Thorlabs has acquired a sensor license developed by ISSP UL

One of the world’s leading manufacturers of photonics and optical instruments and their components – Thorlabs has highly appreciated the uniqueness of the innovative thermo-electric sensor TESS developed by Latvian scientists and has agreed on its licensing and technology transfer.

A team of scientists from the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL) has created a high-speed electromagnetic sensor TESS, which can be applied in high precision laser manipulations, for example, in medicine, laser welding and engraving.

Existing technologies allow you to measure the average power of a laser beam over a certain time, which may be insufficient for highly-precise operations or fine lithographs. The TESS sensor is unique with its short operating time – the signal rise time is less than 10 nanoseconds, which is 1000 times faster than the technologies used right now in laser industry. The basis of the sensor is the unique properties of the material, obtained by making it from very thin multiple layers.

“Thorlabs GmbH has always been interested in expanding its portfolio of laser power and energy measurement. We see the acquisition of the TESS sensors as an opportunity to serve the rapid development of short-pulse lasers towards ever higher repetition rates and the associated increasing demands on measurement technology. Thorlabs is currently installing its manufacturing and infrastructure capabilities, as well as data acquisition and analysis electronics. We expect the first products towards the end of 2022.” comments the Thorlabs Light Detection and Analysis group, located in Bergkirchen, Germany.

This is an example of successful scientific project commercialisation when innovative solutions and technologies have developed from an idea in the laboratory to a real-life application. “Not all discoveries and ideas can be brought to market,” says Olga Bogdanova, Sales Director at ISSP UL, Materize, “several factors need to coincide in order for innovation to enter the market – demand for such innovation, how different it is from other alternative competitor products, technology interoperability, production costs and others.” Building the bridge between academia and industry, four years ago the ISSP UL established Materize – an industry collaboration platform designed to establish a single point of contact where science can be beneficial to business.

Thorlabs Group is a leading global manufacturer of innovative optical instruments and components. The company was founded in 1989, initially offering laser and electro-optics tools to research institutions. As this field has evolved rapidly in recent decades, Thorlabs has expanded its range of activities – serving not only the photonics industry but also the industrial, medical, biosciences and defence segments, offering a wide range of products ranging from optomechanical components to telecommunications testing tools. The company is headquartered in Newton, New Jersey, USA with subsidiaries in Americas, Asia and Europe.