Research Areas

Nonlinear spectroscopy on nanoscale materials

Metallic or dielectric nano-structures can greatly help to strengthen the interaction of materials with light and to create smaller and more efficient optical components. Almost any optical function can be accessed through the high degree of flexibility in the design and fabrication. Here, the nonlinear optical properties are of particular interest for all-optical applications. In our research group, we develop new concepts for nonlinear materials based on nanostructured and hybrid materials and study their properties and potential application. → READ MORE

Plasmonic devices and nanoscale light

Confining optical fields to extremely small volumes is one of the biggest challenge for miniaturization of optical elements to be comparable in size with electronic elements. Here, the excitation of electronic surface states on a metal-dielectric interface might open a new path for guiding light in extremely small volumes without losing the possibility of high speed operation. In our group we develop new concepts in altering the excitation and propagation of plasmonic surface states by utilizing the concept of metamaterials. → READ MORE

Optical holography with nanostructured surfaces

The control of light propagation plays an important role in many areas of optics. Very often spatial light modulators are used, especially for imaging and beam shaping. Artificially structured surfaces can have here a decisive advantage: they can be integrated vertically very well and they have properties that can be arbitrarily set for example by arrangement of small nano-antenna structures. In such a way, it is even possible to store phase information within an ultrathin interface and retrieve this information as a holographic image. → READ MORE

Novel optical material concepts and design methods

Optical materials with user-defined optical properties that would perfectly match the requirements of applications are highly desired in the photonics industry. With the progress in nanofabrication we are now confronted with the ability to freely engineer artificial nanostructured materials. Such materials can exhibit completely new optical properties not available by any natural material. By utilizing even strongly localized fields in these structures efficient light sources or particular nonlinear-optical properties can be obtained.

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Head

Prof. Dr. Thomas Zentgraf

Ultrafast Nanophotonics

Phone:

+49 5251 60-5865

Fax:

+49 5251 60-5886

E-mail:

thomas.zentgraf(at)upb(dot)de

Office:

P8.3.03

Web:

Homepage