In June, the DUV/VUV Focus Group met at Cutting Edge Coatings GmbH (CEC) in Hanover for the 45th meeting of the DUV/VUV Working Group. The focus was on professional exchange on current developments research activities in photonics and networking among experts from industry and research.

The IOM was represented by Dr. Carsten Bundesmann, research associate in the cross-section unit “Tools”, and Dr. Frank Frost, head of the “Ion beam assisted pattering and smoothing” group in the research area “Ultra-Precision Surfaces”. The meeting offered a versatile programme including expert presentations, discussions, and a lab tour through the production facilities at CEC.

The DUV/VUV Focus Group was initiated by innovation network PhotonicNet and Optence Deutschland e.V. and serves for many years as a platform for exchange on optical technologies in the deep and vacuum ultraviolet spectral range. It regularly brings together stakeholders from research institutions and companies to discuss new developments, technological challenges and application perspectives.

CEC develops and manufactures ion beam sputtering systems for high-quality optical coatings and is, therefore, closely connected to topics that are also relevant to ion-beam-based surface processing at the IOM. The participation in the meeting provided IOM a valuable opportunity to strengthen existing contacts in the photonics and optics sector, gain new inspiration and further advance professional dialogue at the interface of surface modification, coating technologies and optical applications.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Cutting Edge Coatings GmbH and its CEO Dr. Kai Starke for hosting and financially supporting the event. Thanks also to the Laseroptik GmbH, Garbsen for organizing the meetings for many years.

Ein herzlicher Dank gilt der Cutting Edge Coatings GmbH und ihrem Geschäftsführer, Herrn Dr. Kai Starke, für die Ausrichtung des Treffens und der Laseroptik GmbH, Garbsen für die langjährige Organisation des fachlichen Austauschs.