28.09.2016

Of course, science fiction fans know this technology for some time - holography of large three-dimensional objects without additional optical aids. But since the introduction of 3D technology in the entertainment sector this is also interesting for a wider troop of users. Even in the professional field versatile possible applications are waiting for their technical implementation - from the animated illustration of complex technical drawings up to image-guided surgical navigation.

By using ultrashort femtosecond (fs) -laser pulses, the Research Group "Ultrafast Optics" around Prof. Dr. Stefan Nolte now succeeded in to come closer to this vision. The massive light intensities in the focus of such pulses could stimulate the air molecules through nonlinear ionization glow. If the will laser focus quickly move across the room, three-dimensionally expanded, self-luminous structures can be generated. As part of the "Zwanzig20" -consortium »3Dsensation" funded project (FKZ 03ZZ0421), the lighting effect of different gases and the rapid movement of the laser focus in space has been studied for the production of visible, three-dimensional structures.

With this new technology three-dimensional objects, like technical drawings or medical images (CT, MRI, OCT) can now be figured for the first time anywhere in the room and viewed without additional optical aids from all directions in space. Further investigations touching the use of innovative optical elements such as deformable mirror and the integration of a sensitive gesture control, which offer also huge potential for groundbreaking ways of human-machine interaction.