Ditzingen, Germany, July 3, 2006 – Before Prof. H. Jeffrey Kimble from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, USA, no one had ever received the Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis. The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung awarded this prize for forward-looking innovations in laser technology for the first time today. The judges felt Kimble’s research in cavity quantum electrodynamics will change the future.

The foundation also honored the winner of the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis. Dr. Karin and Raimund Schütze, co-founders of P.A.L.M. GmbH in Bernried, Germany, won first place with their laser micro tool for capturing individual cells. The P.A.L.M. Microlaser Technologies GmbH has been a part of the Carl Zeiss Group since the end of 2004. Professor Ian A. Walmsley from Oxford University accepted the second prize for the SPIDER measuring method to characterize ultrashort laser pulses. Third prize went to Dr. Michael Mei and Dr. Ronald Holzwarth of Menlo Systems GmbH in Martinsried, Germany, for the development of compact laser systems with optical frequency comb technique.

More than 250 invited guests from government, science and industry gained insight into the impressive work of the prize winners at the ceremony in Ditzingen. President of acatech Professor Dr.-Ing. Joachim Milberg gave the keynote speech titled "Innovation Requires Climate Change." In addition to short films about the award winners and their working environments, the film "Icons In Light" was premiered. In more than ten minutes the movie documented the impact of light on mankind. It reported on Greek discoveries, modern insights during the last centuries and an outlook into the future.

Selection process for Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis
The judges selected eight projects for the final round from more than 30 applications and proposals. The nominees for the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis had the opportunity to present their innovations personally to the judges at their meeting in March. In addition to the prize winners, the following were nominated:

Dr. Olivier Acher, French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Monts, France, with "Laser-Based Cutting Process for Inkjet Printers"

Dr. Ralf Brinkmann, Dipl.-Phys. Jochen Kandulla and Dr. Georg Schüle, University Lübeck, Germany, with "Temperature Determination During Retinal Laser Treatments"

Dr. Steffen Noehte and Dipl.-Phys. Matthias Gerspach, tesa scribos GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany, with "Security Labels based on Holographic Polymer-Memory"

Project Group Technology Development Laser Technology, Audi AG, Neckarsulm, Germany, with "Laser Application in Aluminum Car Body Manufacturing"

Objective
Internationally announced and endowed with a total of 35,000 Euros, the Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis awards and promotes scientists and developers who are pioneers in the field of laser light. The Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis honors forward-looking innovations in research for the application or generation of laser light with a prize money of 20,000 Euros.

By awarding the prize every two years, the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung wishes to promote laser technology – one of the most important technologies of our time – and help make it available to the public.

About the Foundation
The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung concerned exclusively with cultural, scientific, religious and – to a modest extent – social issues. Professor Berthold Leibinger, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG, founded the Foundation in 1992.

Digital pictures of the prize winners and the awarded work are available at www.leibinger-stiftung.de.