cavity QCL, by Quantune Technologies GmbH, combines the best of two worlds: Precise wavelength tunability and stable operation with miniature quantum-cascade lasers made from large-batch semiconductor components. ‘OSEC‘ brings laser-based high-res MIR spectroscopy to in-line industry, consumer and health-tec applications.

Prof. Dr. Zeev Zalevsky, Prof. Dr. Javier Garcia

Bar-Ilan University & Universitat de València & Donisi Health

‍

The remote sensing methodology extracts nano-vibrations occurring in the tissue and is capable of continuously sensing various vital bio-signs, molecular concentration of chemicals in blood stream and hemodynamic activity. A commercial product developed by Donisi Health was tested in large clinical trials while focusing on diagnosis of cardio-pulmonary diseases as arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure.

Prof. Dr. Shanglu Yang, Wu Tao, Dr. Wei Xu,
Dr. Jiazhi Zhang, Xuzhi Zhang

Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

‍

An innovative laser-filler wire welding process for welding aluminum-silicon coated press hardened steels has been developed and approved by Chinese car manufacturers. Press-hardening steels provide ultra-high strength and the capability of being formed into complex shapes, which enables the automotive industry to achieve excellent vehicle weight saving. The new process has huge potential to significantly reduce the manufacturing costs and its complexity.

Prof. Dr. Franz X. Kärtner, Kemal Şafak,
Anan Dai, Daniel Petters

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY & Universität Hamburg & Cycle GmbH

‍

An optical pulsed timing distribution system enabling femtosecond to attosecond precision timing, initially developed for timing of km-scale X-ray Free-Electron Lasers, has ultimately been commercialized by Cycle. Cycle’s technology brings atomic level temporal resolution from labs to scientific research infrastructures and space industry such as high energy laser systems and radar antenna facilities.

Prof. Dr. Hartmut Grote, Dr. Henning Vahlbruch,
Prof. Dr. Benno Willke

Cardiff University & Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics & Leibniz University Hannover

‍

The detections of gravitational waves have revolutionized astronomy and our understanding of the universe. Three innovations in laser physics were essential for this breakthrough: extreme stabilization of high-power lasers, generation and coherent control of squeezed vacuum fields, and novel control techniques for squeezed light application. They may also innovate other applications like quantum communications and light-based quantum computing.