On 29 September, a modest ceremony in Jena became a vivid tableau of the future of photonics. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF) handed out its 2025 Applied Photonics Award to four young scientists whose theses promise to reshape energy, medicine, and quantum technology. The recipients—spanning the spectrum from scalable solar cells to ultrastable lasers—illustrate how applied research can bridge laboratory breakthroughs and industrial realities.
Solar Cells for a Sustainable Future
Lena Paula Rothbauer’s bachelor’s thesis at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology tackled one of the most pressing bottlenecks in perovskite photovoltaics: the deposition of hole‑transport layers at scale. By experimenting with dip‑coating techniques, she demonstrated that a simple, low‑temperature process can uniformly coat nanometre‑thick conductive films across large areas. The result is a dramatic reduction in material waste and a higher throughput that could bring perovskite modules closer to mass production. In a field where silicon dominates, perovskites offer a cheaper, lighter alternative, but only if manufacturing can be scaled. Rothbauer’s work shows that the answer lies in rethinking deposition chemistry rather than inventing new materials.
The broader implication is clear: renewable energy technologies must marry performance with manufacturability. If the next generation of solar panels can be fabricated in a single, inexpensive step, the cost barrier that has slowed widespread adoption could finally be lowered. Moreover, the dip‑coating method is compatible with roll‑to‑roll production lines already used in flexible electronics, hinting at a future where solar panels are as ubiquitous as smartphone screens.
Seeing Cells in Motion
Pia Pritzke’s master’s thesis at Friedrich Schiller University Jena addressed a different kind of scalability—this time in the realm of biological imaging. She built a calibration sample that lets researchers benchmark single‑particle tracking (SPT) performance across a range of microscopes, from conventional confocal setups to the cutting‑edge MINIFLUX system. By generating a standard reference, Pritzke enabled a systematic comparison of localisation precision, temporal resolution, and photostability. Her work also produced an open‑source graphical interface that streamlines the analysis of MINIFLUX data, lowering the barrier to entry for laboratories that cannot afford commercial software.
The impact extends beyond academia. Pharmaceutical companies rely on SPT to monitor drug–target interactions at the single‑molecule level. A universal benchmark means that data generated in one lab can be reliably compared to data from another, accelerating drug discovery pipelines and reducing redundant experiments. In the long run, the ability to track biomolecules with nanometre precision could lead to earlier detection of disease markers and more targeted therapeutics.
Stability in Light: From Lab to Quantum
Sarah Rebecca Hutter’s dissertation at the University of Konstanz pushed the envelope of laser technology. By dissecting the noise sources that plague ultrashort‑pulse lasers, she devised a set of design rules that, when applied, yield femtosecond pulses with unprecedented stability. The resulting system combines a custom laser oscillator with innovative amplifiers, achieving a level of phase noise that rivals the best continuous‑wave sources. Such stability is essential for high‑resolution spectroscopy, precision metrology, and, notably, quantum information processing, where phase coherence directly limits qubit fidelity.
Trevor Vrckovnik’s special jury prize complements this narrative by focusing on the integration of quantum photonics into practical devices. His master’s thesis introduced a simulation framework that scans vast parameter spaces to identify waveguide geometries capable of generating polarization‑entangled photons using simple, low‑loss designs. By exploiting the unique optical susceptibility tensors of certain materials, Vrckovnik showed that even modest waveguides can produce the high‑quality entanglement required for quantum cryptography. This breakthrough brings the long‑sought goal of chip‑scale quantum key distribution closer to reality, promising secure communication networks that could be embedded in everyday electronics.
Together, Hutter’s and Vrckovnik’s contributions illustrate a broader trend: the convergence of photonics and quantum technology. Stable lasers are the backbone of quantum sensors and processors, while engineered waveguides enable the compact, scalable components necessary for commercial deployment. The fact that both achievements emerged from PhD and master’s theses underscores the vitality of early‑career research in driving next‑generation technologies.
In a world where data, energy, and security are increasingly intertwined, the Applied Photonics Award 2025 highlights the pivotal role of applied research. From a scalable solar cell that could make clean energy more affordable, to a universal imaging benchmark that accelerates medical discovery, and to laser systems and waveguides that bring quantum advantages into everyday devices, these young scientists are charting a path forward. Their work exemplifies how meticulous experimentation, coupled with a clear vision of industrial applicability, can transform abstract concepts into tangible solutions. As the photonics community continues to push the boundaries of light, the promise of a brighter, more secure, and more sustainable future becomes ever more tangible.
