ProfessorMichael Damzen

Mike Damzen is Professor of Experimental Laser Physics at Imperial College London. He was Head of the Photonics Group from 2013 - 2023, whose research activities included laser technology, applied optics, biomedical imaging, biophotonics, and industrial photonics applications. He leads the research team of the Nonlinear Optics group with activities in lasers and nonlinear optical techniques.

His research includes a number of novel high power laser technologies, techniques, and applications. 

One current research focus is a programme on the development of wavelength tunable laser technology. Since 2010, he has pioneered diode-pumped Alexandrite laser technology which has a broad wavelength tunability in the interesting near-visible range (700-850nm) that also maps into tunable UV and deep-UV bands by nonlinear optical conversion. Initial focus was on satellite-based remote sensing (Earth Observation) monitoring atmosphere and vegetation, with long standing support from the European Space Agency (ESA). He has demonstrated breakthrough development of diode-pumped Alexandrite laser technology, including world-highest power operation, first Q-switched operation, first deep-UV generation. Applications under development include dual-wavelength 3-D forestry mapping including acquisition of health and bio-mass information, using short-duration pulses at high pulse rate in dual band (near-VIS and UV) and high-power deep ultraviolet (DUV) light generation for industrial manufacturing.

He was Academic Founder of Midaz Lasers Ltd, and acted as Director and Chief Scientific Officer over its operational period from 2006 until its successful multi-$M trade sale to Coherent Lasers, the world's largest laser company. Midaz designed, assembled and sold engineered laser and amplifier products to the precision laser manufacturing market, incorporating patented solid-state laser technology arising from his research.