News: Optoelectronics
8 January 2026
FBH presenting latest advances at Photonics West
At Photonics West 2026 in San Francisco, CA, USA, the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH) of Berlin, Germany is delivering 20 scientific presentations at the conferences (17–22 January) and exhibiting at the trade fair (20–22 January).
At booth 4205-14 in the German Pavilion, FBH is presenting its full portfolio, from device design to prototype development and small-series production. A key highlight remains its chip technology. Among recent breakthroughs: FBH has expanded the wavelength range of gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based lasers from 620nm to 614nm, which is of particular relevance for quantum computing. This wavelength enables the reset of barium ions used as qubits in quantum processors. Additional focus areas include tailored modules and systems, supporting applications such as direct material processing, hyperspectral imaging in the mid-infrared using entangled photon pairs, and solutions designed for deployment in space.
Photonic integration based on gallium arsenide
Using its expertise in chip design and the fabrication of GaAs-based diode lasers, FBH has developed a monolithic GaAs-based photonic integrated waveguide platform that combines on-chip amplification with passive, shallow and deep-etched waveguides. This technology provides the foundation for ring-resonator-coupled lasers and can cover a wavelength range from 950nm to 1180nm. Potential applications include quantum physics, spectroscopy, and biosensing.
High-power diode lasers – from advanced chips to real-life industrial testing
FBH has continued successful field trials of its SAMBA laser head, demonstrating metal 3D printing of test structures directly at an industrial partner’s site. At the core of this direct diode laser system is a compact module providing 1kW continuous wave (CW) output power. Its 780nm wavelength is tailored to the absorption peak of aluminium. In parallel, the team at FBH has introduced lasers with narrower stripe widths and shorter resonators, raising CW conversion efficiency at the 1kW level to 50%. These improvements also doubled the achievable powerdensity to 2 kW/mm2.
Further progress has been achieved in the development of pump laser sources, a key technology for inertial fusion energy (IFE) systems. FBH is employing new device concepts that enhance performance while reducing manufacturing costs. These innovations include multi-junction designs as well as advanced technological approaches for facet passivation and grating stabilization.
At the same time, FBH is steadily advancing its technological foundations, resulting in a substantial increase in the brilliance of broad-area lasers. A customized current profile along the resonator results in a homogeneous device temperature distribution, reducing the lateral far field by 30% for the first time worldwide.
Modules for demanding space applications
For many years, FBH has been developing and manufacturing diode laser modules for use in challenging environments including space, with their reliability confirmed in multiple microgravity experiments. The institute is currently manufacturing 55 ultra-narrowband modules for the BECCAL apparatus, which will support quantum-optical experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
These modules are based on the patented MiLas technology, developed in-house. Micro-integrated MiLas laser modules are said to be exceptionally robust and extremely compact, with dimensions of only 125mm x 75mm x 23mm and a weight of 750g. They provide output powers above 500mW with an intrinsic linewidth below 1kHz. This technology is currently being further developed for use in MEO and GEO satellite orbits with operational lifetimes exceeding 15 years.
Picture: Micro-integrated laser module with on-chip semiconductor opticalamplifier for precision quantum optics experiments in space (© FBH/schurian.com).
In parallel, FBH is pushing further miniaturization efforts by transferring the established hybrid External Cavity Diode Laser (ECDL) concept to a single chip to realize a monolithically integrated ECDL (mECDL).
Picture: Plug-and-play solution for LiDAR applications featuring a wavelength-stabilized, high-power nanosecond-pulse diode laser, seamlessly integrated with a high-current driver in a compact butterfly housing (© FBH/P. Immerz).
FBH's pulsed nanosecond laser sources for time-of-flight (ToF) LiDAR systems are also aimed at space applications. The distance-measurement modules for mid-range scanning are equally suited for robotics and autonomous driving. They are developed in several variants, each featuring in-house-developed driver electronics tailored to the specific application and delivering high output power along with excellent lateral beam quality. For example, 48-emitter laser bars with a 50µm stripe width achieve pulse powers exceeding 2000W.
Miniaturized and powerful: Isolator with broad wavelength coverage
Optical isolators are critical components in semiconductor laser systems, ensuring that emitted light travels only in one direction and protecting the laser from harmful feedback. FBH has developed a technology platform for highly compact isolators with a volume of less than 0.5ml. These miniaturized components cover a wide wavelength range from around 400nm to 950nm and deliver impressive performance, providing more than 30dB isolation and transmission above 70%. FBH hence closes a gap in the current commercial landscape and enables new applications, including photonic modules for compact quantum computers, high-precision optical clocks, and mobile quantum sensors. One of these isolators has already been deployed in space aboard a nanosatellite.
FBH exceeds 1mW far-UVC LED CW output from single fiber
