Air pollution and global warming demand widely accessible gas sensors capable of analyzing the complex gas mixtures around us. Mid-infrared semiconductor lasers are ideal for this task, but today they are expensive, bulky, and complex, which limits their widespread adoption. SCALE Lasers, a startup project at ETH Zurich, is developing a novel quantum cascade laser platform that combines miniaturization with surface emission to enable low-cost, low-power lasers for seamless integration into environmental and industrial sensors. The initial product will unlock the broader deployment of laser-based sensors and ultimately pave the way for biomedical applications.

The goal of the project is to conclude the prototyping phase with a minimum viable product and to prepare the transition to the production phase. To achieve this, we will work closely with our early adopters and integrate their feedback into the next device generation. A key focus is to expand and qualify the supply chain to meet industrial standards and ensure scalability, while in parallel refining our cost structure and market assumptions to support subsequent financing and commercialization.