LASER World Of Photonics Celebrates 50 Years Of Laser

By John Oncea, Editor

Fifty years ago, LASER 73 brought together about 100 exhibitors to marvel at all photonics had to offer. Now, tens of thousands are flocking to Munich to attend LASER World of PHOTONICS, one of photonics’ leading trade fairs.

LASER 73, the precursor to today’s LASER World of PHOTONICS, was held 50 years ago. The first ever laser beam had been created only 13 years before the event, but Gerd vom Hoevel, Managing Director of Messe München at the time, was so impressed by the potential of this innovative technology that he launched the world’s first trade fair for lasers.

Flash forward to today, a time in which photonics has become “a key technology for digitalization and the communicative networking of our modern world; it is revolutionizing medical research and practice; it enables precise insights into the worlds of nano and micro, as well as into the depths of our universe; and, in industrial manufacturing, it is constantly paving the way to even more efficiency, flexibility, precision, brilliance, and sustainability.”

Not only has photonics evolved, so too has LASER World of PHOTONICS. About 100 exhibitors attended LASER 73 but this year’s event scheduled for June 27 – 30 in Munich is expected to attract over 30,000 visitors and 1,300 exhibitors from around the world. In addition, both World of QUANTUM (an International Trade Fair on Quantum Technology) and World of Photonics Congress (a scientific congress in the sector for photonics and laser research) will be running parallel to LASER World of PHOTONICS.

But wait! There’s more! A fourth event, automatica (an exhibition for smart automation and robotics), also will be taking place. Let’s take a look at all four of these events starting with LASER World of PHOTONICS, held every two years since the first one 50 years ago.

LASER World of PHOTONICS

One prime use of photonics is the utilization of it to ensure greater sustainability. Whether it be in photovoltaic and LED lighting, battery and fuel cell manufacturing, single-source recycling, or precision agriculture, whenever light is employed as a tool, efficiency rises, and environmental consequences diminish.

Attendees of LASER World of PHOTONICS will Explore the depths of additive manufacturing, sensors, integrated photonics, medical technology, and quantum technology with unparalleled insight and thorough exploration of their potential. The exhibition includes dedicated sections for important subjects such as:

• Biophotonics and medical technology: The focus from the start: photonic processes. As a central meeting point for the most important industry stakeholders, the LASER World of PHOTONICS offers the most comprehensive overview of devices, applications, and predictions.
• Integrated photonics: Integrating all the necessary optical components, from beam sources to transistors, memory, modulators, polarizers, and detectors, on one chip is the key to purely optical information processing and transferring. The result is previously unimaginable speeds and levels of energy efficiency.
• Imaging/sensors, measurement, and testing technology: Automated production processes are performed so fast these days that conventional measuring and mechanical methods can no longer keep up. Fast-paced alternatives: lasers and optoelectronics.
• Lasers and laser systems for manufacturing processes: Nothing achieves a more precise, faster, and more efficient result in production than the laser. It is plotting the way ahead for modern production processes and developing into a universal — and unbeatable — tool.

Exhibition areas include laser systems for industrial production; imaging; integrated photonics; optical measurement systems; biophotonics and medical technology; lasers and optronics; optics; production technology for optics; optic information and communication; quantum technologies; and sensor, measurement, and testing technology.

World of QUANTUM

The World of QUANTUM is gearing up for its second round following a triumphant debut in 2022. As a hub for the global quantum community, it provides a detailed look into a burgeoning technology that is transitioning from the realm of research into industry and commerce.

Global players, startups, and institutes, as well as quantum clusters and hubs, offer exciting insights that are looked at in even greater detail in the supporting program. Highlights include the series of presentations in the World of QUANTUM forums and the young talent format Qiskit Hackathon@World of QUANTUM, in which teams try out programming quantum computers.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) also will be in attendance with project days on quantum sensors and quantum computing, as will Bayern Innovativ with an application-oriented lecture program in cooperation with PlanQK (the platform and ecosystem for quantum applications).

Munich Quantum Valley will offer further exciting insights in cooperation with IBM Quantum Research as well as six application panels on all relevant areas of quantum technologies, in which the German Industry Association for Quantum Security (DIVQSec) also will be present.

World of Photonics Congress

Every optical technology aspect from basic research to application-oriented science to solutions approaching market readiness will be addressed at the World of Photonics Congress, the most important scientific platform that acts as an interface between theory and practice. In its five conferences, experts from all over the world will offer comprehensive insights into the world of photonics in over 5,000 lectures and poster sessions. The five conferences this year are:

• LiM 2023 – Lasers in Manufacturing: The LiM focuses on the latest developments as well as future trends in the field of laser materials processing. The conference topics address anyone interested in the potential of lasers in manufacturing in theory and application. LiM is organized by the German Scientific Laser Society (WLT).
• Digital Optical Technologies: Digital Optical Technologies focuses on the components, systems design, and applications of emerging digital optical technologies. It reflects trends in technologies such as 3D sensors, immersive multimedia, novel displays, light sources, and imaging systems. Digital Optical Technologies is organized by SPIE Europe.
• CLEO/Europe – EQEC 2023: The Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Europe – European Quantum Electronics Conferences (CLEO/Europe-EQEC 2023) is an international conference to highlight new frontiers in lasers, photonics, and optical science across a wide range of technical areas. CLEO/Europe-EQEC 2023 is organized by the European Physical Society (EPS), Optica (formerly OSA), and IEEE Photonics Society.
• Optical Metrology: Optical Metrology is the premier European conference for scientists, engineers, researchers, and product developers to discuss the latest research in measurement systems, modeling, videometrics, and inspection. Optical Metrology is organized by SPIE Europe.
• ECBO – European Conferences on Biomedical Optics: ECBO cover basic science, technology, and applications in the areas of microscopy, spectroscopy, diffuse optical imaging, therapeutic laser applications, optoacoustic methods, and other novel biophotonics techniques. ECBO is organized by SPIE in cooperation with Optica (formerly OSA).

A host of Plenary Sessions are scheduled as well featuring a diverse group of speakers. These sessions are:

• Laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, power source of the future?
• From Nonlinear Optics to High-Intensity Laser Physics
• Photonic machines for large-scale applications and fundamental physics
• Additive manufacturing for sustainable solutions in hydraulics
• 3D micro/nano-printing with light
• Fluorescence lifetime imaging of NAD(P)H and FAD to monitor immune cell metabolism and function
• Holotomography and artificial intelligence: label-free 3D imaging, classification, and inference of live cells and organoids
• Remote photonic medicine
• End-to-end simulation in propelling the new wave of optics and photonics innovation
• Quantum Computation and Quantum Simulation with Strings of Trapped Ca+ Ions

automatica

A leading trade fair for smart automation and robotics, automatica brings together key technologies, making it a meeting point for constructive and visionary exchange between industry, research, and political representatives.

It also offers an overview of developments, topics, innovations, and solutions to provide the necessary orientation and investment security allowing for the vision of gradual advancement from automated to autonomous production may become a reality – providing an opportunity to grow for you and your company.

automatica features five lectures: Visions of future robotics and AI; Megatrens – mega-informative; The AI.Society stage; Inspiring and immersive; and Lucractive connections. There also will be seven showcases: From single mobile robots to orchestrated fleets; Workforce of the future; Discover automation: hands-on; A reality check of connectivity; By humans for humans; Maintenance – the backbone of the Smart Factory; and Live demonstrations and solution pitches.