Source: e23.cn Jinan Daily  9^th Feb 2026

Optical devices made from ABF crystals. (Photo: Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, CAS)

An ultra-fine "light needle", invisible to the naked eye, carries highly concentrated energy in a single direction. Just how magical can a laser beam be? Jiang Huilin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an expert in applied optics, described it as "the sharpest knife, the brightest light, and the most accurate ruler".

In daily life, it is a laser pointer that reaches its target at the click of a button. On production lines, it is a powerful cutting tool. In communications, it is a light-speed bridge connecting Earth and space. In medicine, it can precisely destroy tumors. On the battlefield, it serves as a "blade of light".

China has set a new record for satelliteground laser communication at 120 Gbps. Laser ranging has been successfully demonstrated across the 350,000km EarthMoon distance. Embodied intelligent robots for laser weeding have been unveiled and are ready for mass production. All these innovations have emerged in less than a month.

Jinan, home to China’s largest laser processing equipment industrial base and a key growth engine of the laser industry in North China, is emerging as a new hub for laser technology. As it strives to become the "Third Pole of China’s Laser Industry", what gives it such confidence, and how far can this journey go?

Broadband Upgrades from “Dual Gigabit” to “Dual 10-Gigabit”

We may never accurately predict how scientific and technological innovation will transform our lives. Much like the mobile phones we feel anxious to be separated from even briefly, the shift from 4G to 5G has made uploading and downloading files and videos almost effortless—all thanks to leapfrog development in new-type information infrastructure.

Once, 100-megabit broadband was the flagship selling point of major telecom operators. Today, China has 240 million gigabit broadband subscribers, and two-thirds of its cities meet the gigabit city standard. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has recently announced plans to launch a special “broadband upgrade” campaign and a new round of 10-gigabit optical network trials.

This marks that China’s broadband network will fully evolve from “Dual Gigabit” to “Dual 10-Gigabit” (5G-A and 10-gigabit optical networks).Downstream rates will approach 10 Gbps and upstream rates near 1 Gbps—a tenfold increase in user bandwidth, easily supporting 8K ultra-HD video, cloud gaming, VR/AR, and other high-bandwidth applications.

Some may ask the same skeptical question as during the 4G-to-5G transition: Do we really need that much speed just for browsing the internet?From a purely personal perspective, maybe not. But for industrial development and innovation, it is critically important, as it builds a stronger digital foundation for developing new-quality productive forces and advancing new-type industrialization.

Satellite-Ground Laser Communication Exceeds 100 Gbps

Can our technological innovation support such forward-looking communication infrastructure?In the field of laser communication, the answer is a resounding yes.

The Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently announced the successful operational application experiment of ultra-100G satellite-ground laser communication, achieving a communication rate of 120 Gbps.

This follows previous breakthroughs of 10 Gbps in 2023 and 60 Gbps in 2025, lifting China’s operational capability in satellite-ground laser communication to a new level.This pace of progress closely aligns with Moore’s Law, which states that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit doubles roughly every 18 to 24 months, meaning processor performance doubles while costs halve.

“If we compare satellite-ground laser communication to building a bridge across a fast-flowing river,” explained Li Yalin, technical lead of the project team, “10 Gbps transmission is like building a single-lane bridge, relatively simple in structure.By contrast, 120 Gbps transmission is a multi-lane expressway bridge. It not only requires fast construction for rapid connection but also ensures extremely high traffic efficiency with multiple parallel lanes—its engineering difficulty rises exponentially.”

“Laser Cannons” for Long-Range Obstacle Clearing and Surgical Cutting

“If a movie takes half an hour to send over regular communication, laser communication can do it in just 3 minutes!”Jiang Huilin uses this striking comparison to highlight the advantages of laser communication and its impact on daily life. In his view, this technology is an “information superhighway”—not only is its transmission speed 10 times faster than traditional methods, but it also boasts two core strengths: high security and strong anti-interference capability.

In fact, laser technology has transformed modern industry and daily life far beyond communications.Laser light—a high-intensity, highly directional, monochromatic, and coherent beam generated through stimulated emission—is rapidly spreading across industries thanks to its high efficiency, zero pollution, high precision, and small heat-affected zone.

Lasers have become one of the most advanced foundational technologies for modern high-end manufacturing, used in steel, chemicals, automotive, aviation, aerospace, marine engineering, microelectronics, new energy, new materials, biomedicine, agriculture, and national defense.In industry, lasers are widely used for cutting, welding, drilling, surface treatment, and rapid prototyping. Controlled by software for path guidance, this non-contact processing delivers high stability and long service life.

In modern medicine, optical imaging and laser ablation have become essential tools for diagnosis and treatment.Lasers enable precise tumor resection, and endoscopes equipped with optical technology provide doctors with unprecedented visibility and accuracy.In daily life and production, laser applications include intelligent laser weeding and laser breeding, serving as cutting-edge “black technology” in farm fields. “Laser cannons” perform long-range obstacle removal: they can remotely cut trees and safely clear entangled debris such as kites, dust nets, and plastic films from power grids, protecting grid security.

“Cosmic Flashlight” for Laser Ranging and Precision Weeding

The versatility of laser technology has spurred continuous and rapid innovation.

A new embodied intelligent laser weeding robot recently debuted at the Zhuangxing Comprehensive Experimental Station of the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences.Combining AI vision and laser technology, it achieves zero pesticide residues, high precision, and all-weather non-contact weeding, supporting cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and green transformation in modern agriculture.

The Yunnan Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, using an upgraded near-infrared lunar laser ranging system on its 1.2-meter telescope, successfully detected laser echo signals from the DRO - A satellite approximately 350,000 kilometers from Earth.This marks China’s first satellite laser ranging at Earth-Moon distance.Like a precise “cosmic flashlight”, scientists measure distance by timing the reflected laser beam, similar to measuring length with a ruler.

The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, CAS, recently announced the successful development of a new crystal material called Ammonium Fluoroborate (ABF).Using this crystal, the team achieved vacuum-ultraviolet laser output at a wavelength of 158.9 nm.This breakthrough provides a key material for compact, high-efficiency all-solid-state vacuum-ultraviolet lasers, with promising applications in precision manufacturing and cutting-edge scientific research.

A Core Growth Pole of the Laser Industry in North China

Jinan is stepping up its efforts across the board in the laser sector.At the end of 2025, the city hosted a high-level brainstorming session on the laser industry:the Symposium on Advanced Solid-State Lasers, Functional Materials and High-End Applications.It was attended by 9 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering,more than 100 renowned scholars from 29 research institutes, 38 universities,and representatives from 3 medical institutions and 29 enterprises—bringing together industry, academia, research and application.

Zhu Shining, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated at the meeting:“Advanced laser technology is an important part of the national strategic scientific and technological strength,and solid-state laser technology is one of the commanding heights of global technological competition.”Relying on its profound industrial foundation and complete ecosystem,Jinan is securing an important position in China’s national laser industry landscape.

Cheng Huiyun, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Optics and Optoelectronics Manufacturers Association, noted:Jinan is emerging as a core growth pole of the laser industry in North China,filling gaps in high-end laser equipment manufacturing and international cooperation in northern China—a unique positioning in the national layout.As Jinan accelerates its efforts to become the Third Pole of China’s Laser Industry,its growing weight in the national laser industry is clearly evident.

From the development of China’s first laser cutting machine by Jinan Institute of Casting and Forging in 1985,to its current status as a major national industrial base for laser processing equipment,Jinan’s laser industry has transformed from individual breakthroughs to cluster-based development.

According to Huang Bo, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology,Jinan has built a full-chain industrial ecosystem covering laser epitaxial materials, components, lasers and related systems.Among more than 300 laser-related enterprises, there are 50 core enterprises and 98 above-scale enterprises,forming a highly competitive industrial cluster.

In high-power laser processing equipment, medium- and low-power pump sources and other fields,Jinan’s technical level ranks among the top in the world,with export volume consistently ranking first nationwide.

(By Liu Biao, Jinan Daily·iJinan)