For the first time, scientists at the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) have succeeded in measuring zinc samples at a pressure of 600 bar using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. They were able to show that the LIBS system developed at the LZH is suitable for use in the deep sea at water depths of up to 6,000 meters.

Locating mineral resources on the sea floor has so far been rather expensive. In order to reduce the costs, the LZH is working with eight other European partners to develop a laser-based, autonomous measuring system for underwater use by 2020.

Does laser radiation react differently with the target material under high pressure? How do the extreme conditions of the deep sea affect machining processes? The Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) can investigate these and other questions with a specially developed pressure chamber and simulate deep-sea conditions. 

At the LASYS 2018, from June 5^th to 7^th, the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) will be showcasing processes for the laser material processing of tomorrow in hall 4 at stand 4E75. With blown bomb shells the LZH will present first results of a research project on civil security.

What tomorrow’s monitoring of coating processes might look like will be presented by the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) at the Optatec 2018 in Frankfurt/Main from May 15^th to 17^th, 2018, in hall 3 at booth A 58. This year’s three focuses of the LZH are: in-situ particle detection, spectrally high-resolution online monitoring and flexible measurement technology.

On April 16^th, 2018, Dr.-Ing. Stefan Kaierle takes over the scientific and technical management of the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) together with Dr. Dietmar Kracht. He succeeds Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Overmeyer, who becomes Chairman of the Scientific Directorate from Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Ertmer.

Unexploded bombs are and will remain a serious threat to civil security in many parts of the world. To be able to deactivate these bombs more safely in the future, the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) is working on a laser-based defusing together with the LASER on Demand GmbH and the Kampfmittelräumdienst Hamburg (KRD). At the Hannover Messe 2018 from April 23^rd to 27^th, the LZH will be showcasing processed bomb shells at the Pavilion of the State of Lower Saxony (hall 2, stand A08).

Under the main topic "Creatively Additive", the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) will show creative, light-based and convincing solutions for special requirements in the field of additive manufacturing and 3D printing at the Hannover Messe 2018. From April 23^rd to 27^th, 2018, the LZH can be found at the Pavilion of the State of Lower Saxony in hall 2 at stand A08.

As of April 1^st, 2018, Prof. Dr. Detlev Ristau will be appointed to the Scientific Directorate of the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH). His successor as Head of the Laser Components Department is Dr. Lars Jensen.

On January 25^th, 2018, about 25 representatives of Lower Saxony's SMEs attended the first event organized by Niedersachsen ADDITIV - Center for Additive Manufacturing at the Hannover Fairgrounds to learn about the basics, the-state-of-the-art and the applications of additive manufacturing processes. In addition to the technical lectures, the focus of the event "Additive Manufacturing: Opportunities for SMEs" event was on the exchange: In four workshops, the participants discussed technological, economic, safety and educational aspects of 3D printing.

Working under water is personnel- and time-intensive. The Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) is therefore working on developing a laser-based, automated process for cutting sheet piling under water, together with the Institute of Materials Science of the Leibniz Universität Hannover.

On May 30th, 2016, the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. and the Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Optik und Feinmechanik (IOF) opened up the Center for Optical Coatings and Metrology (COMET).

The inauguration event in Jena was the official kick-off of a strategic cooperation between the Laser Components Department of the LZH and the Optical Coatings Department of the IOF within the frame of the Center for Optical Coatings and Metrology.

Three million US dollar for a sensational scientific breakthrough: The Selection Committee of the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics announced the award of a Special Breakthrough Prize for the first detection of a gravitational wave. Besides the founders of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) Prof. em. Ronald W. P. Drever, Prof. em. Kip S. Thome and Prof. em. Rainer Weiss, 1012 contributors share the award. Among the laureates are also several scientists from the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH).

Locating natural resources at the sea ground so far involves high costs. To reduce these, the Laser Development and Material and Processes departments at the LZH, together with eight European partners, work on developing a laser-based, autonomous system until 2020. This system shall detect soil samples, such as manganese nodules, and analyze the material composition of the specimen directly on the deep sea ground.

For the examination of coronary blood vessels, intravascular methods with imaging technologies are already state-of-the-art. However, ultrasonic methods, which are used to gather information about the tissue, can only be used externally, up to now. The piezo electronical components necessary for this have not been sufficiently miniaturized to be inserted into the blood vessels. The Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) and the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology would like to change this. This group of researchers are thus working on an opto-acoustical sensor for medical ultrasonic technology.

Individual manufacturing, efficient processes, three-dimensional lightweight construction, smart parts: At the Hannover Messe from 25 to 29 April 2016, the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) will present current research for the technology of tomorrow. Under the motto “The laser – tool for innovations” the LZH will again be exhibiting at  the Pavilion of the State of Lower Saxony in hall 2, stand A08.

So far, the established methods for an efficient and cell-preserving transfection in high-throughput screening lead to unsatisfactory results. Within the scope of a project of the Industrial Joint Research (IFG), the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) and its partners succeeded in developing a functional model for a gold nanoparticle-based laser transfection in high-throughput.

An international researcher team of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), the Albert Einstein Institute (AEI) Hannover and many other institutions have proven Albert Einstein‘s theory of general relativity 100 years after its development: they succeeded in recording the merger of two black holes. The resulting gravitational wave was measured already in September 2015; yesterday, the evaluation of the data was published in the Physical Review Letters and presented to the world press.

A compact, energy-efficient laser system for precise measurements and for the medical market – the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) was working together with three partners in the Eurostars project CELL-UV to achieve this. The scientists at the LZH have improved the functional coatings of the optics used in order to increase the output power and efficiency of existing laser sources in the UV range (355 nm).