Working group Lasers

(Working group Lasers, Direction: Prof. Heisterkamp, Hannover)

In order to appropriately depict the subject area of Project Area A (Photonics) in a working group but also make the gained knowledge and technologies useable to the other members of the SFB, the Working group Lasers was founded. Within the Transregios and especially in Projects A2, A4, A5 and C1, C3 and Q1, different laser-based technologies are used. In order to make a platform for knowledge exchange and information in this area available within the interdisciplinary and transdiciplinary-oriented research association, the Working group Lasers was founded in the first year of the TR37 and directed by the Laser Zentrum Hannover with Dr. Alexander Heisterkamp as coordinator. Participants of the Working group Lasers were both clinicians and engineers and physicists, above all in the areas ranging from doctoral candidates to postdoctoral students.

The targets of the Working group Lasers were for one, the provision of specialised knowledge and know-how in the area of laser-engineering questions, on the one hand through regular meetings, on the other hand, through an Internet-based exchange. Furthermore, the regular meetings also served as sounding boards for special problems, for example, in the design of the optics in a laser-engineering measurement device in Project B4 or the applicability of optical methods for the characterisation of particle collection in Project B5. Additionally, as part of the regular meetings, the subject of laser safety was briefly addressed each time and along with the working group management and the Laser Zentrum Hannover, there was a partner for continuous consulting on laser safety subjects available.

Within the previous funding period, different meetings accompanying the internal colloquia were held covering laser safety questions, concept seminars and including consulting on laser-engineering questions as well as, within the last few months, for consulting and coordination on synergy use in the application for the 2nd funding period between the different projects. Parallel to an internal colloquium in Rostock on 12th June 2008, laser training for out-of-field staff was held with a special focus on the basics of laser technology and laser safety questions. As part of the “Transdiciplinary Dialogues” in Hannover, a lecture on laser technical terms and beam guidance was held. Outside of these regular meetings, an Internet platform based on a Google group was started in order to guarantee a fast exchange between the members of the Working group Lasers.

In the run up to the application for continuation, the Working group Lasers compiled possible delimitations and new research perspectives within Germany as compared with funded DFG [German Research Foundation] and BMBF [Federal Ministry of Education and Research] programmes and represented these in an internal colloquium on 16th April 2010.

In summary, the Working group Lasers represents a good platform for exchange especially for the younger members of Transregio 37 to introduce junior researchers to this area of technology and its technical terms. A goal of the Working group Lasers for the upcoming funding period is to intensify this work especially the integration of teaching at the universities at the different locations. This includes, on the one hand, the exchange and preparation of teaching material from the TR37 research field for instruction in biomedical technology and engineering studies, and on the other hand, the holding of lectures at the locations during the internal transregional colloquia.