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About Theoretical Nanooptics

Maxwell’s equations are 150 years old. They provide the theoretical framework to describe every phenomenon that concerns light if considered as an electromagnetic wave. In particular, Maxwell’s equations can describe the interaction of light with matter possessing known properties. In our group, we are interested in the exploration of phenomena to be observed if light interacts with materials that have critical spatial dimensions in the order of one wavelength or below, i.e. at a nanometric scale.

Particularly, we wish to explore with analytical and numerical methods the peculiarities of light itself at the nanoscale. We also wish to study artificial materials made from nanostructured materials. Eventually, we rely on collaboration with other nano-scientists to push the current limits of the state-of-the-art concerning an exact description of matter at the nanoscale and to consider it in an electromagnetic analysis.

Our research holds promise for many insights into basic scientific phenomena. It also enables the discussion of perspective applications where light is required to be tailored at the nanoscale.

At the moment, we concentrate in our research on two specific research projects:

Date and place of birth:   

31.03.1977, Halle/Saale, Germany

Present positions:

03/2014 – today               Department head at the Institute of Nanotechnology,

                                          Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany

12/2013 – today               Professor (W3) for Theoretical Solid State Physics at the Institute of Theoretical Solid State Physics,
                                          Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany

Scientific career:

07/2010 – 11/2013          Junior-Professor (W1) for Theoretical Nanooptics at the Institute of Solid State Theory and Optics,
                                          Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany

12/2004 –06/2010           Scientific assistant (C1) at the Institute of Solid State Theory and Optics,
                                          Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany

06/2006 – 09/2006          Guest scientist at the Centre for Applied Near-Field Optical Research,
                                          National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan

05/2005 – 07/2005          Guest scientist at the Centre for Applied Near-Field Optical Research,
                                          National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan

08/2004 – 12/2004          PostDoc at the Centre for Applied Near-Field Optical Research,
                                          National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan

10/ 2001 – 07/2004         PhD student at the Institute of Microtechnology,
                                          University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

03/2001 – 09/2001          Diploma student at the Institute of Applied Optics,
                                          Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Deutschland

05/2001 – 06/2001          Guest scientist at the Institute for Image Processing of the Russian Academy of Science,
                                          Samara, Russia

03/2000 – 09/2000          Internship at the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas,
                                          Heraklion, Crete, Greece

03/1999 – 02/2000          Internship at the Institute of Microtechnology,
                                          University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

09/1996 – 09/2001          Student at the Faculty of Physics and Technology,
                                          University of Applied Science Jena, Jena, Germany

Work in scientific organizations:

• Member of the Steering Committee of the Metamaterials conference (2015-today)
• Member of the Editorial Board with EPJ Applied Metamaterials (2014-today)
• Topical Editor with Optics Letters (2013-today)
• Editor with the Journal of the European Optical Society - Rapid Publications (2011-today)
• Coordinator of the European Doctoral School on Metamaterials EUPROMETA (2010-today)
• Member of the Editorial Board with Journal of Modern Optics (2010-today)
• Coordinator of an international Erasmus-Mundus Master program „Optics in Science and Technology“ at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (2008-2013)

Research interests:

• Light propagation in micro- and nanostructured materials
• Numerical methods for linear and nonlinear optics
• Resonance phenomena in metallic nanostructures
• Photonic crystals, metamaterials
• Light localization in disordered media
• Photon management in solar cells
• Nonlinear phenomena in nanostructured materials
• Force and torque inserted by light on matter
• Optical nanoantennas
• Near-field optics
• Quantum optics at the nanoscale