Projects from Prof. Dr. Thomas Zentgraf
Near-field coupled nonlocal optical metasurface for versatile polarization and bandstructure manipulations
Recent advances in the modern nanotechnology gave birth to ‘thin-flat-optics’ elements (the so-called optical metasurfaces), based on nanoscale structures, capable of versatile tailoring on the responses to light such as wave-fronts, amplitudes, polarization, and frequency. Despite the extremely reduced dimensions of the ‘flat-optics’ elements, the ...
Duration: 01/2023 - 12/2026
Funded by: DFG
TRR 142 - Three-photon state generation with on-chip pump suppression in topological waveguides (A09*)
In this project, we experimentally and theoretically study a degenerate four-wave mixing source for the generation of three-photon states, where the photons are generated inside the topological mode and propagate away from the interaction region. The design using topological protected surface modes intrinsically provides a strong suppression of the ...
Duration: 01/2022 - 12/2025
Funded by: DFG
TRR 142 - Quasi-bound states in the continuum for efficient second harmonic generation and spatial phase tailoring in GaAs metasurfaces (B09*)
In this project, we aim at exploiting highly efficient quasi-bound states in the continuum for optical modes in GaAs nanoresonators. The strong field confinement of these modes will be utilized to tailor the phase and emission patterns of light generated by nonlinear optical processes and to increase the efficiency of light-matter interaction in ...
Duration: 01/2022 - 12/2025
Funded by: DFG
PhoQuant: Photonic Quantum Computing - Quantum computing evaluation platform
When a sufficient number of quantum particles are interconnected, quantum computers can handle tasks that are unsolvable for classical computers. This – among other unique selling points – is a major advantage of photonic platforms: Integrated architectures and sophisticated manufacturing processes offer an enormous scaling potential. The aim of ...
Duration: 01/2022 - 12/2026
Funded by: BMBF
Contact: Prof. Dr. Christine Silberhorn, Dr. Benjamin Brecht
PhoQC: Photonic Quantum Computing
Photonic Quantum Computing (PhoQC): The aim is to research the fundamentals for the realization of photonic quantum computers. For this purpose, an internationally leading research center is to be created at the University of Paderborn in perspective, in which the fields of physics, mathematics, engineering sciences, computer science and electrical ...
Duration: 11/2021 - 12/2024
Funded by: MKW NRW, EIN Quantum NRW
Development of scalable anti-counterfeiting optical metasurfaces with nanoprint
Due to the fusion of our life with IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, we are about to enter the hyper-connected communities. Here at, identity concerned about who I am, who they are, what things are has become surely essential issues. However, the emergence of information society entails a lot of problems concerned with data and information ...
Duration: 01/2021 - 12/2022
Funded by: DAAD
Multifunctional, active and nonlinear optical smart metasurfaces
Smart planar systems that can perform a number of concurrent tasks and actively control the linear and nonlinear optical response with compact footprint are highly on-demand in current optics and nanophotonics research. The proposed project will build on recent developments in the field of optical metasurfaces. Such metasurfaces are assembled ...
Duration: 01/2019 - 12/2022
Funded by: DFG
TRR 142 - Nonlinear coupling of interlayer excitons in van der Waals heterostructures to plasmonic and dielectric nanocavities (A08)
The main focus of project A08 is on interlayer excitons trapped in the controllable superlattices that naturally arise in Moiré patterns. We will study the behavior of interlayer excitons as single-photon emitters, and how it is influenced by their quantum confinement and by the orientation of their electric dipole. Then, we will explore strategies ...
Duration: 01/2018 - 12/2025
Funded by: DFG
TRR 142 - Nonlinear optical surfaces based on ZnO-plasmonic hybrid-nanostructures (C05)
The project targets the efficient manipulation of light beams with simultaneous frequency conversion at an ultrathin metal-zinc oxide metasurface. We plan to manipulate the amplitude and phase of the nonlinear waves based on the structural design and material composition on a nanoscale by utilizing a nonlinear Pancharatnam-Berry phase. By coupling ...
Duration: 01/2018 - 12/2021
Funded by: DFG