Lasers and Optics

This technology field - Lasers and Optics - focuses on developing innovative laser beam sources and high quality optical components and systems. Fraunhofer's team of experienced laser engineers builds beam sources which have tailor-made spatial, temporal and spectral characteristics and ranging from μW to GW. These sources span a wide range of types: from diode lasers to solid-state lasers, from high power cw lasers to ultrashort pulse lasers and from single frequency systems to broadband tunable lasers.

In the field of solid-state lasers, oscillators as well as amplification systems with excellent power data hold the center of our attention. Whether our customers are laser manufacturers or users, they do not only receive tailor-made prototypes for their individual needs, but also expert consultation to optimize existing systems. In the realm of short pulsed lasers and broad band amplifiers in particular, numerous patents and record-setting values can be provided as references.

Furthermore, this technology field has a great deal of expertise in beam shaping and guiding, packaging of optical high power components and designing optical components. This field also specializes in dimensioning highly efficient free form optics. In general, the lasers and optics developed here can be applied in areas ranging from laser material processing and measurement engineering to illumination applications and medical technology, all the way to use in aerospace applications, quantum technology and pure research.

Beam Sources

• Diverse multi-100 W INNOSLAB amplifiers for the amplification of CW to fs
• Q-switched solid-state lasers for pulsed energy from µJ to 100 mJ
• Diverse frequency converters
• Diverse frequency converted solid-state and diode lasers
• Q-switched single frequency lasers
• Oscillators/MOPAs in the pulse duration regimes fs, ps, sub ns

Measuring Equipment

•  Power measuring equipment for laser powers from a few nW to several kW
•  Pulsed energy measuring equipment for pulsed energies from 100 µJ up to 1 J
•  Optical spectrum analysers for the range from UV to IR
•  Cameras for spatial beam diagnosis for the range from UV to MIR
•  Oscilloscopes up to 16 GHz incl. electrical and optical scanning heads
•  Heterodyne measuring station for single frequency lasers
•  Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor
•  Grating spectrometer for the UV – MIR range
•  Polarimeter
•  Measuring interferometer and autocollimators
•  Measuring station for 3D absorption measurements in optical 
   components with resolution in ppm

•  Measurement engineering for ultrashort pulsed lasers: autocorrelators 
   up to  1.7 ns length of travel, FROG, …
•  Measuring station to determine laser-induced damage threshold of
   optical components
•  Measuring station to determine metallic coating thicknesses
•  Optical determination of thermic expansion coefficients in all three
   spatial axes
•  Ultrasound microscope
•  Shear tester
•  Microscopes, including cameras for enlarging up to 1000-fold

Clean Room Engineering

•  Clean rooms for the manufacture of diode and solid-state lasers
•  Flow boxes for all optical working stations
•  Individual, temperature-controlled flow box cabins for temperatures 
   up to 30°C.

Manufacturing Technology for Solid-State, Fiber and Diode Lasers

•  Various splicing and cleaving devices for optical fibers
•  Diverse optical working stations with microscopes (cleaning, testing,
   assembling)
•  Working stations for optics assembly by means of UV adhesives
•  Modular semi-automatic wire bonder with heavy wire bonding head
•  Six-axis manipulators with a step-size of less than 50 nm
•  Laser processing plant with three axes and scanner

Equipment for Environment Testing

• Thermal chamber for measurements from -60 to +100°C
• Equipment to test shock and vibration loads
• Equipment for modal analysis

Coating Plants

• High vacuum coating plant for metallic materials such as gold, tin, and others