The EIC Pathfinder project PhotoniX aims to pioneer a completely new class of solar fiber lasers that directly convert concentrated sunlight into coherent laser radiation in the mid-infrared region. PhotoniX cross-connects two rather distinctive areas of photonics: solar energy and fiber lasers. By bypassing traditional electricity-dependent pumping, PhotoniX introduces a new paradigm where solar energy directly powers photonic systems, making a significant step towards sustainable and energy-autonomous technologies for both terrestrial and space applications. The project aims to address key scientific and technical barriers that have long limited the use of solar lasers, including inefficient solar coupling, suboptimal excitation dynamics and thermal instability. The PhotoniX project focuses on an adaptive optical system for sun tracking, the preparation of optical fibers designed for solar pumping and the first demonstration of a continuous solar-pumped fiber laser operating in the mid-infrared region at practically usable power levels.
Project partners:
The Cyprus Institute (Cyprus) – main coordinator of the project
Lumoscribe Ltd (Cyprus)
Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (Germany)
