Founding team develops unique technology for ultrashort pulse lasers
Groundbreaking - a new laser for life sciences. Whether for quantum computing in select microscopy techniques or for materials processing in medical technology, ultrafast lasers are of fundamental relevance in a wide variety of fields. Currently, the founding team of n2-Photonics is making headlines for having developed a completely new technology for ultrashort pulse lasers: a start-up funded with 800,000 euros by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Stable, reliable and ultrafast - innovative laser for life sciences
When it comes to observing fast reactions in science, research and technology, there is no getting around the use of state-of-the-art laser technologies. Even the analysis of filigree structures in the field of medical technology requires innovative solutions in the form of ultra-short pulse lasers of the highest category. The three success-oriented company founders Kilian Fritsch, Dr. Jürgen Raab and Christian Franke recognized the rapidly increasing demand in these areas early on, jointly initiated a very special project - and implemented it with remarkable success.
With a great deal of commitment, hard work, sound know-how and a high degree of goal orientation, the three founders recently developed a new type of laser for use in the field of life sciences. With their project, they pursued the ambitious goal of setting up a groundbreaking process for pulse shortening and even bringing it to market maturity together.
The three "heads" behind n2-Photonics
- Christian Franke is the commercial head of the start-up company and a specialist in the application-related development of optomechanical segments.
- Kilian Fritsch is responsible for the technical-physical development within the project.
- Dr. Jürgen Raab is an expert for technical-physical conceptualization as well as for the optimization of the core technology.
Background to the project
The power and function portfolio of conventional laser devices has been limited to just 200 femtoseconds in terms of their output pulse duration to date. As a consequence, the maximum energy as well as the possible achievable time resolution is limited. In order to make the best possible use of the power capacities of the corresponding devices, many experts resort to external pulse compressors as part of their work. In this way, it is possible to generate pulse durations of 10 femtoseconds or even less.
The problem here is that more modern methods with regard to spectral broadening and compression can only be made available to selected specialists in view of the high complexity. Accordingly, not all research projects could be tackled so far because the required laser technologies were not available or only available to a limited extent.
The principle is both simple and outstanding
Certainly, the subject of "pulse shortening" is well known and already widely used. What is special about the invention of the three-person start-up company is to make the technology for ultrashort pulse lasers, which is extremely complicated in itself, simple and reliable to use. As a result, researchers from other disciplines should also be able to make use of this technology. An aspect that is also advantageous, among other things, when it comes to recording super slow-motion images of microscopic systems. The three founders invested more than five years in the research work and created an innovation that is still unique in the world today and shines with unprecedented process stability and solidity.
The special feature
The technology uses special noble gases or solids to extend the frequency spectrum. On the one hand, this allows the laser pulses to be expanded by up to ten times the previous power portfolio. On the other hand, the pulse duration is shortened in the course of this. The special feature is the passive optical design. The system consists of two opposing mirror modules and a transparent glass or sapphire medium. Optionally, a gas can be interposed. The generated laser pulses pass through this medium several times.
Among other things, the researchers were able to achieve
- a high bandwidth in terms of the light spectrum
- the generation of a spectral broadening of several hundred nanometers
- a high power stability
- a higher cost efficiency, more space saving
Best possible support - right from the start
The novel device is capable of converting monochrome light from the laser source into multicolor white light under industrial conditions. This process can be compared to the functionality of a laser pointer. The impressive project was realized at the Chair of Laser Technology and Spectroscopy. The research infrastructure there is excellently thought out and has, among other things, its own mechanical workshop as well as its own design department. This made it possible to accelerate the development of the prototype immensely.
The ambitious founding team benefited from the funding program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The funding amounts to more than 800,000 euros. Last but not least, the advisory support provided by Max Planck Innovation and Hamburg Innovation - especially in the initial phase of the project - played a key role. It will be interesting to see what further successes await the forward-looking start-up team.
