Optical Technology - Made in Germany

The BMBF supports optical technologies through comprehensive funding measures. A branch of high technology has developed around the different forms of use, which has brought about many innovations. Germany is among the world leaders in many areas of application.

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Optical Technology - Made in Germany, Funding Program Summary (english version)

Technologies Optiques - Made in Germany, Funding Program Summary (french version)

DESCRIPTION

Light can do far more than light up rooms: From scanners at check-out counters to the use of lasers in the automobile industry - the technical use of light has become part of our everyday life, often linked to electronics. There is currently no other usable medium which provides such as host of unique characteristics as light. Light can be focused down to one millionth part of a millimetre - i.e. a nanometre. In this order of magnitude, words can be written on a hair by means of a laser. Light enables shortest pulses in the range of one trillionth of a second - i.e. one femtosecond. In such a fragment of a second, a laser beam can focus millions of megawatts which equals a thousand times the performance of a modern power plant.

Light is future: Experts are already talking about glowing wallpaper, about telephones showing the partner as a 3D hologram or about car polish which can switch colours.