LASER World of PHOTONICS

08/10/2025

Cracking the Code of Invisible Magnetism: How a New Laser-Powered Technique Unlocks Hidden Magnetic Secrets in Copper and Gold ✴️ 🧲 👑
New research is shedding light on the invisible: A team of scientists has developed a groundbreaking way to detect subtle magnetic signals in everyday metals like copper and gold, using a simple laser.

For years, the scientific community knew a phenomenon called the optical Hall effect existed, but the signal was too faint to measure.
By refining a technique called the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and using a special blue laser, the team was able to ""turn up the volume"" on these magnetic whispers. Their method allows them to pick up on signals in non-magnetic materials—a feat previously considered nearly impossible.

This isn't just a scientific curiosity. This new, wire-free approach offers a non-invasive way to study magnetism and electron behavior, which could lead to significant advances in:
🚀 Faster processors
💯 More energy-efficient systems
💎 Quantum computing

https://europeanfriends.huji.ac.il/news/shedding-new-light-invisible-forces-hidden-magnetic-clues-everyday-metals-unlocked

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Weizmann Institute of Science Penn State The University of Manchester
[Image: Paz Roth - Optical Hall Measurements of the Silicon Wafer.]

A team of scientists has developed a powerful new way to detect subtle magnetic signals in common metals like copper, gold, and aluminum—using nothing more than light and a clever technique. Their research, recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, could pave the way for...

07/10/2025

Step Inside the World's Leading Photonics Event: Laser World of Photonics 2025 🚀💡

Missed out on Laser World of Photonics 2025? Or just want to experience the excitement all over again? Our highlight video takes you inside the premier event for the photonics industry.

Mark your calendars - Laser World of Photonics will be back
📆 from June 22-25, 2027 📍 in Munich!

This June, Munich was the center of innovation, community, and forward-thinking conversation. With 1,398 exhibitors and 44,000 visitors from around the globe, this year's show was our biggest and most dynamic yet.

🤖 The atmosphere was overwhelmingly positive, with experts buzzing about the latest advancements and the bright future of the industry, with topics like Hashtag , integrated photonics, and Hashtag .

🏵️ The Hashtag featured inspiring talks from global leaders and even two Nobel laureates, Prof. Anne L'Huillier and Prof. Ferenc Krausz.

🤝🏼 We were proud to once again co-locate with World of Quantum and automatica, showcasing the powerful synergy of technologies that are shaping our future.

––What's one thing you're excited to see at the next event?
Let us know in the comments!

02/10/2025

Robust New Photonic Crystal Laser for Autonomous Vehicles and Free Space Communication 📡 ✨ 🛻
New research from The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is expanding the possibilities for photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs).

By swapping air holes for a solid dielectric material, the team has created a new PCSEL design that improves on current technology and opens up new avenues for applications in defense. These PCSELs are useful for defense applications such as LiDAR, a remote sensing technology used in battlefield mapping, navigation, and target tracking.

This innovation could pave the way for advancements in autonomous vehicles, laser cutting, and free space communication.

https://hmntl.illinois.edu/news/new-research-expands-laser-technology

[Image: The Grainger College of Engineering. Showing Prof. Kent Choquette.]

01/10/2025

Happy 50th birthday to Productronica ! 🥳 ✴️ ⚙️

We at Laser World of Photonics want to give a huge shout-out to our sister trade fair for five decades of shaping the future of electronics manufacturing! Our shared focus on high-tech innovation, particularly in the fields of photonics and electronics, makes us strong partners at Messe München in shaping the future of manufacturing.

productronica has been a vital platform for innovation, connecting experts, and showcasing the latest advancements in the industry since 1975. This year's anniversary is an outstanding sign of the trade fair's continued success and its critical role in advancing the electronics industry.

From one industry leader to another, we are proud to share a heritage with such a remarkable event and celebrate your incredible milestone. 💙

Here's to many more years of innovation and success!

30/09/2025

Optimizing Laser Treatment for Enhanced Precision Dermatology: Novel Approach to Safer, More Effective Discoloration Therapy ✴️ 🫱🏼 💯

New research from Metropolitan University is set to transform how skin discoloration treatment is approached, particularly for conditions like Nevus of Ota.

For years, setting the right laser irradiation conditions has been a challenge, with existing meta-analyses often muddied by cases of over- and under-irradiation.

The team now has developed the EICF (Excessive Setting Index of Clinical Fluence). This innovative in-silico mathematical model allows for the precise determination of appropriate laser irradiation conditions, leading to significantly more accurate evaluations of treatment efficacy.

https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/info/research-news/entry-86638.html

[Image: Osaka Metropolitan University - Laser treatment for scars and discoloration: The newly emerging picosecond and nanosecond lasers are commonly used in treating nevus of Ota.]

24/09/2025

From Chips to Quantum Devices: Advancing the Nanofabrication Frontier with Ultrafast Lasers 🏭 ✴️ 🔬

Ultrafast laser nanofabrication is pivotal in pushing the boundaries of manufacturing, essential for everything from advanced chip production to revolutionary quantum devices. A study by scientists from Beijing University of Technology and National University of Singapore highlights how ultrafast lasers are addressing the industry's relentless pursuit of miniaturization, moving beyond the limitations of traditional methods.

The work explores both near-field and far-field laser techniques, showcasing incredible advancements. While near-field methods have achieved astonishing 11nm feature sizes, their practical application is limited. However, far-field techniques, once constrained by the diffraction limit, are now enabling features as small as tens of nanometers through innovations like Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) and multiphoton absorption. Even more exciting, strategies like dual-beam overlapping are hinting at a sub-10nm future.

Despite these breakthroughs, challenges remain, particularly in achieving high-aspect-ratio processing and overcoming the nonlinear threshold instability. But with ongoing research into new laser sources and pulse-shaping technologies, the path to high-resolution, high-efficiency, and large-scale nanofabrication is clearer than ever.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1089730

[Image: Zhenyuan Lin, Lingfei Ji, Minghui Hong - ASOM: adaptive scanning optical microscope.]

22/09/2025

Boosting Safety & Efficiency of Water Treatment with 3D Laser Precision – Smart Defect Inspection of Filters using Multidimensional Data 📡 💧 ✅

An innovation is set to enhance water treatment facilities worldwide: Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Circular Water Solution have developed a multi-dimensional data interpretation framework that enables non-invasive, real-time identification of defective water treatment filters.

This method combines 3D laser scanning technology with advanced SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) sensor data analysis to detect subsurface structural defects without any operational disruptions.

Key improvements:
✔️ Significant reductions in inspection time and labor costs.
✔️ Elimination of operational interruptions for filter checks.
✔️ Enhanced public health protection through consistently effective water filtration.

This framework uses upside-down 3D laser scanners to capture precise geometric changes on filter surfaces, integrating roughness, curvature, and other features with time-series sensor data. Tested extensively at the Shenango Water Treatment Plant (Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc.), this system accurately identifies problematic filters by revealing surface deformations and operational anomalies that point to issues like uneven gravel beds or mud ball formation.

This work not only safeguards water quality but also paves the way for smarter, more efficient infrastructure monitoring. The applications extend beyond water treatment, inspiring innovations in pipeline inspection and other industrial filtration systems.

Discover how laser technology is driving a safer, more sustainable future for water treatment.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1089689

[Image: Pengkun Liu, Pingbo Tang/ both Carnegie Mellon University, Jinghua Xiao/Circular Water Solution LLC - Compact filter defect detection: This framework integrates 3D scanning, SCADA data, and CFD for non-invasive detection of subsurface structural defects in water filters. It enables automated monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimized backwash in smart facilities./ Caption summary by AI]

18/09/2025

Precision Laser Treatment: AI-Powered System Elevates Enhanced Dermatological Diagnostics ✴️ 🔎 🙂

Research from Kindai University in dermatological diagnostics and laser treatment planning: The team has developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions that significantly surpasses the diagnostic accuracy of dermatologists. The study demonstrates the system's potential to support more optimized, precise diagnoses and safer more effective laser treatment decisions. –Key highlights:

* Superior diagnostic accuracy: The AI system achieved diagnostic accuracies of 86-87% for five types of facial pigmented lesions, outperforming experts (80%) and non-experts (63%) alike.
* Optimized treatment decisions: By accurately identifying lesion types like melasma, ephelides, and even critical cases like lentigo maligna melanoma (100% sensitivity), the system helps supports appropriate therapeutic choices, reduce the risk of mistreatment.
* Addressing a critical need: This research fills a gap in AI diagnostics for benign and malignant facial pigmented lesions directly relevant to laser planning.

A research team led by Haruyo Yamamoto, Chisa Nakashima, and Atsushi Otsuka from Department of Dermatology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering at Kindai University and other institutions, has developed a diagnostic system that uses artificial inte...

16/09/2025

Novel Technique Delivers Real-Time Precision Capturing Ultra-Intense Laser Pulses in a Single-Shot 🎯 ✴️ ⏱️

Physicists at the University of Oxford, in close collaboration with Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (Max Planck Society), have discovered pioneering method for capturing the full structure of ultra-intense laser pulses in a single measurement. The novel RAVEN (Real-time Acquisition of Vectorial Electromagnetic Near-fields) technique enhances the ability to control light-matter interactions –with profound implications for fields like fundamental physics and fusion energy. –Major implications:

💯 Optimized laser systems: Real-time feedback allows for immediate adjustments, significantly enhancing experimental accuracy and efficiency in plasma physics, particle acceleration, and high-energy density science.
🌐 Accelerated research: Providing superior data for computer models and AI-powered simulations.
⚡️ Fusion energy advancement: Offering a potential new route to optimize inertial fusion energy devices by providing accurate knowledge of focused laser pulse intensity.

Physicists at the University of Oxford have unveiled a pioneering method for capturing the full structure of ultra-intense laser pulses in a single measurement.

10/09/2025

How Fiber Lasers Really Work in Mamyshev Oscillators: Harmonic Mode-Locking for Advanced Applications ✴️ 〰️ ✅

Shedding new light on the fundamental physics of laser emission: A recent study by researchers from Hunan University (湖南大学) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), has unraveled the intricate dynamics of harmonic mode-locking (HML) buildup in fiber-based Mamyshev oscillators (MOs).
The Mamyshev oscillator is a powerful type of fiber laser used in advanced applications like optical communication, frequency metrology, and micromachining.

The study reveals that the generation of HML in MOs is not dominated by the conventional single-pulse splitting effect. Instead, it's driven by the amplification of multiple seeding pulses within the oscillator. The researchers identified five distinct ultrafast phases between seed pulse injection and stable HML emission: relaxation oscillation, multi-pulses operation, pulse collapse reconstruction, unstable HML, and a stable HML state.

These findings deepen the understanding of HML operation in MOs and could pave the way for improved designs of high-performance ultrafast laser systems, offering active control over transient pulse dynamics.

Mamyshev oscillators (MOs) can emit high energy pulses using a laser generation technique known as harmonic mode-locking (HML). While MO employing HML has several advanced applications in varied fields, the physics behind their operation is not well-understood. In a recent breakthrough, researchers....

02/09/2025

A New Frontier: How Enable Manufacturing in Space with Laser Technology 🛰️ ✨ ⚙️

The possibilities for space exploration are expanding, and at the heart of this revolution is advanced laser technology. The project, NOM4D (Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design), by a team of scientists from the University of Florida, in partnership with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - DARPA and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center is pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Imagine constructing massive structures like 100-meter solar arrays, satellite antennas, or even parts of space stations directly in orbit. The idea is to build massive structures such as 100-meter solar arrays, satellite antennas, or even parts of space stations directly in orbit- if laser forming technology is used in the future.

By using lasers to precisely bend metals in space, they're overcoming the significant challenges of launching fully assembled structures from Earth. This approach promises to drastically increase efficiency and open up new possibilities for space exploration.

The research into how materials like aluminum, ceramics, and stainless steel behave under laser energy in the harsh conditions of space is critical. It's not just about bending metal; it's about ensuring the integrity and strength of these materials for the next generation of space infrastructure.

Engineering team explores laser-driven metal manufacturing in orbit

27/08/2025

Self-Organizing Photonic Crystals: Pioneering Dynamic Light Control for Advanced Laser Technology and Topological Photonics Engineering 💠 ⚙️ ✴️

A collaborative research team from the Uniwersytet Warszawski, Military University of Technology, and INSTITUT PASCAL at Université Clermont Auvergne has developed a novel photonic platform utilizing cholesteric liquid crystals in optical microcavities. This innovative system enables the formation and dynamic tuning of photonic crystals with integrated spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and controlled laser emission.

The researchers have overcome key challenges associated with traditional photonic crystal manufacturing – complexity, cost, time, and fixed parameters. Their self-organized structures offer a large surface area and dynamic control over the light's band structure within the microcavity. It highlights new possibilities for combining SOC effects with periodic photonic structures.

https://www.fuw.edu.pl/press-release/news9461.html

[Image: Marcin Muszyński/ Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw - Tunable photonic crystal based on a self-organising liquid crystal structure in an optical microcavity.]