Dr. Tobias Steinle, Prof. Dr. Harald Gießen

SI Stuttgart Instruments GmbH & University of Stuttgart

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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 ans serves bioimaging, nano-spectroscopy, and visible to deep mid-ultrafast science around the world.

Prof. Dr. Bert Hecht, Dr. Xiaofei Wu

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

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Much smaller than human red blood cells, the laser-driven microdrones contain several optical nanomotors adressed 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 quantum physics.

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

Humboldt-Universität Berlin & Ferdinand-Braun-Institut

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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

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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 miniture quantum-cascade lasers made from large-batch semiconductor components. 'OSEC' brings laser-based high-res MRI spectroscopy to in-line industry, consumer and health-tec application.

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

Bar-Ilan University & Universitat de València & Donisi Health

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The remote sensing methodology extracts nanovibrations occurring in the tissue and is capable of continously sensing various vital bio-signs, molecular concentration of chemicals in blood stream hemodynamic activity. A commercial product developed by Donisi Health was tested in large clinical trials while focusing on diagnosis of cardiopulmonary diseases such 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

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An innovative laser-filler wire welding process for welding aluminium-silicon coated press hardened steels has been developed and approved by Chines car manufactures. 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 & University of Hamburg & Cycle GmbH

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An optical pulsed timing distribution system enabling femtosecond to attosecond precision timing, initially developed for timing on km-scale X-ray free-electron lasers, has ultimately been commercialized by Cycle. Cycle’s technology brings atomic level termporal 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 Universität Hannover

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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.