Photonics News from the Berlin-Lausitz Innovation Corridor
Exciting developments out of the Wildau-Cottbus-Berlin research axis! Scientists published a study that showcases a breakthrough in solid-state Raman lasers, proving that high-performance environmental monitoring tools are being forged right in Berlin.
This research highlights how regional collaboration between industry and academia is solving global challenges like atmospheric ozone monitoring. The core development took place at Technische Hochschule Wildau an institute that has a track record for exceptional competence in engineering. Researchers there designed a Barium Nitrate Raman laser that achieves a massive 35% conversion efficiency, transforming green 532 nm light into precisely controlled visible and UV wavelengths. In partnership with Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg, the team then optimized the laser’s beam quality. While most high-power lasers sacrifice beam shape for energy, this collaboration produced a near-Gaussian beam (M2<1.83), essential for long-range LiDAR applications. Innovation requires the best tools.
The DEMON (Double Echelle Monochromator), manufactured by LTB Lasertechnik Berlin GmbH, based at the Science and Technology Park Berlin Adlershof campus in Berlin’s science city district, was the “unsung hero” of the project. Its picometer-level resolution allowed the team to verify the spectral fidelity of the laser pulses with extreme accuracy. In addition, it was also possible to analyze complex non-linear effects, such as self-phase modulation. This ensured the output was “DIAL-ready” (Differential Absorption LIDAR) for high-precision ozone detection.
By combining these regional strengths, the team has successfully developed a compact, reliable system for DIAL. This technology could be a game-changer for airborne and space-based monitoring of the Earth’s ozone layer, needed for accurate climate data.
The takeaway? When Berlin’s high-tech photonics and optics manufacturing meets the research excellence of Wildau and Cottbus, we do not just build lasers and spectrometers, we build solutions for a more sustainable planet.
About DEMON Double-Eschelle Monochromator Series
The DEMON spectrally very high-resolution double-echelle monochromator series with Littrow arrangement for determining the absolute wavelength of emission and absorption lines from the UV to the NIR range. Features include:
- High absolute wavelength accuracy
- Very high spectral resolution – 60,000-200,000 (λ/delta λ)
- High light intensity
- Can be combined with various detectors (CCD, ICCD, InGaAs)
- Motorized optomechanics
For more information or a quotation for LTB products, contact IL Photonics.