Fraunhofer IAF has developed a semi-automated manufacturing process for resonantly tunable quantum cascade laser modules (MOEMS-EC-QCLs). This laser technology is characterized by very broad and extremely fast spectral tunability, enabling real-time spectroscopy and inline measurement systems in various industries. The process significantly accelerates the modules’ manufacturing and reduces its costs. From June 24 to 27, 2025, Fraunhofer IAF will present the process by the example of a multi-core system at the Laser World of Photonics in Munich (Hall A3, Booth 431). The system combines four modules via multiplexing and achieves effective spectral measurement speeds of over 1 million wave numbers per second.

Not too much and not too little: the dosage of drugs must be optimally adjusted for general anesthesia. This is no easy task, especially for pediatric patients. A pilot study now shows that breath analysis can help anesthesia personnel administer the optimal dose of a common anesthetic. And that's not all: breath analysis can also be used to determine how the body reacts to the anesthesia.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections can lead to deadly brain inflammation, yet treatment options remain limited. Japanese researchers have now uncovered how HSV-1 evades the host’s intrinsic immunity by using an enzyme, uracil-DNA glycosylase, to block APOBEC1, a host protein that edits viral DNA to suppress infection. They also developed a promising therapeutic strategy to restore immune defense in the brain, offering new hope for managing HSV-1-induced encephalitis.

When fractions of a second make all the difference: Empa researchers developed a process for manufacturing advanced thin films in which sophisticated timing enables high-quality functional layers at low process temperatures. The new method has applications in the semiconductor industry as well as in future quantum and photonics technologies.