Mid-infrared (MIR) laser-based sensors are heavy, bulky, and expensive, limiting their use in large-scale, portable applications and sensor networks. These challenges stem from the MIR lasers, which cost over $1000 and dissipate several watts. Their high cost and inefficiency result from a large footprint and expensive testing required to match each laser to its application. Our team ETH researchers, a laser physicist, and a photonic integrated circuit engineer is pioneering cost-effective, power-efficient MIR lasers for scalable production, automated testing, and multicolor sensing. Our initial focus is the laser-based gas sensor market, expected to reach $586M by 2026. Beyond gas sensing, the technology opens the door to high-impact markets, such as non-invasive glucose monitoring.
