MIR project is an interdisciplinary effort that aims at the development of mid-infrared ultra-fast laser technology as an enabling technology for industry, green energy and environmental sensing as well as fundamental science. The mid-IR spectral range with wavelengths from about 2 μm up to roughly 100 μm is attracting increasing interest for both scientific and technological applications. This spectral domain is 1) transparent for important semiconductors, 2) includes atmospheric transmission windows, and 3) contains “molecular fingerprint” signatures of numerous molecules. In particular, the region between 2 and 5 µm is characterized by the presence of strong fundamental and overtone rovibrational absorption bands of atmospheric constituents, water vapor and gases, such as carbon monoxide and dioxide, methane, ammonia, NOx, etc. It is also the range where many biological substances, including blood, lipids, viruses and bacteria have their characteristic absorption signatures. Fast remote detection and imaging in the mid-infrared, instantaneous identification of the presence of COVID and other types of viruses or hazardous molecules in a crowded space, is currently one of the most important societal, medical and environmental challenges.

Beyond sensing applications, direct fiber/waveguide based femtosecond laser sources in the mid-IR are critical for such emerging applications as micro-structuring in semiconductors. Due to the fact that many semiconductors become transparent above 1-2 µm, a growing number of functionalities are being demonstrated in this spectral range, for instance, in optical processing and imaging, and for both classical and quantum sensing. Such developments rely on the progress in material science, aimed at developing  novel semiconductor structures on a chip, ultra-fine 3-D manufacturing of silicon. The latter pave the route to more exotic integrated structures at the frontiers of atomic and nuclear science. In industry there is an immediate need in semiconductor electronics and kerf-less processing in PV as well as in Li-battery energy sectors.