The shorter the pulses the preciser a laser tool can work. Another advantage: the processed material is not warmed up, enabling a preciser and gentler processing of highly sensitive materials through a platform which generates ulta-short laser pulses.

The INNOSLAB-amplifier – invented by Dr. Du and Prof. Dr. Loosen – is the centerpiece of the INNOSLAB platform. Four mirrors surround a laser crystal plate – the slab. A pump jet enters at the two opposite sides of the slab. The mirrors are repeatedly deflected to allow ultra-short laser pulses to keep passing the slab. Each time they do, energy is transmitted from the pump to the laser pulse until the required power is achieved. This platform was developed by the Fraunhofer-Institut for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen and refined further with several partners from industry and science: the chair for laser technology at RWTH Aachen University, the Max Planck institute for Quantum Optics MPQ in Munich and the companies Jenoptik, EdgeWave and Amphos – the last two being ILT spin-offs.

To develop new markets for laser systems with ultra-short wavelengths, the team of had to increase the mean laser output of ultra-short pulse beam sources – up to several hundred watts. Higher power makes higher production volumes in business and shorter measuring times during scientific experiments possible.

Between 2008 and 2011, two joint projects revolved around developing the new beam source: The aim of the PIKOFLAT project, supported by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research BMBF, was to structure pressure tools and embossing rollers. Here the goal was to reduce the processing time and to develop ps-lasers with an average power of 100W respectively 400W. With such ps-lasers it is possible to manufacture embossing rollers and car dashboards in as few as one or two days. In the second joint project, KORONA, Fraunhofer collaborated closely with the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching near Munich and with RWTH Aachen University. The scientists jointly developed a compact beam source whose extremely short-wavelength light makes it possible to examine nano-structures.

The focus of the project is the implementation of a reliable, compact and and cost effective and industrial suited fs-laser with an average power of >1000W and a pulse duration in the range from 200fs to 1ps. For the processing of materials – e.g. fiber-reinforced plastics for lightweight designs – the beam sources of the aimed-at power class will enable a significant decrease in processing time.

Lately ultra-short-pulsed laser technology has become more and more economical not only in micro machining but also in macro machining of materials while in the medical sector ultra-short-pulsed lasers enable entirely new therapeutic approaches such as highly precise cuts of the eye with minimal damage. The fundamental feature of these laser beams are their extremely high peak intensities with low pulse energy enabling highly precise ablation processes and processing of temperature sensitive materials without causing thermal damage. In the production of LEDs or computer chips the yield per wafer will increase and in one of the most performed surigcal operations, the therapy of cataracts, new significantly more efficient and cheaper methods will be implementable. Those new therapeutical methods for age-related longsightedness will be rivaling the classical reading glasses in near future.

创立于2001年的德国EdgeWave公司已经成功地将INNOSLAB激光技术投入国际市场。这种既坚固可靠又具高效率的创新激光技术使高功率脉冲激光系统的发展成为可能。最近, 在继续保持世界技术领先的同时，EdgeWave又成功地率先推出400瓦的INNOSLAB皮秒激光器。

Würselen(德国) — 当EdgeWave 2001年在FHG/ILT的激光技术应用中心成立时，公司拥有的核心技术是INNOSLAB激光技术 — 一种用于半导体激光器泵浦的固体激光器的创新技术。“在开发一种可靠并且可扩展的固体激光器设计的要求下，我们研发了INNOSLAB的技术方案, 而且, 成功实现了全部预期效果。”公司的创始人和CEO杜可明博士说。