HIGH Q LASER GMBH

Their core work

High Q Laser (operating as Spectra-Physics Rankweil) is an Austrian laser manufacturer specializing in ultrashort pulsed (USP) laser systems for industrial and scientific applications. They develop high-power laser sources used in precision micro-machining of hard materials such as ceramics, metal, and glass. Their technology enables advanced 3D micro-structuring and micro-drilling with flexible repetition rates and burst-mode operation, serving both photonics research and industrial manufacturing sectors.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

High Q Laser's early H2020 work (2015–2016) centered on fundamental photonics research — contributing laser sources for attosecond science (MEDEA) and bio-photonic imaging (FBI), both under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie training network framework. By 2019, they shifted decisively toward industrial-grade laser development with kW-flexiburst, their largest funded project, focused on kilowatt-class ultrashort pulsed lasers for precision manufacturing. This progression from enabling basic research to building production-ready industrial laser systems signals a clear move up the technology readiness ladder.

Moving from supplying lasers for scientific research toward developing high-power industrial laser systems for precision manufacturing, suggesting readiness for industry-driven partnerships.

How they like to work

High Q Laser participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as a specialized technology supplier embedded in larger research and development consortia. With 38 unique partners across 13 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, internationally diverse consortia. This pattern indicates they are a sought-after specialist whose laser technology is a critical enabling component for other groups' research and development agendas.

Despite only 3 projects, they have built connections with 38 partners across 13 countries, reflecting participation in large multinational consortia typical of MSCA training networks and RIA projects. Their network spans a broad European footprint rather than concentrating in any single region.

What sets them apart

High Q Laser brings a rare combination: they are a private laser manufacturer with direct experience in both fundamental ultrafast science and industrial-scale laser processing. Their kW-flexiburst project addresses the specific gap between laboratory USP lasers and production-ready kilowatt systems with flexible burst modes — a capability few European companies can offer. For consortium builders, they provide both the hardware (laser sources) and the application know-how (micro-machining of hard materials) in one partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• kW-flexiburst
  Their largest funded project (EUR 760,741), targeting an industrially critical goal: scaling ultrashort pulsed lasers to kilowatt power with flexible GHz burst operation for precision manufacturing.
• MEDEA
  Contributed laser technology to attosecond science — a field that won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics, demonstrating involvement at the frontier of ultrafast photonics.