A research team has developed an innovative type of laser that addresses several issues with existing lasers. Associate Professor Johann Riemensberger of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Electronic Systems leads the group. The study was published in Nature Photonics.
It’s not so easy for the rest of us to see, but this humble prototype could result in cheaper and more effective lasers. Image Credit: Simone Bianconi, EPFL.
Laser technology is employed in numerous fields, including communication and sectors requiring accurate measurements. This implies that they are crucial for various applications, including gas detection in the atmosphere, fiber optic internet, and self-driving automobiles.
Our results can give us a new type of laser that is both fast, relatively cheap, powerful and easy to use.
Johann Riemensberger, Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Systems, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
NTNU, Luxtelligence SA, and the Swiss École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) collaborated on the study.
Self-Driving Cars and Air Quality Detectors
Traditional precision lasers can be bulky, costly, and challenging to operate.
“Our new laser solves several of these problems,” added Riemensberger.
This implies that the laser can be applied, for instance, to self-driving automobiles. These vehicles detect and measure the distance to objects in their environment using Lidar, an optical remote sensing method.
The method detects variations in the wave phase or time interval between the laser's output and the reflected light. This laser measures around four centimeters with extreme precision.
When the researchers utilized the laser to find hydrogen cyanide gas in the air, they also had positive findings. The term “hydrocyanic acid” is frequently used to describe this chemical compound. In tiny dosages, it can be quite hazardous; therefore, prompt detection may be crucial.
Advanced Materials, Microsized Light Circuits
The researchers used cutting-edge materials and tiny light circuitry to produce the new laser.
The laser releases a strong and steady beam of light. Another benefit is that users may rapidly and smoothly change the frequency without experiencing abrupt jumps.
“You can also easily control it with just one control instead of many,” pointed out Riemensberger.
Existing chip technology is used to construct the laser. This enables its low-cost mass production.
“Our findings make it possible to create small, inexpensive, and user-friendly measuring instruments and communication tools with high performance,” Riemensberger stated.
EPFL (experiments), Luxtelligence SA (chip manufacture), and NTNU (design and simulations) collaborated on this study. It started while Riemensberger was still a postdoctoral scholar at EPFL. The relationship continues with an EIC Pathfinder OPEN scholarship named ELLIPTIC.
Journal Reference:
Siddharth, A., et al. (2025) Ultrafast tunable photonic-integrated extended-DBR Pockels laser. Nature Photonics. doi.org/10.1038/s41566-025-01687.