ZOOM
AUSTRIA
Photonics in Austria
Innovation, Research, and European Leadership
Photonics, a key enabling technology, is at the heart of Austria ' s high-tech industrial and research landscape. From advanced optical sensors, light sources and laser technologies to Photonic integrated circuits and quantum applications, Austria has established itself as a powerhouse in the European Photonics ecosystem.
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https:// doi. org / 10.1051 / photon / 202513124
Michael WURZINGER *
Heinz Seyringer, Paul Hartmann, Photonics Austria, A-8160 Weiz, Austria
* Michael. Wurzinger @ joanneum. at
The 2024 study of the Austrian Institute of Economic Science identifies Photonics to have the highest revealed technology advantage of all key enabling technologies in Austrian( specialization in the technology based on patent applications). Austria’ s focus on Quantum Optics – that is underlined by two Physics Nobel prices won for Photonics research done in the country in the last years( Anton Zeilinger, 2022, and Ferenc Krausz, 2023) – can stand representative for the countries blending of cutting-edge research and the strong industrial impact realized in the country.
The History of Photonics in Austria
Austria’ s contributions to Photonics trace back to its deep scientific tradition in optics and physics, which has played a major role in global advancements. Some of the earliest contributions to the field date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Austrian physicists such as Ernst Mach, Ludwig Boltzmann, Wolfgang Pauli and Erwin Schrödinger laid the groundwork for the understanding of light propagation, energy distribution and quantum physics. Over time, the country’ s strong foundation in precision optics and engineering led to the emergence of Photonics as a distinct field of research and industry.
A vital sign of the blooming landscape of Photonics was the establishment of Photonics Austria in 2013 as a non-profit association. The national technology platform was created to foster innovation, collaboration, and integration within the European Photonics landscape. It was a direct response to the growing importance of Photonics, facilitated by the Austrian ministry of technology and driven by the local Photonics industry today comprised of around 300 companies that practice Photonics R & D. This variety helped putting Austria on the map internationally: the“ Advanced Technology for Industry” dashboard of the European commission placed Austria’ s Photonics industry on the third rank of all European countries.
Iconic Austrian Companies in the Field of Photonics
Traditionally, Austria has a very strong industry in light sources, with companies like Zumtobel, ZKW, XAL and Lumitech leading the way. Photonics manufacturing technologies are spearheaded by companies like Sony DADC or STIWA. A long tradition in Laser technology is based on established companies like Spectra Physics, TROTEC
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