Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering

Research institute in Jena, Germany
The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF), also referred to as the Fraunhofer IOF, is an institute of the Fraunhofer Society for the Advancement of Applied Research (FHG). The institute is based in Jena. Its activities are attributed to applied research and development in the branch of natural sciences in the field of optics and precision engineering. The institute was founded in 1992.

In July 2006, the Fraunhofer IOF opened the Center for Advanced Micro and Nano Optics (CMN Optics). The core of the facility is the SB350 OS electron beam lithography system. This device, also known as an "electron beam recorder", allows minimal structure sizes in the range of 50 nm with a high accuracy on substrate sizes up to 300 mm. The center is operated jointly with the Institute for Applied Physics (IAP) of the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena. The facility is also used by the Institute for Photonic Technologies (IPHT), Jena. The facility cost twelve million euros and was financed by the European Union, the Free State of Thuringia and the Fraunhofer Society.

In 2003, the Fraunhofer Society concluded a cooperation agreement with the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena. It is the basis for collaboration between Fraunhofer IOF staff and the staff of the Institute of Applied Physics at the University of Jena. The aim of the cooperation is to provide practical training for the students, to improve the implementation of research results into practice and to share the high quality equipment and infrastructures of both institutions.

At the end of 2020, Fraunhofer IOF had almost 330 employees, most of whom are scientists and technicians. The operating budget for the Fraunhofer IOF was EUR 51,5 million in the 2020 financial year. The institute has excellently equipped laboratories on an area of 3830 m² plus 1115 m² clean room (ISO class 1 ISO class 7), a mechanics workshop meeting the highest demands as well as a test field for extensive testing and demonstration purposes. In the years 2002 and 2013 expansion facilities were built on the Beutenberg Campus in Jena. In 2017 a fiber technology center was inaugurated at Fraunhofer IOF, which includes new special laboratories for the production of active and passive micro and nanostructured optical fibers and one of the world's most powerful fiber drawing towers.