NKT Photonics

In Denmark, !%NKT Photonics’%! Lasse Leick has received the 2012 Pasteur Award from the Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation for his work on developing a broadband infrared laser that emits between 2 and 4 µm. The award, named after French scientist Louis Pasteur, is presented to a project manager “who is particularly able to translate high-tech knowledge into social value,” the foundation said. It comes with a cash prize of DKK 75,000 (about $13,000). The supercontinuum laser, called IR SuperK, has a powerful infrared light that enables molecules to be identified and analyzed significantly faster than before. The device could have applications in cancer research, disease identification and food safety.