Creation of the International Laser Center in Bratislava was an inter-governmental project aimed at the development of advanced laser and photonics infrastructure on the ground of Slovak universities, based on the support from the de-blocation of the debt of Russian Federation towards the Slovak Republic. The creation of ILC was performed in three phases:
The first phase took place in the years 1997-1999, based on the decree of the Government of Slovak Republic No. 652/97 from 1.10.1996, and a contract 7/97-B signed between ILC in Bratislava and the International Laser Center at Moscow State University (ILC MSU), signed 7.8.1997. Slovak Technical University, Comenius University and Slovak Academy of Sciences also participated in its realization. During this phase, the ILC Bratislava was equipped with the basic equipment to the extent equivalent to 3 mil. USD.
The second phase took place in the years 2000-2007, based on the decree of the Government of Slovak Republic No. 380/99 from 12.5.1999, and the contract 1/99-B, signed 18.6.1999 between ILC Bratislava and ILC MSU. This phase, which came to an end in December 2007, provided ILC with unique laser equipment in the sum equivalent to 15 mil. USD from the resources related to the debt of the Russian Federation towards the Slovak Republic. In this regard, it is important to mention that with a significant support of the government of the Slovak Republic and with an important help of Russian intellectual background, a unique research center was created covering a wide spectrum of laser and photonics technologies, spanning from spectroscopy through information technology to nano and bio-medical sciences.
The third phase of the ILC development is taking place since 2008. Related to the further development of ILC base laboratories, this phase is characterized by an effort to integrate ILC into the existing European scientific structures (such as Laserlab Europe), but also to open new opportunities and promote advantages of the unique technological bases at ILC and maximize its use in the education of domestic specialists. Since 2009, the realization of the projects with the support of Structural funds is highly important in regard to the improvement of the newly developed infrastructure.
Since 2021 it was merged with Slovak Centre of Scientifc and Technical Information, as an organizational unit of SCSTI.
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