Viacheslav Artyushenko has turned his “Icebreaker” nickname into an artform as he has led his team at art photonics (Berlin, Germany) to capitalize on interesting opportunities. Today, the company he founded in 1998 is a worldwide leader in the development and production of specialty fiber products for a broad spectrum from 300 nm to 16 µm.
Organic growth of art photonics was started from the commercialization of his pioneering results in development of unique polycrystalline infrared (PIR) fibers for the mid-infrared (MIR) range, combined later with chalcogenide infrared (CIR) fibers and metal-coated silica fibers—all used for assembly of cables, bundles, and spectroscopy probes. Regardless of the pandemic, hollow waveguide production was launched in 2020.
Nowadays, art photonics is the only company globally with the full vertical technology of industrial production of silver-halide PIR fibers. This includes a proprietary technology for the purification and growth of crystals, fabrication of preforms, and fiber extrusion, as well as assembly of the broad variety of PIR fiber cables, probes, bundles, and subsystems.
Leading the way with new solutions
When it comes to providing fiber, art photonics is determined to be the best provider, whether it’s parameters, price, or customer experience. However, art photonics has built a market niche in providing fiber solutions for problems, which has led Artyushenko to find continued success in custom applications.
For instance, art photonics has a long history developing solutions for laser medicine, including the development of flexible laser cables to deliver the power of Mid IR-lasers to the patient. "We have developed flexible cables for medical CO and CO2 lasers instead of difficult to use mirror articulated arms," he says.
Artyushenko’s company also developed the first single-mode PIR and CIR fibers for the European Space Agency’s space program together with aerospace company Astrium (Paris, France) as a part of the DARWIN program to detect exoplanets. Work on these and many other EU and German projects opens the door for Artyushenko and his team to continue applying their passion for research and development into the creation of the new viable products.
Within spectroscopy used for process control, art photonics has developed advanced and robust fiber probes for industrial applications capable of working in harsh environments in-line, where they must withstand high temperatures, high pressures, and toxic or aggressive medias.
art photonics has also helped in developing multispectral fiber tools for oncology used to detect tumor margins and guide a surgeon for less invasive, but complete (radical) tumor removal. Customized spectral fiber probes have been developed to control oil pollution in soil, pesticides, or herbicides in soil moisture to measure content of moisture in starch, flour, or sugar, where the accuracy is crucial and when the right fiber solution can be the difference maker. “We have contributed to a lot of significant projects, but the number of applications where fiber can provide benefit is an infinite number,” Artyushenko says.
As Artyushenko continues to take art photonics into its next phase, it remains open to opportunities for strategic partnerships with companies to address any industry applications or medical diagnostics problems where fiber can play a meaningful role in providing a true solution.
