Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOFJena / Fürth
WLT prize for innovative bonding technologies
Dr. Carolin Rothhardt awarded for outstanding scientific achievements
For her outstanding achievements in the field of bonding technologies, Carolin Rothhardt, scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, was honored with the WLT Prize. The award was presented on September 16 at the LANE 2024 conference in Fürth and is endowed with 5,000 euros.
How can optical components be bonded together - without any adhesive? This question is the focus of Dr. Carolin Rothhardt, group leader for bonding technologies in the Precision Optical Components and Systems department at Fraunhofer IOF.
She and her team are researching innovative bonding technologies for optical components for high-power lasers. Carolin has been awarded the prize of the Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft Lasertechnik und Photonik e.V. (WLT) for her outstanding scientific achievements. The award was presented to the scientist on September 16 at the 13th CIRP Conference on Photonic Technologies LANE 2024.
Bonding without glue
Directly bonded silica grism.
As part of her PhD, the Jena researcher developed the scientific basis for "bonding without glue", as she calls it. This means that optical components can be permanently bonded together using aqueous silicate solutions, for example, or even completely without interlayers by activating the surfaces in a special way - completely without adhesive.
In the innovative joining technologies developed at Fraunhofer IOF, the component surfaces are specifically modified so that the components adhere directly to each other. Another development goal was to minimize the heating caused by the absorption of laser radiation. This is crucial in order to optimize the optical performance and extend the lifespan of the components. To achieve this, the researchers use transparent heat conductors that are bonded directly to the optically active material.
Based on these technologies, Carolin Rothhardt was able to significantly optimize the optical performance of components for high-power lasers and apply them in various projects.
From earth to outer space
For the CO2M mission, which is intended to monitor greenhouse gases on Earth from space and is expected to be launched into space in 2026, the bonding technologies developed made it possible to create an optical subcomponent that is part of the spectrometer on board. The developments of Carolin Rothhardt and her team also play an important role in the field of quantum technologies. For example, the researchers are supporting the development of a quantum computer, which is to be built as part of the PhoQuant project. Further potential lies in applications in the field of fusion technologies.
Beam splitter cube with dielectric coating.
The WLT Prize
The Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft Lasertechnik und Photonik e.V. (WLT) annually awards the WLT Prize for outstanding achievements in the field of applied laser research. The WLT focuses on the further scientific development of laser technology as a universally applicable "tool" and making it usable for new interdisciplinary fields of application in optical technologies. The prize is endowed with 5,000 euros.