TECHNOLOGY 86 JUNE 2016 © TriLite Technologies, Pixabay • Source: Photonics Austria Controlling and using photons has become one of the most important innovation drivers for our modern society and economy. Today, photonics is a globally courted, highly dynamic world market with a sales volume of 250 bn. euros. advantages of laser welding – such as high energy density, which results in high welding penetration depths and/or high joining speeds. As soon as the laser beam hits the work piece’s surface, it heats the respective area to evaporation temperature. This results in a vapour capillary with the desired effect of deep and narrow weld penetration. The requirements for expensive laser energy of the LaserHybrid process is almost exclusively limited to this so-called deep welding effect, which also allows users to join thicker metal sheets. All further energy requirements are covered by the cost-efficient MSG process, which provides better gap bridging with its consumable electrode and therefore delivers better tolerance compatibility. Both partial processes focus their energy on the same process zone, which signifi cantly increases welding depths and welding speeds in comparison to the respective individual processes. PHOTONICS Photonics is the technology of light. It is one of the key technologies of the 21st century and one of the key enabling technologies (KET) of the European Commission. Just like electrons in electronics, it is photons that are essential for numerous applications in photonics. The term photonics originated from optical data transmission sector, which originally owed much of its progress to the invention of the laser (1960) and fi bre optic technology (1970). Today, photonics comprises disciplines and technologies that focus primarily on the use of light. This opens a wide fi eld that needs to be defi ned further: Photonics deals with the generation, transmission, modifi cation, intensifi cation, and detection of light. Therefore the term is often used synonymously with optoelectronics or integrated optoelectronics. Today, however, the latter must be considered as a too narrow term, particularly in the light of the advancement of optical technologies in production processes. Without being entirely exhaustive, the fi eld of photonics comprises the following segments: •Wave and quantum optics •Holography •Interaction of light and matter • Optical semiconductor properties (particularly in regard to photon detectors and photovoltaic elements) • Optical wave guiding (e.g. glass fi bres) • Lasers • Optical modulators and switches (directional couplers) • Interferometers and frequency mixers
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