Photonics and Laser Engineering
Whether intelligent lighting, highly sensitive sensors or state-of-the-art production facilities – all of these would not exist without photonics, optics and laser systems. The ZHAW trains you to develop these systems to the next level.
Professional career outline
Photonics and laser engineering are key enabling technologies that interdisciplinarily connect different application fields. With the MSE in Photonics and Laser Engineering, you can dive into a range of industries, from medical technologies to biotechnology, from sensing to metrology, in additive and subtractive manufacturing, through to light generation.
Profile contents
In the MSE Photonics and Laser Engineering you can gain a fundamental understanding of the following topics:
- Fundamentals and applications of laser-material interaction, optics, imaging and beam delivery related to industrial munifacturing (Laser welding, cutting, drilling, marking, sintering and 3D additive/ subtractive processes)
- Optical measurements (Imaging systems, spectroscopy and interferometry)
- Optoelectronics and electro-optics (Lasers, LEDs, OLEDs, displays and thermal sources)
- Design and modelling of photonic systems (Ray tracing, wave optics simulation and thin film design, Prototyping, testing, measuring, validating, and optimizing of photonic components, modules or systems, Fibre-optics, integrated optics and optical microsystems)
- Micro technology
“Especially in class, I was able to choose the specialist modules according to my interests in the energy sector. So I can take a lot with me from the Master's program.“
Michael Auer, graduate Master of Science in Engineering
Institutes and centres
Applying for the MSE you chose an institute to study Photonics and Laser Engineering. The institutes interpret the profiles individually.
Institute of Applied Mathematics and Physics (IAMP)
Institute of Computational Physics (ICP)
Institute of Signal Processing and Wireless Communications (ISC)
Professional skills
During the MSE in Photonics and Laser Engineering, you will develop a fundamental understanding of the physical principles and processes involved in photonics. You will become skilled in the application of light and lasers and in designing and using optical sensing systems for automation and production. You will also develop the competences needed to numerically simulate multidisciplinary systems that include photonics elements.
Recommended modules
Technical Scientific Specialisation (TSM):
- Applied photonics (TSM_AppPhot)
- Laser and laser applications (TSM_Laser)
- Optical engineering and metrology (TSM_OpEngMe)
- Advanced thin film technology (TSM_ThinFilm)
Fundamental Theoretical Principles (FTP):
- Partial Differential Equations (FTP_PartDiff)
- Optimization (FTP_Optimiz)
- Physics on micro and nano scale (FTP_PhyMNS)
- Digital image processing (FTP_DIgImPro)
Context Modules (CM):
- Ethik und Unternehmensverantwortung (CM_Ethics)
- Innovations- und Changemanagement (CM_InnChang)
- Scientific writing and presenting
Differentiation to bachelor level
The MSE introduces and fosters a scientific approach that allows you to develop a broader vision of your field and design new solutions. In this way, you have all the prerequisites to lead projects in an industrial environment and work on current research topics.
Additional information
Information events and application
Study Application
Registrations for the autumn semester (starting in September) are possible from the beginning of February until the end of April. For the spring semester of the next year (starting in February) from the beginning of August until the end of October.
Information events