RESEARCH

At Futonics, we invest significant resources in research and development each year to create new products and applications that ensure our customers always have access to the most advanced technology. Our commitment to innovation secures our leading position in the industry and enables us to deliver customized solutions tailored to the specific needs of our clients. These projects reflect our ongoing effort to remain at the forefront of technological innovation and to develop sustainable solutions for the future.

We warmly invite you to contact us if your team has new applications or ideas. Together, we can develop innovative solutions and push the boundaries of laser technology. Your vision is our inspiration!

Ongoing Research Projects:

WeLASER

Home

DigiWeed:

The solution to be developed in this project can be described as the “digitalization of weed control.” This solution is based on rapid image processing and recognition using neural networks and optical feedback systems. A key component of this project is to combine image recognition through artificial intelligence (neural networks) with intelligent optical methods in such a way that the entire recognition process becomes faster and more precise.

With the system being researched, it will be possible for the first time to automatically and with the highest precision treat emerging weeds within a 1-cm radius of the crop plant, separated from the crops. This approach targets and damages the weeds at their growth center. In terms of digitalization, this corresponds to a “1” for damage. Crop plants, on the other hand, remain unaffected, which corresponds to a “0”. This fundamentally distinguishes the solution from chemical weed control, where both crops and weeds are exposed to toxic substances. The new solution thus achieves nearly 100% weed control effectiveness in large-scale, energy-efficient applications, which was previously only possible with herbicides.

A “true digitalization of weed control” can only be achieved through a laser-based approach. Alternative methods, such as hot water or plasma-based systems, lack the necessary precision (for instance, plasma-based methods can result in the current being transmitted through the roots to the crop plants). While the concept of a “true digitalization of weed control” is not new, it has previously been explored only using CO2 lasers and underdeveloped image recognition systems, which is why the concept has not yet led to any industrially significant breakthrough.

SPITZE:

kW Peak Power Through Innovative Pumping Concept for QCW Fiber Lasers at 2 μm Wavelength

The SPITZE project aims to develop a thulium fiber laser with a peak power of 1 kW and an average power of 150 W. These high power levels can be achieved even at high pulse rates while maintaining excellent beam quality. Combined with the ability to flexibly adjust the temporal pulse shape, this promises to significantly speed up the fragmentation of kidney stones while minimizing the risk of unwanted stone movement due to recoil. Research into the underlying processes of stone removal will allow for the optimization of laser parameters for use in lithotripsy.

Decomp:

Development of a QCW Thulium Fiber Laser with kW Pulse Peak Power

PUBLICATIONS

P. Fuhrberg, A. Ahrens, A. Schkutow, T. Frick, “Welding of transparent and opaque polymers with single‐mode Tm‐doped fiber lasers“, in PhotonicsViews: Vol 17, No 2 (2020)

A. Seddon, B. Napier, I. Lindsay, S. Lamrini, P.M. Moselund, N. Stone, O. Bangg, and M. Farriesh, “Prospective on using fibre mid-infrared supercontinuum laser sources for in vivo spectral discrimination of disease”, Analyst, Vol. 143, Issue 24, pp. 5874-5887 (2018).

X. Mateos, P. Loiko, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, S. Suomalainen, A. Härkönen, M. Guina, S. Vatnik, I. Vedin, M. Aguiló, F. Díaz, Y. Wang, U. Griebner, and V. Petrov, “Highly efficient Ho:KY(WO4)2 thin-disk lasers at 2.06 µm”, Proc. SPIE 10713, Pacific-Rim Laser Damage 2018: Optical Materials for High-Power Lasers, 107130J (16 May 2018).

K. Scholle, M. Schäfer, S. Lamrini, M. Wysmolek, M. Steinke, J. Neumann, P. Fuhrberg, “All-fiber linearly polarized high power 2-μm single mode Tm-fiber laser for plastic processing and Ho-laser pumping applications”, Proc. SPIE 10512, Fiber Lasers XV: Technology and Systems, 105120O (26 February 2018).

L. Sójka, L. Pajewski, M. Popenda, E. Beres-Pawlik, S. Lamrini, K. Markowski, T. Osuch, T. M. Benson, A. B. Seddon, and S. Sujecki, “Experimental Investigation of Mid-Infrared Laser Action From Dy³⁺ Doped Fluorozirconate Fiber”, in IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 30, Issue 12, pp. 1083-1086 (2018).

X. Mateos, P. Loiko, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, S. Suomalainen, A. Härkönen, M. Guina, S. Vatnik, I. Vedin, M. Aguiló, F. Díaz, Y. Wang, U. Griebner, and V. Petrov, “Ho:KY(WO₄)₂ thin-disk laser passively Q-switched by a GaSb-based SESAM”, Opt. Express 26, 9011-9016 (2018).

X. Mateos, P. Loiko, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, S. Vatnik, I. Vedin, M. Aguiló, F. Díaz, U. Griebner, and V. Petrov, “Thermo-optic effects in Ho:KY(WO₄)₂ thin-disk lasers”, Opt. Mater. Express 8, 684-690 (2018).

P. Holl, M. Rattunde, S. Adler, K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, P. Fuhrberg, E. Diwo-Emmer, R. Aidam, W. Bronner, J. Wagner, “GaSb-based VECSEL for high-power applications and Ho-pumping”, Proc. SPIE 10087, Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) VII, 1008705 (2017).

X. Mateos, P. Loiko, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, S. Vatnik, I. Vedin, M. Aguiló, F. Díaz, U. Griebner, and V. Petrov, “Power Scaling and Thermo-Optics of Ho:KY(WO4)2 Thin-Disk Lasers: Effect of Ho3+ Concentration”, in Laser Congress 2017 (ASSL, LAC), OSA Technical Digest (online) (Optical Society of America, 2017), paper AM3A.3.

X. Mateos, S Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, S. Vatnik, P. Loiko, I. Vedin, M. Aguiló, F. Díaz, U. Griebner, and V. Petrov, “Holmium thin-disk laser based on Ho:KY(WO₄)₂/KY(WO₄)₂ epitaxy with 60% slope efficiency and simplified pump geometry”, Opt. Lett. 42, 3490-3493 (2017).

K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, S. Adler, P. Holl, E. Diwo-Emmer, M. Rattunde, and P. Fuhrberg, “Compact 2.1 µm Q-switched Ho:YAG Laser Intra-cavity Pumped by a 2 µm OPSDL”, in 2017 European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and European Quantum Electronics Conference, (Optical Society of America, 2017), paper CA_5_4.

X. Mateos, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, S. Vatnik, P. Loiko, M. Aguiló, F. Díaz, U. Griebner, and V. Petrov, “Holmium thin-disk laser at 2056 nm based on Ho:KYW/KYW epitaxy”, 2017 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC), Munich, 2017, paper CA_1_1.

A. B. Seddon, T. M. Benson, S. Sujecki, N. Abdel-Moneim, Z. Tang, D. Furniss, L. Sojka, N. Stone, N. Jayakrupakar, G. R. Lloyd, I. Lindsay, J. Ward, M. Farries, P. M. Moselund, B. Napier, S. Lamrini, U. Møller, I. Kubat, C. R. Petersen, and O. Bang, “Towards the mid-infrared optical biopsy”, Proc. SPIE 9703, Optical Biopsy XIV: Toward Real-Time Spectroscopic Imaging and Diagnosis, 970302, (2016).

S. Yilmaz, C. Ottenhues, T. Theeg, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, M. Schäfer, P. Fuhrberg, H. Sayinc, F. Ö. Ilday, J. Neumann, L. Overmeyer, and D. Kracht, “Single-mode spectral beam combining of high power Tm-doped fiber lasers with WDM cascades”, Proc. SPIE 9728, Fiber Lasers XIII: Technology, Systems, and Applications, 97280O, (2016).

A. B. Seddon, B. Napier, I. Lindsay, S. Lamrini, P. M. Moselund, N. Stone, and O. Bang, “Mid-infrared Spectroscopy/Bioimaging: Moving toward MIR optical biopsy”, Laser Focus World, Vol 52, Issue 2, p. 50-53, (2016).

L. Sójka, D. Furniss, T. Zhuoqi, H. Sakr, E. R. Barney, T. M. Benson, A. B. Seddon, S. Sujecki, K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, P. Fuhrberg, “Numerical modeling of lathanide-ion doped fibre lasers operating within mid-infrared wavelength region”, in 18th International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON), (2016).

K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, S. Adler, P. Holl, E. Diwo, M. Rattunde, and P. Fuhrberg, “SDL In-band Pumped Q-switched 2.1 µm Ho:YAG Laser”, in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, OSA Technical Digest (2016) (Optical Society of America, 2016), paper STu4M.2, (2016).

H. S. Sayinc, K. Hausmann, C. Ottenhues, O. Isik, M. Steinke, S. S. Yilmaz, S. Lamrini, J. Neumann, F. Ö. Ilday, and D. Kracht, “All-fiber Combining Concepts in the Wavelength Range Around 2 µm”, in Frontiers in Optics 2016, OSA Technical Digest (online) (Optical Society of America, 2016), paper FW5B.7, (2016).

P. Holl, M. Rattunde, S. Adler, S. Kaspar, W. Bronner, A. Bächle, R. Aidam, J. Wagner, K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, and P. Fuhrberg, “GaSb-based 2µm Semiconductor Disk Laser: Power scaling for optical pumping of Ho:YAG”, in 2015 European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics – European Quantum Electronics Conference, (Optical Society of America, 2015), paper CB_P_7, (2015).

A. Oladeji, A. Phillips, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, A. B. Seddon, T. M. Benson, and S. Sujecki, “Design of erbium doped double clad ZBLAN Fibre laser”, in J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 619, (2015).

S. Sujecki, A. Oladeji, T. M. Benson, A. B. Seddon, K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, and P. Fuhrberg, “Numerical modelling of erbium (III) doped Q-switched fibre lasers”, in 17th International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks (ICTON), (2015).

S. Yilmaz, C. Ottenhues, M. Wysmolek, T. Theeg, S. Lamrini, C. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, H. Sayinc, F. Ö. Ilday, J. Neumann, L. Overmeyer, and D. Kracht, “All-Fiber, Single-Mode Spectral Beam Combining of High Power Tm-Doped Fiber Lasers”, in Advanced Solid State Lasers, OSA Technical Digest (online) (Optical Society of America, 2015), paper AW4A.4, (2015).

S. Sujecki, A. Oladeji, A. Phillips, A. B. Seddon, T. M. Benson, H. Sakr, Z. Tang, E. Barney, D. Furniss, Ł. Sójka, E. Bereś-Pawlik, K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, and P. Fuhrberg, “Theoretical study of population inversion in active doped MIR chalcogenide glass fibre lasers (invited)”, in Quant Electron 47, 1389 (2015).

S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, M. Schäfer, J. Ward, M. Francis, M. Farries, S. Sujecki, T. Benson, A. Seddon, A. Oladeji, B. Napier, and P. Fuhrberg, “High-Energy Q-switched Er:ZBLAN Fibre Laser at 2.79 µm”, in 2015 European Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics – European Quantum Electronics Conference, (Optical Society of America, 2015), paper CJ_7_2, (2015).

I. Kubat, C. S. Agger, U. Møller, A. B. Seddon, Z. Tang, S. Sujecki, T. M. Benson, D. Furniss, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, B. Napier, M. Farries, J. Ward, P. M. Moselund, and O. Bang, “Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation to 12.5μm in large NA chalcogenide step-index fibres pumped at 4.5μm”, Opt. Express 22, 19169-19182, (2014).

S. Sujecki, A. Oladeji, L. Sojka, A. Phillips, A. B. Seddon, T. M. Benson, H. Sakr, Z. Tang, D. Furniss, K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, and P. Fuhrberg, “Modelling and design of MIR chalcogenide glass fibre lasers (invited)”, in 14th International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices, (2014).

C. Agger, I. Kubat, U. Møller, P. M. Moselund, C. Petersen, B. Napier, A. Seddon, S. Sujecki, T. Benson, M. Farries, J. Ward, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, and O. Bang, “Numerical demonstration of 3-12µm supercontinuum generation in large-core step-index chalcogenide fibers pumped at 4.5µm”, in Nonlinear Optics, B. Boulanger, S. Cundiff, M. Kauranen, and W. Knox, eds., OSA Technical Digest (online) (Optical Society of America, 2013), paper NW4A.09, (2013).

K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, F. Gatzemeier, P. Koopmann, and P. Fuhrberg, “In-band diode pumped high power Ho:YLF laser”, in Proceedings of CLEO Europe – EQEC 2011, Paper #CA_3_4, (2011).

S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, K. Scholle, and P. Fuhrberg, “Q-switched Ho:Lu₂O₃ laser at 2.12 μm”, Opt. Lett. 38, 1948-1950 (2013).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, M Schäfer, P. Fuhrberg, and G. Huber, “Holmium-doped Lu₂O₃, Y₂O₃, and Sc₂O₃ for lasers above 2.1 µm”, in Optics Express 21, 3926-3931 (2013).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, C. Kränkel, P. Fuhrberg, and G. Huber, “Holmium-Doped Lutetia: A Novel Diode Pumped Laser at 2124 nm”, in Proceedings of Advances in Optical Materials 2012, # IW5D.4 (2012).

S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, M. Schäfer, K. Scholle, and P. Fuhrberg, “Directly diode-pumped high-energy Ho:YAG oscillator”, in Optics Letters 37, 515-517 (2012).

S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, and G. Huber, “Diode Pumped Q-switched Ho:Lu₂O₃ Laser at 2.12 µm”, in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, OSA Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, 2012), paper CTu2D.1 (2012).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, M. Schäfer, P. Fuhrberg, and G. Huber, “Multi-watt laser operation and laser parameters of Ho-doped Lu₂O₃ at 2.12 μm”, Optical Materials Express 1, 1447-1456 (2011).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, K. Petermann, and G. Huber, “Efficient diode-pumped laser operation of Tm:Lu₂O₃ around 2 μm”, Optics Letters 36, 948-950 (2011).

K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, M. Schäfer, J. Thomas, C. Voigtländer, S. Nolte, and P. Fuhrberg, “High Power Wavelength Stabilized Tm-Fibre Laser with FBG Written into the Core of the Active Fibre”, in Proceedings of CLEO Europe – EQEC 2011, # CJ8.3 (2011).

S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, M. Schäfer, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, K. Petermann, and G. Huber, “Efficient Laser Operation of Ho:Lu₂O₃ at Room Temperature”, in Proceedings of CLEO Europe – EQEC 2011, # CA1.6 (2011).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, K. Petermann, and G. Huber, “Laser Operation and Spectroscopic Investigations of Tm:LuScO₃”, in Proceedings of CLEO Europe – EQEC 2011, # CA1.4 (2011).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, K. Petermann, and G. Huber, “Long Wavelength Laser Operation of Tm:Sc₂O₃ at 2116 nm and Beyond”, in Proceedings of Advanced Solid State Photonics 2011, # ATuA5 (2011).

M. Schellhorn, P. Koopmann, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, K. Petermann, and G. Huber, “Diode-pumped Tm:Lu2O3 thin disk laser”, in Advances in Optical Materials, OSA Technical Digest (CD), paper ATuB14 (2011).

S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, M. Schäfer, K. Scholle, and P. Fuhrberg, “Efficient high-power Ho:YAG laser directly in-band pumped by a GaSb-based laser diode stack at 1.9 μm”, in Appl. Phys. B 106:315 (2011).

S. Lamrini, M. Hofmann, K. Scholle, P. Koopmann, and P. Fuhrberg, “Compact High-Power Ho:YAG MOPA in-Band Pumped by Laser Diode Stacks at 1.9 micron”, in Proceedings of EPS-QEOD Europhoton Conference 2010, # WeC5 (2010).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, K. Petermann, and G. Huber, “Laser Operation at 2 micron and Thermal Conductivity of Thulium Doped Lutetia”, in Proceedings of EPS-QEOD Europhoton Conference 2010, # WeP2 (2010).

P. Koopmann, S. Lamrini, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, K. Petermann, and G. Huber, “High Power Diode Pumped 2 μm Laser Operation of Tm:Lu₂O₃”, in Proceedings of CLEO/QUELS 2010, # CMDD1 (2010).

K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, P. Fuhrberg, in Frontiers in Guided Wave Optics and Optoelectronics (InTech, Vukovar, 2010), pp. 471–500.

S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, K. Scholle, P. Fuhrberg, and M. Hofmann, “High-Power Ho:YAG Laser in-band Pumped by Laser Diodes at 1.9 μm and Wavelength-Stabilized by a Volume Bragg Grating”, in Proceedings of Advanced Solid State Photonics 2010, # AMB13 (2010).

K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, P. Koopmann, and P. Fuhrberg, “2 µm Laser Sources and Their Possible Applications”, in Book: Frontiers in Guided Wave Optics and Optoelectronics (2010).

K. Scholle, S. Lamrini, P. Fuhrberg, M. Rattunde, J. Wagner, “Wavelength Stabilization and Mode Selection of a GaSb-based Semiconductor Disk Laser at 2 µm Using a Volume Bragg Grating”, in Proceedings of CLEO Europe – EQEC 2009, #CB7_4 (2009).

K. Scholle and P. Fuhrberg, “In-Band Pumping of High-Power Ho:YAG Lasers by Laser Diodes at 1.9µm”, in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies, OSA Technical Digest (CD), paper CTuAA1 (2008).

K. Scholle, E. Heumann, and G. Huber, “Single mode Tm and Tm,Ho:LuAG lasers for LIDAR applications”, in Appl. Phys. Lett. Vol 1, Issue 6, pp. 285-290 (2004).

U. H. Jacobs, K. Scholle, E. Heumann, and G. Huber, “Room-temperature external cavity GaSb-based diode laser around 2.13μm”, in Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 5825 (2004).