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Hanover in focus: Symposium on the future of optics attracts experts!
Find out everything about the “Future Optics” symposium at the University of Hannover, which promotes interdisciplinary innovations and research in the field of optics.
Hanover in focus: Symposium on the future of optics attracts experts!
The international symposium “Future Optics” took place on September 25th and 26th, 2019 in Hanover and attracted around 180 scientists who dealt with the latest developments in the field of optical technologies. The patrons of the event were the Lower Saxony Science Minister Björn Thümler and Prof. Dr. Volker Epping, President of Leibniz University Hannover. The official opening of the symposium took place on September 25th at 4 p.m., followed by a keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Karl Ebeling from Ulm University at 4:30 p.m. The organizing Cluster of Excellence PhoenixD (Photonics, Optics, and Engineering – Innovation Across Disciplines) at Leibniz University Hannover, in collaboration with the Volkswagen Foundation, plays a central role in optical research.
The symposium highlighted the growing importance of optics in the 21st century, as Prof. Dr. Uwe Morgner, spokesman for the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence, emphasized. Hanover has established itself as a unique location for interdisciplinary research on optical systems. The cluster, which consists of over 100 scientists from various disciplines such as physics, mechanical engineering and computer science, will receive a total of 57 million euros in funding from 2019 to 2025 from the federal government and the state of Lower Saxony via the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Innovations in high-performance optics
Research in the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence also focuses on the development of high-performance optics for mass production. The price for high-performance optics is currently high and production is complex. The aim is to significantly reduce the costs of laser systems - for example, the price could fall from 10,000 euros to 500 euros. Such developments open up new areas of application in areas such as autonomous driving, agriculture and medical technology, which offer significant potential for innovation.
The cluster not only promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between physicists and engineers, but also pursues approaches such as the integration of optical functions into electronics. Initial results in production technology show that the process chain for the production of optics can also be implemented mechanically, from the nanometer to the millimeter scale.
Social impact of research
One of PhoenixD's long-term goals by the end of the project term in 2025 is the development of a prototype for intelligent optics and the planned establishment of a manufacturing grid, which is intended to be a unique selling point for Hanover. Investments in optical technologies should also pay off socially, as trained people are needed and company spin-offs create new jobs.
A crucial aspect is the transfer of knowledge from scientists to industry in order to advance progress in optical technologies. Chemistry also plays a crucial role in the development of new optical materials. Mechanical engineering and electrical engineering are essential for the production and control of optical components and systems.
With its own research focus on optical technologies and its importance in laser technology, Leibniz University Hannover has a significant influence on national and international research. Researchers at the university also play a key role in international experiments to detect gravitational waves.
For further information about the PhoenixD Cluster of Excellence and its research projects, those interested can visit the website www.phoenixd.de visit.