Journey Through Europe Completes £10 Million Laser Contract

Arriving in Prague for Christmas after a 1,000 mile journey across Europe, was a special delivery from Britain - ten million pounds worth of laser equipment for the most advanced high power laser of its kind in the world.

The new laser technology for HiLASE, a project in the Czech Republic tagged ‘New lasers for industry and research’ will benefit industry and science in areas ranging from welding to testing the resistance of optical materials. The setup was said to provide a laser capability significantly more powerful, efficient and stable than current systems across Europe. The contract won by the Science and Technology Facilities Council was for a brand new pulsed laser system offering both high energy and high repetition rates, paving the way for a broad field of new applications.

Director of STFC’s Central Laser Facility, John Collier, said: “We are moving into new exciting times in the field of laser research. Being able to combine high energy and high repetition rates is a major step forward. Now proven at this current 100J energy level it has the potential to be scaled to even higher energies opening up a whole new realm of possibilities for both industry and research. We are proud to have delivered our system to our partners in the Czech Republic."

Receiving the equipment in Prague, Tomas Mocek, the Facility Director of HiLASE, said: "I am truly delighted to confirm that the 100 J DPSSL system was safely delivered to the HiLASE facility in Dolni Brezany, Czech Republic. It is currently the most advanced high power laser of this kind in the world and our dream became reality. I would like to express my big thanks to our colleagues at STFC for their hard, professional, and fully devoted work on this challenging project. The best part of this success story is that HiLASE and STFC shall continue over the next years in strategic collaboration and in building solid academic and industrial user community for the 100 J laser.”