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FRINATEK-Fri prosj.st. mat.,naturv.,tek

Mid-IR ultra-short pulsed laser technology for science and green industry (MIR)

Alternative title: Mid-IR ultrarask laserteknologi for vitenskap og grønn industri (MIR)

Awarded: NOK 12.5 mill.

The primary goal of MIR is development of advanced mid-infrared (mid-IR) fine laser material processing tools for 3D micro-structuring of advanced materials for fundamental science and green industry. On the fundamental science side, the novel laser technology will advance our understanding of the chemical reactions on the atomic level by allowing to build a compact X-Ray light source in water window, that can be applied in biomedicine. The Mid-IR lasers can be further applied in life and environmental sciences for ultra-sensitive real-time monitoring of pollutants, viruses, bacteria and early diagnostics of diseases and cancer. Finally, they will be applied to nuclear and atomic physics, advancing our understanding of Bose-Einstein condensate of positronium and positronium based gamma-ray laser. The intensive interdisciplinary collaboration between the scientists in the fields of lasers, photonics, materials, and energy under close guidance of the Norwegian Industrial Advisory Board (NORSUN, BEYONDER and ATLA Lasers) will provide the critical mass and complementary competence. This will lead to the creation of the immediate value for both, society and the Norwegian industry. Based on the proof-of-principles and laser prototypes demonstrated by the project partners and enhanced by interdisciplinarity and large scale format MIR will enable ultra-precise rapid (1 m/s) and user-friendly tool for 3D micro-fabrication in silicon, other semiconductors and novel composite materials for solar cells and Li-batteries, and many other industrial applications. These laser tools will help manufacturing such sustainable materials for the energy sector, such as kerf-less silicon wafers for photovoltaic applications, novel micro-structured battery materials, a variety of MEMs for microelectronics or an ultra-sensitive Si-detector for XUV, just to name a few. Following the completion of the project the developed laser technology will be transferred to the Norwegian industry.

The primary goal of MIR is development of advanced mid-infrared (mid-IR) fine laser material processing tools for 3D micro-structuring of advanced materials for fundamental science and green industry. These tools are based on power-scaling of the novel ultra-short pulsed mid-IR laser technology developed in two NFR projects in Nanomat and ENERGIX programs. The methodology from the newly granted SFI-Phys Met and UNLOCK projects will be used to provide the critical mass necessary for such large scale multidisciplinary international projects as MIR. Based on the proof-of-principles demonstrated in these projects and enhanced by interdisciplinarity and large scale format MIR will enable: - An ultra-precise, rapid (1 m/s) and user-friendly tool for 3D micro-fabrication in silicon, other semiconductors and novel composite materials for solar cells and Li-batteries - advanced and sustainable materials, such as kerf-less silicon wafers for photovoltaic applications, novel micro-structured battery materials, a variety of MEMs, an ultra-sensitive Si-detector for XUV - Si micro-structures for production and cooling of positronium in Si - a path towards Bose-Einstein (BEC) condensation of positronium and gamma-ray laser - 3D micro-structures to be used at CERN LHC collider for atomic interferometry for measuring local gravitational field or probing physics at the highest energy scales Besides the new horizons that ultrafine micro-structuring brings, the novel laser technology enables: - Table-top X-Ray source in water window for biomedicine - to understand chemical reactions on the atomic level - Ultra-sensitive real-time monitoring of pollutants, viruses, bacteria and early diagnostics of diseases and cancer - Theoretical model of the energy-harvesting mechanisms in laser-amplifier systems based on mode-area scaling and spatiotemporal dynamics on fs time scale - Photonic "metaphorical modeling" tool for studying BEC of positronium and positronium based gamma-ray laser

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FRINATEK-Fri prosj.st. mat.,naturv.,tek