Orlando, FL – October 31, 2023 – The Laser Institute (LIA) is thrilled to announce the recipient of the prestigious Arthur L. Schawlow Award for 2023. This year, the award goes to the esteemed Dr.-Ing. E. h. Peter Leibinger for his outstanding contributions in laser technology, his commercial success, and his accomplishments as an industry leader.
Started in 1982, the Arthur L. Schawlow Award is one of LIA’s highest honors, named after the esteemed physicist and laser pioneer, Dr. Arthur Schawlow. This award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact within the realms of science and technology.
Dr.-Ing. E. h. Peter Leibinger is widely recognized as a trailblazer and has held several positions as managing director at various TRUMPF companies. He was Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of TRUMPF SE + Co. KG and has been the TRUMPF Supervisory Board Chairman since July. In 2020, Dr. Leibinger was also appointed as co-chair of an expert council to advise the German federal government on the development of quantum computers. These are just some of the remarkable achievements that show his commitment to innovation and how he has become a true leader of industry.
LIA’s Executive Director, Gilbert Haas said, “Peter Leibinger has advanced laser technology for decades. His innovative leadership, ardent support, and advocacy of lasers in science, politics and society contribute to the advancement of laser technology and applications worldwide.”
The award ceremony honoring Dr.-Ing. E. h. Peter Leibinger took place on Wednesday, October 18 at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL. During the ceremony, Dr. Leibinger delivered his address entitled “The Laser-TRUMPF Synergy”.
LIA extends its warmest congratulations to Dr.-Ing. E. h. Peter Leibinger on this well-deserved recognition.
About LIA:
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968.
ORLANDO, FL – September 22, 2022 — Laser Institute of America (LIA) Fellow, LIA Board officer Dr. Bo Gu has been selected as the 2022 Arthur L. Schawlow Award recipient in recognition to his career long contributions throughout the laser industry in the fields of micro- and nano engineering and laser applications in industrial metal processing.
With over 35 years in the laser material processing field, Dr. Bo Gu has built a reputable career which includes developing Asian and Chinese markets during his time as the Director of Asia operations and GM of IPG China. He has not only worked with IPG but for GSI group but has helped advance the laser industry with his collaborative spirit and willingness to mentor young professionals. Dr. Bo Gu continues to help professionals further their careers through his teachings including several educational courses on laser applications.
Dr. Bo Gu has had a successful research and development career and continues his contributions to the industry with the founding of BOS Photonics which specializes in photonic technologies and consulting photonic companies. He holds 75 patents on lasers and their applications and holds positions such as committee member of LIA and international advisor. One of Dr. Gu’s latest achievements is contributing to the published Handbook of Laser Micro- and Nano-Engineering as a co-author in December 2021.
When notified of his receiving this award, Dr. Bo Gu stated, “I would like to thank LIA for this prestigious award. It is a lofty honor for me. It is not only an affirmation of my 40 year long professional career in lasers, but also represents and witnesses the development of laser technology and its applications. Through my winning of this renowned award that bears the name of a great laser physicist, I hope the laser technology can be promoted to a higher level by combining it with some of the emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, and to be applied to a wider range of fields for the benefit of mankind.”
The purpose of the Schawlow award is recognize outstanding, career-long contributions to basic and applied research in laser science and engineering leading to fundamental understanding of laser materials interaction and/or transfer of laser technology for increased application in industry, medicine and daily life. Originally named after it’s first recipient Dr. Arthur Schawlow in 1982 and throughout the years many more distinguished individuals have received this honor.
Executive Director of LIA, Dr. Nathaniel Quick stated, “The selection of Dr. Bo Gu as the 2022 Schawlow award is an excellent choice. Dr. Gu’s name certainly belongs alongside the names of previous recipients.”
The Schawlow award will be presented to Dr. Bo Gu at this year’s International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO) conference which takes place in Orlando, Florida this October 17th – 20, 2022.
About LIA
The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving the industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since
1968. www.lia.org, 12001 Research Parkway, Ste 210, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553
Please introduce yourself and what you do at EKSPLA.
Aldas Juronis, Head OEM lasers program
We understand that you are the Platinum sponsor this year at ICALEO. What are your impressions of the event transitioning to a virtual event this year?
Although we prefer the face to face interaction from a live event, we understand that right now we have an unordinary situation with the pandemic, and we are making our efforts to find new and different ways of communication with our customers. Being active in participation and sponsorship of virtual conferences, such as ICALEO 2020, is one of those ways we have started to exploit from the beginning of global pandemic.
Can you tell us about the importance of companies like yours attending events like ICALEO?
ICALEO is an important event for us, because it is one of the biggest in the field of laser applications for processing of different materials. In our portfolio we have number of industrial grade lasers: NL200 and NL230 series nanosecond lasers for micromachining and LIBS, Atlantic series picosecond lasers for black marking and micromachining, FemtoLux series femtosecond lasers for multiphoton photopolymerization, glass marking and micromachining. While attending at ICALEO we have opportunity to meet with scientists and application engineers, find out new areas and trends of laser material processing, and to present our developments on new laser sources.
Has EKSPLA been impacted in any other ways due to the pandemic?
The whole world is impacted by the pandemic, and Ekspla is no exception. Fortunately, this impact has not been as big for us, because we have diversified markets both business and geographic. In the beginning of the year we felt lower activity from our customers in China, as they were the first to face a complete lock down, our customers in other markets were still active. However, after a few months the situation changed and we saw a slowdown from our customers in Europe and US, while the Chinese market has started to recover. From a business perspective, our major revenue is still coming from scientific customers which were less affected in terms of spending, comparing to industrial ones. Of course, due to the pandemic, some decisions by our customers are not made as quickly as before, with some decisions being delayed or postponed.
From another perspective, the virus spread in Lithuania was managed well. Therefore, Ekspla’s operations in general weren’t affected, which allowed us to continue our new products development.
Do you anticipate any long-term changes due to COVID-19 that EKSPLA will make moving forward?
Yes, and it actually it changed quite a lot of things we do. First of all, we noticed that distance meetings in some cases can replace live ones. Another important point is that due to traveling restrictions, products should require minimal efforts for installations and servicing.
Has the pandemic had any unexpected positive effect on your company?
I think the biggest effect is that it helped us to learn new ways in contacting with customers and partners. In addition, it helped us to review process and products, to make them more self-servicing.
Is EKSPLA currently working on anything that you think our readers should know about?
We have chosen ICALEO to introduce our newest upcoming industrial laser; our 30 W FemtoLux30 femtosecond laser that could work 24/7/365 without any interruptions. Typically, other lasers with high optical power use water for cooling, which means an additional bulky and heavy water chiller is needed which require periodical maintenance (cooling system draining and rinsing, water and particle filter replacement, etc…). Moreover, in the unfortunate event of water leakage, not only can the laser head be damaged, but also the more expensive equipment. Our FemtoLux30 laser uses an innovative direct refrigerant cooling (DRC) method that does not contain any water inside the laser head, and it is much more efficient. Another advantage is that the laser cooling equipment is integrated together with the power supply unit into a single 4U rack mounted housing with a total weight of just <15kg.
The FemtoLux30 laser has a tunable pulse duration from <350fs to 1ps and can operate in very broad AOM controlled range of pulse repetition rate from a single shot to 4MHz, while max energy of >250μJ could be achieved while operating in a burst mode. We believe that the FemtoLux30 laser will be a perfect tool for display and microelectronics manufacturing, as well as for micro processing and marking of brittle materials (glass, sapphire, ceramics), along with the highest quality micro processing of different metals and polymers. While high reliability and zero maintenance requirement will assure uninterrupted laser operation and fast ROI to the end user of the laser equipment.
We will be launching this laser to the market during first half of next year.
If so, how do you see this shaping our industry going forward?
We believe that FemtoLux30 introduces new standards in performance and reliability among higher powered industrial femtosecond lasers.
This interview was done by the Laser Institute of America as part of a sponsorship package offered at the ICALEO conference. To find out more about how you can sponsor at ICALEO 2021, please visit icaleo.org or reach out to marketing@lia.org.
Please introduce yourself and what you do at Lumentum.
My name is Vincent Issier and I’m Director of Product Line Management within the Commercial Lasers Business Unit. I’m currently managing a broad range of laser and component products for applications ranging from metrology to biotech to micromachining and macro-machining. I held various R&D positions and then moved to the product line management position in 2010, either designing lasers or driving micromachining business. I have been attending ICALEO for many years.
We understand that you are the Platinum sponsor this year at ICALEO. What are your impressions of the event transitioning to a virtual event this year?
At Lumentum, the safety of our employees and communities is a top-priority. We understand the challenging decision to transition ICALEO to a virtual event, but support and align with the conference’s commitment to safety while continuing to move the industry forward.
Can you tell us about the importance of companies like yours attending events like ICALEO?
ICALEO brings leaders and experts in the laser industry together. It is important for companies like ours to adapt during these unprecedented times to continue to share innovative solutions and ideas. ICALEO has been at the forefront of the industrial laser applications and we are very proud to be supporting this event.
Has Lumentum been impacted in any other ways due to the pandemic?
Like many companies that have internal manufacturing, Lumentum has altered its operations to address the safety of our employees, their families, and our global communities.
Lumentum has adopted signage to support social distancing, provided face coverings and training for proper use, temperature monitoring, and physical modifications to seating configurations and installing no touch faucets, doors, etc. We are also supporting work-from-home for people and functions that can perform their role remotely.
Do you anticipate any long-term changes due to COVID-19 that Lumentum will make moving forward?
The safety of our employees and communities have always been and will remain our top-priority as a company. We will maintain our COVID-19 safety protocols based on our own requirements in addition to local and state government regulations.
Has the pandemic had any unexpected positive effect on your company?
The pandemic has connected and unified our global company through one goal, to ensure the safety of our employees and communities. Through this unprecedented time, we have enhanced our communication to drive transparency and stay connected to the changing needs of our employees.
Is Lumentum currently working on anything that you think our readers should know about?
We have recently announced a new addition to our picosecond laserseries to address the micromachining market. The higher power PicoBlade™ 3 employs a new design which enables faster processing and improved throughput for micromachining applications including OLED, PCB, semiconductor, metal and solar cell processing.
Lumentum ultrafast lasers are known for their excellent beam quality, high pulse-to-pulse stability, and long-term output power stability. These characteristics are also built into the PicoBlade 3, but now at significantly higher power (up to 50 W at 355 nm). Available in IR, green, and UV wavelengths, the PicoBlade 3 also incorporates the added benefits of Lumentum’s FlexBurst™, MegaBurst™, AccuTrig™, and SYNC capabilities.
If so, how do you see this shaping our industry going forward?
Today, picosecond lasers are increasingly becoming the workhorses of the laser micromachining industry. The continuous trend toward miniaturization in the smartphone, automotive, and medical device industries increases the need for higher power, precision, and flexibility in the lasers used in manufacturing processes. When developing PicoBlade 3, our objective was to release a new product increasing the power by a factor of four to enable higher throughput in existing applications. By doing so, we enable a faster processing and reduce cost-of-ownership.
Is there anything else you think worth discussing?
Here at Lumentum, our focus is to develop leading-edge, high performance lasers designed for industrial applications with maximized uptime. We have also been a critical component supplier in the fiber laser market for more than 20 years. With our extensive in-house capabilities from wafer fabrication and diode packaging, to optical fiber fabrication and fiber laser integration truly highlights our vertical integration and why Lumentum is a world-leading supplier for fiber lasers and subsystems. Our CORELIGHT® fiber laser systems provide extreme operational performance with an industry-leading brightness. Optimal beam quality from high-brightness fiber lasers is our key differentiator that increases processing throughput, improves the quality of processed material, and lowers cost of ownership. Our compact and rugged fiber laser systems are ideal for the most demanding macro-materials processing applications and environments.
This interview was done by the Laser Institute of America as part of a sponsorship package offered at the ICALEO conference. To find out more about how you can sponsor at ICALEO 2021, please visit icaleo.org or reach out to marketing@lia.org.
Please introduce yourself and what you do at TRUMPF Inc.
David Havrilla, Lead Instructor of Laser Technology.
We understand that TRUMPF Inc. is the Registration sponsor this year at ICALEO. How long has TRUMPF Inc. been participating in this conference?
Not exactly sure, but they have been involved at least since we were established in the Detroit area back in 1996, and perhaps earlier via our Connecticut presence.
What made you feel so passionate about the event as to sponsor the attendee’s registration cost?
ICALEO is a well-established event with a reputation of attracting outstanding leading edge academic and hands-on laser application experts from around the globe to share their experience and insights. We are hoping that sponsoring the registration costs will allow more individuals to join and learn about laser technology and how it can help overcome challenges, add design value to components (like light weighting or unique features), and improve quality in the manufacturing sector.
What are your impressions of the event transitioning to a virtual event this year?
For this particular season, which the world has not experienced in the last century, this was the only and right way to move forward with the event.
Can you tell us about the importance of companies like yours attending events like ICALEO?
The event is important on several fronts. First, to connect with our own team from headquarters, and with academic and industry experts from around the globe. Second, to gain insights from the latest research and experiences from various experts. Third, to contribute to the overall knowledge base and growth of industrial laser processing by presenting the latest advancements from TRUMPF’s perspective, and finally, to connect with industry attendees and have a chance to talk with them about their on-going projects, or potential laser applications.
Has TRUMPF Inc. been impacted in any other ways due to the pandemic?
Of course, we have instituted all the government mandated protocols, which has required many of our employees to work remotely. We also saw a significant reduction of orders and service missions during the first couple months of COVID. These have now returned to normal and even above anticipated levels.
Do you anticipate any long-term changes due to COVID-19 that TRUMPF Inc. will make moving forward?
We are evaluating a new paradigm for remote work and also how we might better utilize our office space in lieu of this new reality, even post-COVID.
Has the pandemic had any unexpected positive effect on your company?
I would say that the flexibility of remote work, and less geographical constraints for future talent base because of our new posture regarding remote work, are two positive effects. In addition, many people are saving commute time, fuel costs, have more personal flexibility, etc., and in the end, I believe employees will have greater job satisfaction and we will have reduced turn-over.
Is TRUMPF Inc. currently working on anything that you think our readers should know about?
I can only speak for the Training Department. We have launched a new portfolio of courses for our lasers and systems as of July 1st, and are currently working on several e-Learning courses for customers who are unable to travel. We will offer the e-Learning courses at 50% off, and also offer the same in-person course at 50% off if the customer takes the same course within a year of completing the e-Learning course.
If so, how do you see this shaping our industry going forward?
Greater accessibility to training should lead to quicker and higher levels of competency, leading to higher equipment uptime, greater confidence in utilization of laser material processing lasers and systems, and in the long-term (combined with the on-going reduction of laser prices) should lead to an expansion in the market.
Is there anything else you think worth discussing?
Hot topics within the TRUMPF organization at the moment are:
OEM laser advancements: increasing green wavelength laser to higher CW powers, high CW powers for various ultra-short pulse lasers in the TRUMPF portfolio
Sensor technology for part & seam detection with remote welding, weld depth monitoring, advanced monitoring for 3D metal printing
Industry 4.0 topics like Condition Monitoring and OPC-UA interface
SPI Laser product integration into the TRUMPF portfolio
This interview was done by the Laser Institute of America as part of a sponsorship package offered at the ICALEO conference. To find out more about how you can sponsor at ICALEO 2021, please visit icaleo.org or reach out to marketing@lia.org.
