A new generation of high-power ultrafast lasers for industry and research

March 04, 2021

In the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Advanced Photon Sources CAPS, 13 Fraunhofer Institutes bundle their expertise for the development of laser systems that reach highest powers with ultrashort pulses and the exploration of their application potentials. The Fraunhofer Institutes for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen and for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena contribute their competence in the development of high-power ultrafast lasers, which is combined in the cluster with the expertise of other Fraunhofer Institutes in the fields of systems technology and applications.

Ultrafast lasers, with their very high intensity and very short pulses, can process materials with high precision. Compared to conventional industrial lasers, they allow almost unlimited three-dimensional structuring of any material. In Fraunhofer CAPS, the partners are building a basis for economical throughputs in ultrahigh precision manufacturing. The precision and quality achieved provides the competitive edge over almost any other technique. Hence, ultrafast lasers are the most versatile, wear-free tools for future digital photonic production.

Since its founding in 2018, Fraunhofer CAPS has achieved milestones and awards - and set world records in the field of high-power ultrafast laser technology. The developed lasers already exceed the 10 kW limit with pulse durations in the range of a few hundred femtoseconds. With these lasers and optimized beam guiding systems, the partners are opening the way for new applications in production, imaging, materials science and fundamental research, among others.

Partners from industry and research are invited to participate and use the new laser systems in the application laboratories in Aachen and Jena for their innovations.

More information on the application labs in Aachen and Jena