Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have developed a compact short-pulse laser achieving up to 80% efficiency—more than twice that of many current systems—by using a multipass design that reuses light within a small crystal.

The palm-sized device delivers ultrashort light pulses lasting billionths to quadrillionths of a second, enabling high-precision energy delivery for applications in medicine, manufacturing, analytics, and quantum science.

Traditional high-efficiency short-pulse lasers are bulky and expensive, but this design combines power and precision in a portable, cost-effective format.

The system works by transferring energy from a pump laser to a special crystal, which then converts the light into infrared pulses, suitable for tasks invisible or impossible with standard visible light, Science Daily has reported.

The breakthrough addresses the longstanding challenge of combining wide bandwidth and high amplification in a compact laser, potentially expanding the use of ultrashort-pulse lasers across research and industry.