topic Hightech Strategy

Optical Technologies - With Light into the Future

Optical technologies stand for growth and economic success "made in Germany". This means competitiveness, economic growth and employment in Germany. The BMBF supports optical technologies through comprehensive funding measures. A branch of high technology has developed around the different forms of use, which has brought about many innovations. Germany is among the world leaders in many areas of application.

Light can do far more than light up rooms: From scanners at check-out counters to the use of lasers in the automobile industry - the technical use of light has become part of our everyday life, often linked to electronics. There is currently no other usable medium which provides such as host of unique characteristics as light. Light can be focused down to one millionth part of a millimetre - i.e. a nanometre. In this order of magnitude, words can be written on a hair by means of a laser. Light enables shortest pulses in the range of one trillionth of a second - i.e. one femtosecond. In such a fragment of a second, a laser beam can focus millions of megawatts which equals a thousand times the performance of a modern power plant.

Light is future: Experts are already talking about glowing wallpaper, about telephones showing the partner as a 3D hologram or about car polish which can switch colours.

Innovation opportunities for Germany - "Light Creates Jobs"

Optical technologies are pace-maker technologies for modern industry and society. They trigger important innovations in areas such as mechanical, automobile, ship and aircraft engineering, microelectronics, lighting as well as the pharmaceuticals and medical product industry, in which Germany holds core competences.

About 16 percent of all jobs in the processing industry in Germany already depend directly or indirectly on optical technologies. This equals about one million employees. About 110,000 people are directly employed in the area of optical technologies, primarily with laser manufacturers, producers of optical components and systems as well as in the lighting industry. The about 1,000 SMEs which operate in optical technologies and provide 36,000 jobs expect a growth of employment of over 40 percent by 2010. Optical technologies are therefore a tremendously important branch of industry in Germany.

"Worldwide leadership in research funding"

Since the late 1980s, Germany has developed into a world market leader in many areas of laser technology: From an importer of laser beam sources for industrial production, our country has developed into an export champion with a world market share of 40 percent. Consistent funding policy has made an important contribution to this development. The BMBF supported projects on laser technology and optical technologies with over 770 million Euro between 1987 and 2004.

Novel technological challenges and opportunities are emerging after research has enabled comprehensive technical control of the multiple and unique characteristics of light. In 1999/2000, the BMBF initiated a strategy process led by industry to develop and use the field of optical technologies in its full range. The results with over 100 recommendations for action addressed to industry, science and the government have been summed up in the German agenda on "Optical Technologies for the 21st Century". At federal level, the implementation of urgent measures to strengthen optical technologies in Germany was taken up directly after the agenda process. The "Optical Technologies - Made in Germany" funding programme was launched in spring 2002. The BMBF will initially provide 280 million Euro under this programme up to the year 2006. Besides measures to develop new technologies with a particular leverage effect on growth and employment, the funding programme also provides for measures of innovation policy. Nine competence networks on optical technologies have developed so far. A total of over 400 companies, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, are committed in these local networks.

Current highlights

The current highlights of BMBF funding include a broad range of optical technologies:

• Femtonics provides entirely new opportunities in materials processing and medicine with ultra-short laser pulses. Painless treatment of dental caries is therefore within reach.
• High-performance diode lasers generate particularly efficient laser light for applications in production, printing and medical technology.
• Biophotonics, which provides deep insight into cells and their life processes by means of new light-based technologies and thereby tries to prevent and cure diseases, is entering the second funding phase. An efficient early recognition of tumours is one of the objectives.
• Organic LEDs are particularly promising as energy-saving and flexible sources of light. The BMBF plans to establish a new funding initiative in this area.

Education initiatives are also of outstanding importance, as there is a shortage of qualified young scientists in the still young area of optical technologies. It is therefore important to make information and knowledge available to schools, companies, universities and continuing training institutions, to communicate the fascination and to arouse the interest of the general public in these technologies. This is why the BMBF has developed the joint campaign "FaszinationLicht".

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  topic Ministry

  Organic Photovoltaics - Plastics for Energy from Light

  Energy from plastics is the goal in a new research initiative by BMBF and industry. The initiative aims to develop photovoltaic systems at lower cost, that are more versatile, lighter and for large surfaces than solar cells made from silicon.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/10413.php)
   
  

• topic Hightech Strategy

  Fascinating Light - Innovation Needs People

  What is reflection? How does a laser work and how can laser pulses be formed? The BMBF education initiative "FaszinationLicht" is to teach young people the basics of optical technologies in a playful way. On the Internet and at a touring exhibition, virtual and real experiments can be conducted in the field of optics. The initiative thus draws the attention of young people to an important future-oriented field with many attractive career opportunities. Strategic cooperation with partners in the education sector furthermore supports targeted initial and continuing training which is in line with the demands of companies and staff.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/3608.php)
   
  

• topic Hightech Strategy

  Biophotonics - Light for Life

  Light has the potential to assist in the recognition of the origins of diseases as well as in their prevention or early and gentle treatment. Within the framework of the Biophotonics research priority, the BMBF supports numerous projects which are seeking to understand diseases by optical means. Researchers are committed to developing methods to find the causes of diseases such as cancer or infections and to improve the treatment of allergies.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/3597.php)
   
  

• topic Hightech Strategy

  Femtonics - Healing and Producing with Ultra-short Pulses

  Who wouldn't prefer a totally painless treatment of dental caries? Femtonics makes it possible. Heat and vibrations cause pain during drilling. Both can be avoided with femtosecond lasers. However, this is just one of many applications of femtonics. The femtosecond laser enables materials processing with nanometre precision. With Diesel engines, and now also with Otto engines, femtosecond lasers can contribute to increasing the performance of the engine while reducing consumption and the burden on the environment. The interviewed expert explains how.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/3599.php)
   
  

• topic Hightech Strategy

  High-performance Diode Laser - Light for Production

  Lasers play a key role in modern production processes. They work at a distance, can easily be dosed and do not wear down. Using lasers can contribute to improving products and conserving raw materials. High-performance diode lasers are a new tool. The promotion of this technology is expected to make the production of laser light ten times more efficient than today. This does not only save energy but opens entirely new fields of application and thus perspectives for German industry.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/3601.php)