Optica Foundation Announces Inaugural Recipient of Gapontsev Prize for Innovations in Fiber Lasers

03 October 2024

Optica Foundation Announces Inaugural Recipient of Gapontsev Prize for Innovations in Fiber Lasers

Michael Müller recognized for developing the world's most powerful ultrafast fiber lasers

• New award spotlights fiber laser advances by early-career professionals and provides US$20,000 prize.
• Müller acknowledged for his pioneering research in ultrafast fiber lasers, achieving record power, and developing innovative techniques with significant potential in nanotechnology, biomedical research, and environmental monitoring

WASHINGTON - The Optica Foundation today announced Michael Müller is the inaugural recipient of the Valentin Gapontsev Prize for Innovations in Fiber Lasers. Müller is recognized for developing groundbreaking high-power lasers that deliver intense bursts of light in extremely rapid succession. The delivery of high-average-power laser light will overcome important challenges in medicine, nanotechnology and environmental sensing. He will receive a US$20,000 prize to help further his research.

Müller has produced his groundbreaking work together with his team members during his PhD candidacy in the Institute of Applied Physics at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany. There, he developed the world's most powerful ultrafast fiber lasers, achieving 10.4 kW of average power-five times greater than the record demonstrations of all other ultrafast laser technologies. In addition, Müller reports that theoretical investigations point to the potential for the technology to be scaled beyond 100 kW average power, which opens a possible path to ground-based orbital debris removal, a significant challenge to mankind.

"Michael's achievement of an ultrafast fiber laser with 10.4 kW of average power demonstrates his outstanding experimental skills and deep knowledge of the field," said Thomas Schreiber, chair of the 2024 Gapontsev Prize Selection Committee. "His work has redefined the state-of-the-art and remains the record-holding value for any ultrafast laser system. It is a pleasure to honor his important contributions to the field."

In addition, Müller's innovations in pulse compression and laser stabilization promise significant advancements in nanotechnology, biomedical research and environmental monitoring. He plans to use the prize to support this work and extend his efforts on carrier-envelope offset stabilized lasers. Müller believes these lasers could be ideal applications including the generation of soft X-ray high harmonics or precision spectroscopy in the molecular fingerprint region. This development can create significant advances in nanotechnology (a better resolution from soft-X-ray diffraction imaging), biomedical research (breath detection), and environmental monitoring (PFAS, explosive, exhaust fumes).

"There's no doubt that Michael's research will continue to push the limits of ultrafast laser technologies," said Igor Samartsev, Gapontsev Prize Selection Committee Member. "We couldn't have picked a better candidate for the inaugural prize and are looking forward to seeing how he advances his work."

Müller now is continuing his research activities at the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. He is also becoming a co-founder of the startup RayVen, aiming at commercialization of the developed laser technologies.

The Gapontsev Prize for Innovations in Fiber Lasers was established in honor of Valentin Gapontsev's groundbreaking work, and it champions emerging researchers passionate about advancing fiber laser technology. By empowering early-career talent, it fosters the potential for groundbreaking innovations and real-world applications. Recognizing the critical role of innovative research, the prize underscores the importance of pushing the boundaries of fiber lasers, in line with Gapontsev's vision for technological advancement.

The Gapontsev Prize for Innovations in Fiber Lasers is endowed by the VPG Foundation. For more information, visit optica.org/GapontsevPrize.

Optica Foundation

Established in 2002, the Optica Foundation carries out charitable activities in support of the society's student and early career members. We cultivate the next generation of leaders and innovators as they navigate advanced degree programs and become active members of research, engineering and business communities worldwide. The foundation also works to secure the endowments for Optica's awards and honors programs. The foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit. For more information, visit optica.org/foundation.

About Optica

Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica's renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement. Discover more at: Optica.org

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