A new Doctoral Network led by Tampere University has received €4.4 million from the European Union's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) program. Through the High-Power Optical Vortices (HiPOVor) initiative, 15 doctoral researchers will be trained in how to create, strengthen and apply high-power optical vortex beams. The project aims to establish these beams as an essential technology for future advances in light-matter interaction.
Optical vortices, which are light beams that carry orbital angular momentum, offer remarkable opportunities for ultra-precise material processing, accelerating particles, expanding data transmission capacity and enabling next-generation photonics. Their broader use, however, has been limited by the lack of dependable techniques that can generate these beams and maintain their unique characteristics as they travel or interact with different materials.
The HiPOVor MSCA Doctoral Network intends to address these obstacles through coordinated research and interdisciplinary training. Participants will develop skills across the entire development pipeline, from designing components and studying how light interacts with matter to improving high-power amplification and advancing practical applications.
Preparing Future Experts in Photonics
"Our Doctoral Network is about shaping the next generation of scientists and innovators in photonics," says Dr. Regina Gumenyuk, Project Coordinator at Tampere University.
Gumenyuk notes that the network will support the creation of new products and more efficient processes, including innovations in optical components and nanofabrication. She also highlights anticipated environmental benefits linked to a circular economy approach. Another goal is to decrease the use of hazardous chemicals and reduce the size and energy demand of hardware by applying advanced predictive technologies for high-power vortices.
"High-power optical vortices are not only fascinating from a fundamental perspective but also hold the potential to transform applications from precision manufacturing to high-resolution imaging," adds Professor Goëry Genty from Tampere University.
A Europe-Wide Partnership for Photonics Innovation
The HiPOVor network brings together universities, industrial collaborators and research institutions throughout Europe to support innovation and knowledge exchange in photonics.
The project is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2026. The consortium features eight leading academic institutions specializing in structured light and high-power laser technology, the Extreme Light Infrastructure -- Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) that is the world's most power laser facility, and nine industrial partners.
MSCA is part of Horizon Europe and is the European Union's primary funding program for doctoral and postdoctoral researcher training.
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