REPORT LASER MUNICH


Quantum race will be long D


r Peter Leibinger, CTO of Trumpf, called for a joined-up strategy on quantum technologies across different


German government agencies on the first day of Laser World of Photonics in Munich. Dr Leibinger made his address to the photonics community at the trade fair, which hosted a World of Quantum hall and forum. Germany has the world’s second largest quantum technology government programme after China, according to Leibinger. Last year, Germany invested €2bn into quantum computing and related technologies over five years.


But Leibinger said that expectation


management was key to avoid disillusionment, because, in the short-term at least, huge revenues won’t be made on quantum technology. He said: ‘I do think that Germany [is in


a] very good situation concerning quantum technology; we have a lot of small- and medium-sized companies that are investing in this technology.’ Leibinger pointed to both quantum sensing and quantum computing as two areas where the technology is seeing success and where photonic components play a role. He said that quantum sensing is the first


field where real-world products are starting to be delivered. He gave the example of the QSens research project – a collaboration between the universities of Stuttgart and Ulm and industry partners, including Q.Ant, which Trumpf owns – where a magnetometer has been developed to give patients some control


over the movement of prosthetic limbs. Quantum computing is the other area


where a huge amount of investment is being made. Leibinger drew attention to what he called an ‘heroic experiment’ by researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, where they used the photonic quantum computer, Jiuzhang 2.0, to solve a problem 1024 times faster than a classical supercomputer. Leibinger drew parallels between the


embryonic World of Quantum exhibition that’s part of Laser World of Photonics today, and the early days of the Laser Munich show itself, when, for the first 10 years, exhibitor numbers did not really grow. He emphasised that communication is key


within the quantum technology sector, and that growth in quantum technologies will be a ‘very long race’ that will require political support. Interest in quantum technologies is


strong at the moment, as the amount of money governments are willing to put forward shows, along with venture capital investment and the number of patents being filed. Photonics stands to gain from this investment, although some have made the point that governments focusing too heavily on quantum could detract from other worthy areas like photonics more generally. Speaking to Electro Optics earlier in the


year about the UK’s quantum strategy, John Lincoln of the UK Photonics Leadership Group shared the statistic that 88 per cent of Innovate UK projects funded under the UK’s Quantum Programme relate to photonics, while less than eight per cent of the UK’s 1,200 photonics companies have received support from the programme. ‘To heavily fund one area is not intrinsically bad, and quantum funding has been accessed extensively in parts of the UK photonics industry, but when support is finite, it distracts from other worthy areas which may be able to offer more immediate return,’ Lincoln said. ‘As investors follow governmental lead, it also risks creating a bubble in that focus area (e.g. quantum) when expectations are not met – something seen previously in graphene and nanotechnology, which in the long term reduces investors’ confidence in backing enabling technologies.’ Nevertheless, governments need to support


the quantum sector to get commercial products made, and photonics firms are a vital part of the quantum technology ecosystem.


SI Stuttgart Instruments wins innovation prize at Laser Munich


SI Stuttgart Instruments has won the Innovation Prize at Laser World of Photonics in Munich for its Alpha scientific laser. Benjamin Rudolph, the


firm’s co-founder, said that winning the innovation prize is recognition that the Alpha laser makes a lot of research possible. Stuttgart Instruments states that the award honours its customers that achieve scientific progress with its system. The €5,000 Innovation


Prize recognises companies developing innovative products. It was launched in 2019 by Messe München in collaboration with Europa Science, publisher of Electro Optics, Imaging and Machine Vision Europe, Fibre


Systems and Laser Systems Europe.


The Alpha series is a modular laser platform covering a wavelength range of 700nm to 20µm. Alpha can be tuned from 1.35µm to 4.5µm, while providing separate but simultaneously usable outputs below and above 2µm. The laser can be extended with modules for visible, near-infrared and mid- infrared operation, which can be synchronised and controlled by the firm’s GUI. Rudolph said that, along


with its capabilities to cover a wide spectrum, the laser is also extremely stable and doesn’t require maintenance. ‘We have been very successful


with this system in the scientific market since the beginning of the company,’ he said. ‘It is now time to expand our portfolio and incorporate our accumulated expertise into new systems for other target groups or applications.’ When asked about what advice he’d give to start-


ups commercialising new technology, he said: ‘Don’t develop something and then try to market it. First understand the application and try to create real added value here. Be courageous in doing so. But also be honest with your customers and pursue a transparent pricing policy. Offer great service even beyond the warranty period. All this leads to satisfied customers, and they are important for long-term success.’ SI Stuttgart Instruments was chosen as the overall winner of the prize by a panel of 11 judges, who also selected six category winners from 17 finalists. The finalists were selected from more than 50 entrants.


www.electrooptics.com | @electrooptics


May 2022 Electro Optics 7


Rolger Rauner / Messe Munchen gmbh


Messe Munchen


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