GRINTECH GmbH
GRINTECH GmbH was established as a spin-off from the Fraunhofer Institute IOF in the year 2000 and employs currently 43 researchers, engineers and technicians.
GRINTECH develops and produces micro-optical systems using gradient-index microlenses with plane optical surfaces. The optical lens performance is generated by a refractive index profile through an ion exchange diffusion process in boroalumosilicate glasses. Due to the plane optical surfaces of the lenses, different plane optical components as fibres, prisms and beam splitters can be combined to very compact micro-optic imaging systems. Preferred applications are in the field of endomicroscopic imaging, in conventional miniaturized endoscopy as well as in displacement sensors in the field of optical metrology.
Contribution to the Project
The role of GRINTECH in PROSCOPE is to develop compact micro-optical imaging system at the distal end of the optical probe to be developed which needs to satisfy the aimed modalities of two-photon tomography, optical coherence tomography and Raman spectroscopy.
Key persons
Dr. Bernhard Messerschmidt (project leader for GRT) Cofounder and CEO at GRINTECH has more than 28 years research experience and is responsible for R&D activities within the company. The main focus is on gradient index optics, microoptical sensors for displacement measurements and metrology as well as on biomedical imaging applications including endomicroscopy in various modalities. He has published more than 28 journal/conference papers within these topics and is inventor of seven patents. He has managed and coordinated several larger joint research projects in Germany including projects in the biophotonic field.
Dr. Sandra Gerlach-Anhut (responsible for material aspects) is chemist and specialized on glass and other (mostly inorganic) materials related to their chemical, mechanical and thermal properties with respect to GRIN-optic developments.She has also developed significantly processes to test micro-objectives by laser scanning microscopy at GRINTECH.
Karl Reichwald (responsible for probe assembly and testing) gained more than 3 years experience in prototype development in the field of optoelectronics. His key competencies lie mainly in the area of electronics and coding.
Sophia Laura Stark (responsible for optic design and CAD studies) is specializing in optics development for endomicrosopic applications. She has gained a wide range of knowledge about lens design, optical metrology, microoptics, optical CAD and lens mounting within her master degree.