01.10.2009

Research as the driving power

Jenoptik mass produces diode laser bars from gallium-arsenide semiconductor lasers.

In Adlershof the policies of strategic partnerships culminate in successful spinoffs in many fields of microsystem technologies. One of the drives behind this trend is the Ferdinand Braun Institute for High Frequency Engineering (FBH).

Dr Jürgen Sebastian, Managing Director of JENOPTIK Diode Lab GmbH of Berlin Adlershof, confessed that his company’s decision to move here was not only swayed by the location’s close relations with the FBH: “We developed our demonstration model together with the Ferdinand Braun Institute for High Frequency Engineering. The next obvious step for its commercialisation was to set up production facilities next to this research institute.”

The company was set up in 2002 as a subsidiary of JENOPTIK AG and since then has been developing, manufacturing and marketing high performance diode lasers. With their high efficiencies they serve above all as a source of excitation for solid state lasers and as direct laser sources for machining and medical technologies. And Dr Sebastian is convinced: The environment is ideal for the production of these lasers.

Also Berlin Microwave Technologies, or BeMiTec AG, set up in 2006, is an FBH spinoff. This company is a leader in the field of microwave power transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits, or so called MMICs. These will be used in the next generation of mobile communications base stations or, because of their hard radiation, in space technologies. Also BeMiTec recognised the enormous potential of Adlershof in addition to collaboration with the FBH. Dr Joachim Würfl, Managing Director of BeMiTec, was convinced: “There are qualified personnel, interesting suppliers and workshops and outstanding communication in the technology park.” For the future Dr Würfl also has an eye on other markets: “Our products are essential for green automotive engineering.”

Klaus Oberzig