Optical Technologies
Description / Outline
The 21st century has been referred to as the century of the photon, as optical technologies – also known as photonics – are expected to have a key role in the near future in areas such as energy, industry or medicine. Many areas of research in optical technology draw on such a diverse range of scientific disciplines that they would not be possible without strong interdepartmental partnerships. Interdisciplinary collaboration at FAU has proven highly successful which is evident in the number of third-party funded projects in both basic research (e.g DFG funding) and applied research (BMBF funding). Institutions such as the Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies promote networking within the Faculty of Engineering while offering opportunities that are the first of their kind in Germany.
Beyond research, optical technologies also has excellent structural support in education and the promotion of young researchers in the Elite degree programme Advanced Optical Technologies and the Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies. Through strategic partnerships with the Fraunhofer institutes and the Bavarian Laser Centre, scientists maintain strong networks with industry and focus on industrial applications. Our partnership with the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Light ensures that optical technologies at FAU is also closely embedded with external basic research in optics.
Optical technologies have a long tradition at the Faculty of Engineering and FAU. Aspects of current research include advanced imaging methods, laser-based additive production processes, optical metrology for combustion processes and nanomaterials, computational optics and applications for photonics in medicine.
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