Ferdinand Braun Institute Wins Transfer Prize

Ferdinand Braun Institute, which works closely with Jenoptik Diode Lab GmbH of Berlin-Adlershof, was awarded the €50,000 (about $66,400) Transfer Prize 2012 for high-power diode lasers for materials processing.

The team, led by physicist Dr. Götz Erbert, received the prize at the Laser Optics Berlin trade fair on March 19. The award is underwritten by friends of the Technology Foundation Berlin.

Currently, diode lasers typically deliver an output power of around 10 W. To enhance the performance of laser systems, simply increasing the output power of individual diode lasers is not sufficient. Besides improving the effectiveness of transforming electrical into optical power, it is necessary to optimize the beam quality of the single-diode lasers forming such systems.

Scientists at the institute developed diode lasers based on novel designs with less energy loss than usual and with no reduction in beam quality. The new devices achieve an efficiency of 63 percent at an output power of 12 W. It is possible to achieve 15 to 20 W while maintaining efficiency and beam quality.

Jenoptik currently is expanding its Berlin-Adlershof plant for high-power semiconductor lasers. Starting in 2013, production capacity will more than double.

For more information, visit: www.jenoptik.com