Berthold Leibinger

Innovationspreis
Zukunftspreis

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Laser technology has given rise to many trends: micro-processing and 3D printing, information technology and quantum computing, ultra-high precision measurements and diagnostics, to mention but a few. On the one hand, lasers have been reduced in size until they have become tiny quantum points while, on the other, they have burgeoned into major installations. The advancement and recognition of outstanding achievements in research and development using and relating to laser light is therefore an important area of concern for the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung.

Innovationspreis

Every two years, the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis is presented to honor innovations in laser technology, irrespective of whether the innovation relates to a beam source or an application and whether it was developed by a research institution or is a product of industry.

Innovations are accepted for consideration as applications or nominations. Individuals or groups from all over the world are eligible for consideration. The application must include a description of the technology and its commercial aspects.

The jury selects a shortlist of eight finalists from among the applications and nominations. The finalists are invited to attend the jury meeting at the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung and present their work in person. An awards ceremony is held to honor the finalists and award winners.

Prize money

1st prize: € 50,000
2nd prize: € 30,000
3rd prize: € 20,000

The finalists 2023 - 1/8

Alpha – Tunable Frequency Converter from Visible to Mid-Infrared

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.

Alpha – Tunable Frequency Converter from Visible to Mid-Infrared
The finalists 2023 - 2/8

Laser-Driven Microdrones

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.

Laser-Driven Microdrones
The finalists 2023 - 3/8

QLAS – the Photonic 3D Printer

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.

QLAS – the Photonic 3D Printer
The finalists 2023 - 4/8

OSEC – Tunable External-Cavity Quantum-Cascade Laser

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.

OSEC – Tunable External-Cavity Quantum-Cascade Laser
The finalists 2023 - 5/8

Remote Bio-Sensing and Diagnosis of Cardio-Pulmonary Diseases

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.

Remote Bio-Sensing and Diagnosis of Cardio-Pulmonary Diseases
The finalists 2023 - 6/8

Direct Laser Welding of Al-Si Coated Press-Hardened Steels

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.

Direct Laser Welding of Al-Si Coated Press-Hardened Steels
The finalists 2023 - 7/8

Optical Frequency and Timing Distribution System

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.

Optical Frequency and Timing Distribution System
The finalists 2023 - 8/8

Ultra High Precision Light Sources in Fundamental Physics and Beyond

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.

Ultra High Precision Light Sources in Fundamental Physics and Beyond
Alpha – Tunable Frequency Converter from Visible to Mid-Infrared
Laser-Driven Microdrones
QLAS – the Photonic 3D Printer
OSEC – Tunable External-Cavity Quantum-Cascade Laser
Remote Bio-Sensing and Diagnosis of Cardio-Pulmonary Diseases
Direct Laser Welding of Al-Si Coated Press-Hardened Steels
Optical Frequency and Timing Distribution System
Ultra High Precision Light Sources in Fundamental Physics and Beyond

The innovation award winners at a glance

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2023

1st Prize

Prof. Dr. Hartmut Grote, Dr. Henning Vahlbruch, Prof. Dr. Benno Willke
Ultra High Precision Light Sources in Fundamental Physics and Beyond

2nd Prize

Prof. Dr. Zeev Zalevsky, Prof. Dr. Javier Garcia
Remote Bio-Sensing and Diagnosis of Cardio-Pulmonary Diseases

3rd Prize

OSEC Project Group, Quantune Technologies GmbH
OSEC – Tunable External-Cavity Quantum-Cascade Laser

2021

1st Prize

Dr. Daniel Brown, Dr. Alexander Schafgans, Dr. Yezheng Tao
EUV Lithography

2nd Prize

Prof. Dr. Robert L. Byer, Prof. Dr. Peter Hommelhof
Particle Accelerator on a Chip

3rd Prize

Prof. Dr. Stephan Barcikowski, Prof. Dr. Bilal Gökce
Nanoparticle Synthesis

2018

1st Prize

Thomas Schopphoven, Dr. Andres Gasser, Gerhard Maria Backes
Additive Manufacturing

2nd Prize

Project Group DELPHI
Photonic Integration

3rd Prize

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Popp, Prof. Dr. Ute Neugebauer
Raman Spectroscopy

2016

1st Prize

Dr. Balthasar Fischer
Optical Microphone

2nd Prize

Dr. Garrett Cole, Prof. Dr. Markus Aspelmeyer
Crystalline Coatings

Project Group DLIP
Direct Laser Interference Patterning

3rd Prize

Laser Guide Star Alliance
Guide Star Laser

2014

1st Prize

Dr. Alexander A. Oraevsky
Optoaksutics

2nd Prize

Dr. Helmut Erdl, Dr. Abdelmalek Hanafi
Illumination System

3rd Prize

Prof. Hwa-yaw Tam, Prof. Siu Lau Ho, Dr. Shun-Yee Michael Liu
Laser Sensing Network

2012

1st Prize

Dr. Tso Yee Fan, Dr. Antonio Sanchez-Rubio, Dr. Bien Chann
Wavelength Multiplexing

2nd Prize

Project Group InnoSlab
InnoSlab Laser

3rd Prize

Felix Abt, Andreas Blug, Leonardo Nicolosi
Process Control System

2010

1st Prize

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Trupke, Dr. Robert Bardos
Luminescence Imaging

2nd Prize

Prof. Dr. Karsten König
Multi-Photon Tomography

Dr. Ralph Delmdahl, Rainer Pätzel, Dr. Kai Schmidt, Dr. Alexander Usoskin
Pulsed Laser Deposition

3rd Prize

Prof. Dr. Majid Ebrahim-Zadeh
Tunable Femtosecond Lasers

2008

1st Prize

Dr. Markus Willert, Ulrich Graf, Dr. Thorsten Bauer, Dr. Jens König
Cold Microprocessing

2nd Prize

Dr. Richard L. Sandstrom, Dr. William Partlo
VUV Lithography

3rd Prize

Dr. Cary Gunn
CMOS Photonics

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Czarske, Dr. Lars Büttner, Dr. Thorsten Pfister
Distance Sensor

2006

1st Prize

Dr. Karin Schütze, Raimund Schütze
Laser Catapult

2nd Prize

Prof. Dr. Ian A. Walmsley
SPIDER

3rd Prize

Dr. Michael Mei, Dr. Ronald Holzwarth
Optical Frequency Comb

2004

1st Prize

Prof. Dr. Ursula Keller
SESAM

2nd Prize

Prof. Dr. Andreas Tünnermann, Dr. Stefan Nolte, Dr. Holger Zellmer
Fiber Laser

3rd Prize

Dr. Axel Rolle

Lung Surgery

2002

1st Prize

Work Group Disk Laser
Disk Laser

2nd Prize

Dr. Tibor Juhasz, Dr. Ronald Kurtz
Femto-LASIK

3rd Prize

Dr. Stefan Hell, Marcus Dyba, Dr. Alexander Egner
STED Microscopy

2000

1st Prize

Dr. Josef Schneider
Printing Systems

2nd Prize

Dr. Martin Grabherr
High-performance VCSELs

3rd Prize

Prof. Dr. Yong Feng Lu
Microprocessing

Zukunftspreis

The Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis honors outstanding milestones in scientific or industrial research using or generating laser light. It is awarded every two years together with the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis.

Submissions for the Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis are by nomination only. Candidates may be nominated by former members of the jury, previous award winners, scientific organizations and professional associations from around the world that work in the field of laser technology or photonics.

Prize money

50.000 €

The winners of the Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis

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2023

Professor Dr. Anne L’Huillier, Lund University
High-Order Harmonic Generation and Attosecond Physics

2021

Professor Sir David Payne, University of Southampton

"Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and pioneering fiber optic technologies."

2018

Professor Dr. Karl Deisseroth, Stanford University

"Lasers in Optogenetics Development and Implementation."

2016

Professor Dr. Gérard Mourou, L'École Polytechnique

"Invention of Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) and Extreme Light Sources."

2014

Professor Dr. Philip Russell, Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Light

"Photonic Crystal Fiber"

2012

Dr. Osamu Kumagai, Sony

"Multi-wavelength diode lasers for three generations of optical drives."

2010

Professor Dr. Federico Capasso, Harvard University

"Quantum Cascade Laser"

2008

Professor Dr. Xiaoliang Sunney Xie, Harvard University

"Single molecule biophysics and nonlinear optical microscopy."

2006

Professor Dr. H. Jeffrey Kimble, California Institute of Technology

"Resonator Quantum Electrodynamics."

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