Fraunhofer Group for Light & Surfaces
At its very core, the Fraunhofer Group for Light & Surfaces develops optical systems for a variety of applications in lighting engineering, material analysis as well as in laser and measurement technology. In addition to designing and producing optical components, the group’s institutes can provide the entire process chain for the production of optical systems. They can develop and manufacture customer-specific optical systems, from the prototype to the finished product. In extensive development and test phases, they examine and evaluate these systems up to their serial integration. Furthermore, the institutes in the group have corresponding test benches and stands at their disposal to analyze how well optical systems function.
The group’s optical developments cover not only entire system technology, but also address individual manufacturing steps, such as the production of lenses and mirrors as well as coating technology for different wavelength ranges from X-ray to far infrared. For example, the institutes can manufacture high-precision mirror systems for various applications and wavelength ranges for space missions; they can also develop and characterize them for beamforming and deflecting mirrors for EUV lithography.
To produce optics and optical components, the institutes of the Fraunhofer Group for Light & Surfaces have various processes for shaping and coating technology. The spectrum ranges from ultra-precision processing for the production of metal mirrors, gratings and plastic-based lenses and lens arrays all the way to the replication of optical elements in mass production via injection molding technology and hot embossing processes.