Optical devices & methods

We aim to convert our scientific research into useful tools for experiment and analysis. Ranging from computational methods, through experimental techniques, to novel tools and instruments.

The optical systems we develop range in size from table top (such as photonics for biomedicine), through laboratory-sized (see optical experiments at dilution refrigerator temperatures) to facility scale, such as phase-locked X-ray free-electron laser pulses. Our vision is to combine these different scales as building blocks in our research, as well as to make them available to others.

Recent publications

A perfect X-ray beam splitter and its applications to time-domain interferometry and quantum optics exploiting free-electron lasers
S. Reiche, G. Knopp, B. Pedrini, E. Prat, G. Aeppli, S. Gerber
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 119, e2117906119 (2022)

Taking advantage of multiplet structure for lineshape analysis in Fourier space
A. Beckert, H. Sigg, G. Aeppli
Opt. Express 28, 24937 (2020)

Virus lasers for biological detection
J. E. Hales, G. Matmon, P. A. Dalby, J. M. Ward, G. Aeppli
Nat. Commun. 10, 3594 (2019)

Recent highlights

15.02.2022

•Large research facilities

•7 min

Opening the door to X-ray quantum optics

The 'perfect' X-ray beam-splitter: Researchers at SwissFEL have an ingenious solution to produce coherent copies of pulses, facilitating a realm of new X-ray techniques.

Fourier transform of the signal functions

Efficient analysis method for multiplet lines in Fourier space

In his first paper as lead author, LMN (now LXN) PhD student Adrian Beckert and co-authors demonstrate an algorithm which takes advantage of peak multiplicity to retrieve line shape information. The results were published in Optics Express and are relevant to a wide range of topics, ranging from neutron-scattering to spectroscopy of rare-earth doped solids.

Photonics for Biomedicine

We have developed a novel strategy for the detection of very small amounts of substances, such as toxins or antibodies, using the structure of existing viruses as a nanosized scaffold for custom-made optically active molecules.

Optical experiments at dilution refrigerator temperatures

We coupled the infrared SLS synchrotron beam into a dilution refrigerator in order to conduct optical experiments at low temperature, down to ~13mK. For that we have customized a dilution refrigerator to accept/emit light in up to five directions simultaneously, and built a purpose-made vacuum transmission line.