Bright future for mid-infrared photonics

With particularly highly sensitive measurements, mid-infrared (IR) photonic sources are carving a clearer niche in security, medical diagnostics and gas-sensing applications. EU-funded researchers are working to develop a compact mid-IR light source with high pulse repetition rate and output power.

The mid-IR region is particularly interesting for many applications since the electromagnetic frequencies involved coincide with the frequencies of the internal vibrational motion of most molecules. The development of light sources in the mid-IR thus opens up new opportunities, especially in spectroscopy compared to the conventionally used Fourier transform spectrometers. The main benefits are coherence, small pulse duration and high spectral brightness.

Further details: Bright future for mid-infrared photonics