What if one of the most versatile measurement tools for the laser industry was born inside a fusion reactor? That is exactly the story of KISA, a compact, high-precision optical sensing system that started its life as a plasma diagnostic and is now finding its way into quantum labs, pharmaceutical facilities, and aerospace research centres.

KISA was developed by Coher Sense UG, a young photonics company based in Lubeck, Germany, founded by Oliver Lischtschenko. The system measures wavelength and power stability in real time, without moving parts, and covers a wide range of applications: quantum technologies, hydrogen sensing, Raman spectroscopy, and aerospace laser communication concepts. Its designers describe it simply as the multimeter for lasers.

The origins of KISA reach back more than 20 years into European fusion research. Between 2005 and 2011, Oliver Lischtschenko worked as a researcher at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald, Germany, and at the FOM Institute Rijnhuizen (now DIFFER) in the Netherlands.

During this period, he contributed to the development of Coherence Imaging Spectroscopy (CIS) systems: robust instruments designed to measure ion temperature, plasma flows, and electric fields in magnetically confined fusion plasmas. CIS analyses Doppler-broadened or shifted spectral lines without any moving parts, which makes it particularly well-suited for the harsh and demanding environments inside fusion devices.

In 2011, his work on coherence imaging at Rijnhuizen was awarded Best Contribution in Plasma and Radiation Physics in the Netherlands, recognising both its scientific relevance and its technical innovation. That recognition planted a seed: could this principle, once refined and miniaturised, become something useful far beyond the fusion community?

The original fusion instruments were large, alignment-sensitive, and required expert operation. After leaving full-time fusion research, Oliver continued independently refining coherence-based sensing concepts, with one clear goal: simplify the architecture, slash the cost, and make it usable by non-experts.

The result was KISA, a miniaturised, solid-state instrument designed to be mass-produced at automotive electronics cost levels. The transformation involved several key engineering choices:

• Reducing the device from a table-top instrument to a palm-sized sensor
• Eliminating all moving parts and high-voltage components, dramatically improving robustness and safety
• Enabling plug-and-measure operation with minimal alignment or training required
• Integrating high-speed electronics for real-time spectral feedback
• Supporting modular configurability across visible and near-infrared wavelengths

The technology is now US-patented and EU-pending. KISA systems are in active use in quantum technology labs, optical component inspection, hydrogen-related monitoring, pharmaceutical Raman spectroscopy, and space technology research.

The impact of this technology transfer has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, Coher Sense received the Hamamatsu Photonics Innovation Award, selected by a jury of industry and research representatives led by one of the world’s leading photonics companies. The award reflects the commercial maturity of what started as a fusion plasma diagnostic.

For the broader fusion ecosystem, this story carries its own message: advanced optical diagnostics developed under European fusion programmes are not just tools for understanding plasma. They are platforms for innovation in quantum sensing, hydrogen infrastructure, and photonics instrumentation.

The KISA journey, from the inside of a fusion device in Greifswald to the hands of quantum physicists and aerospace engineers, is a strong example of how fusion research continues to generate value well beyond the reactor walls.