Optical and systems manufacturer Gooch & Housego has announced that it will lead a €4.5 million (about $5.9 million) collaborative European Union-funded FP7 project titled “Integrated disruptive components for 2 µm fiber lasers” (ISLA) that it launched Oct. 13 at Trinity College in Dublin. The 2-µm fiber laser technology has the potential to open new industrial applications, such as industrial processing, space communications and medical procedures, because of its increased core size and higher nonlinear thresholds. It offers a tenfold increase in “raw power” compared with current 1-µm-based technology. The lack of suitable components has hindered R&D in the industrial field, but some new developments in disruptive components have helped get the industry back on track. Other partners for the project include Rofin Sinar Laser GmbH, Oclaro, Time-Bandwidth Products, the University of Southampton, Trinity College and Vivid Components. For more information, visit: www.isla-project.eu