History

2015

• AILU International Award - Prof. Dr. Eckhard Beyer received AILU International Award for his extraordinary achievements in the field of industrial laser materials processing
  
• Green Photonics Award - Dresden research team with Prof. Andrés Lasagni and Sebastian Eckhardt received Green Photonics Award 2015

2014

• "A life for thin film" Award
• Galileo Award Materials Testing
• Completion of the fourth construction expansion of the Fraunhofer IWS and setting up of the Center for Resource-Saving Energy Technologies RESET
• Completion of the third construction expansion of the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden for activities in the field of nanotechnology

2013

• Masing Memorial Prize of the German Association of Materials Science (DGM)
• German High Tech Champions (GHTC) Award in „Lightweight Design“
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Eckhard Beyer is granted an honorary doctorate degree by the Wroclaw University of Technology

2012

• Honour for IWS scientist - WLT award for outstanding achievements in the field of laser technology
• 1^st International Symposium "Tailored Joining"
• Joseph-von-Fraunhofer prize for the strategic partnership developing the Next-Generation lithography with EUV radiation
  
• Research that can be realized into practice – 20 years Fraunhofer in Dresden

2011

• 1^st Dresden Conference "Future Energy"
• German High Tech Champions (GHTC) Award 2011 in the field of solar / photovoltaics

2010

• Research cooperation with Qatar for solar thermal hydrogen production - project „Solar Carbon Black“: Development a climate neutral process producing hydrogen and carbon particles using solar energy

2009

• TU Dresden and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft launch Dresden Innovation Center Energy Efficiency

2008

• Professor Dr. Eckhard Beyer received the Arthur L. Schawlow Award, the most prestigious award in the area of laser technology.

2007

• Beginning of the cooperation with the TU Wroclaw and the formation of a Fraunhofer Project Center.

2006

• First demonstration of remote laser beam cutting of metal by IWS researchers.
  
• Fraunhofer award for a new process to surface harden segregation-hardenable materials.

2005

First projects to apply atmospheric pressure PECVD technology in photovoltaics.

2004

Expansion of the building to 8000m2;

1^st International Workshop on Fiber Lasers.

2002

First projects to laser weld fuselage structures for aircraft. Construction of the laser beam welding system for this task.

2001

IWS researchers achieved a reflectance of 71% for EUV mirror, which represents a world record.

2000

IWS scientists received the Fraunhofer Award for the laser acoustic LAwave® technique for the analysis of nanometer thin films.

1999

Signing of the cooperation agreement between ThyssenKrupp Steel AG (TKS) and the Fraunhofer Institutes IWS and IST. Establishment of the Surface Technology Center Dortmund (DOC) presenting a new form of the “Public/Private Partnership”.

1st Diode Laser Workshop

1998

Under the leadership of Dr. Andreas Leson the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden began to coordinate the Nano Competence Center for Ultrathin Films, a federally recognized competence center initiated by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

A first application using remote laser beam welding was commercialized.

The IWS received the Fraunhofer Award for a PLD process to manufacture X-ray mirrors.

1997

Appointment of Professor Dr. Eckhard Beyer as IWS institute director and full professor for surface and coating technology at the Technical University Dresden; Renaming of the IWS in Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology; 

Inauguration of the Fraunhofer Institute Center Dresden at Winterbergstrasse.

Professor Bernd Brenner received the Joseph-von-Fraunhofer Award for the successful development and industrial implementation of a laser induction welding process; by 2008 13 systems using this technology are installed in manufacturing. 

Certification according to DIN ISO 9001.

1996

Move into a new 5000m2 building at Winterbergstrasse.

1995

Establishment of the Fraunhofer Center for Surface and Laser Processing (CSLP), which is today the Fraunhofer Center for Coatings and Laser Applications (CCL) as a satellite operation of the IWS in the USA.

1994

Revocation of the time limitation as a Fraunhofer institution and continuation as a fully established Fraunhofer institute.

1993

The Fraunhofer Society and the TU Dresden sign a framework agreement on cooperation.

1992

Under the leadership of Dr. Wolfgang Reitzenstein the newly formed independent Fraunhofer institution begins operation in the areas “laser thin film technologies” and “laser materials processing”; 

Decision of the Fraunhofer Society to build a new center for institutes in Dresden.

1991

The senate of the Fraunhofer Society decided to take over the IWS as an initially time-limited independent Fraunhofer institution.

1990

The Institute for Materials Physics and Coating Technology (IWS) is spun off from the Central Institute for Solid State Physics and Materials Research (ZFW). It is proposed to absorb the new institute into the Fraunhofer Society.