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  4. Nicolas Joly

Prof. Dr. Nicolas Joly

  • Professor
  • Room: A 2.214
  • Tel.: +49 9131 7133 215
  • Email
  • Quantum optics: generation of non-classical light
  • Non-linear optics: generation of new frequencies and of low-noise supercontinuum
  • Applied science: developing fibre tools for real-time monitoring of chemical reactions and sensing with particle trapped inside hollow-core fibre

2011

Optofluidic refractive-index sensor in step-index fiber with parallel hollow micro-channel

H. W. Lee, M. A. Schmidt, P. Uebel, H. Tyagi, N. Y. Joly, M. Scharrer, P. St. J. Russell

OPTICS EXPRESS 19 (9) 8200-8207 (2011) | Journal

We present a simple refractive index sensor based on a step-index fiber with a hollow micro-channel running parallel to its core. This channel becomes waveguiding when filled with a liquid of index greater than silica, causing sharp dips to appear in the transmission spectrum at wavelengths where the glass-core mode phase-matches to a mode of the liquid-core. The sensitivity of the dip-wavelengths to changes in liquid refractive index is quantified and the results used to study the dynamic flow characteristics of fluids in narrow channels. Potential applications of this fiber microstructure include measuring the optical properties of liquids, refractive index sensing, biophotonics and studies of fluid dynamics on the nanoscale. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

Influence of ionization on ultrafast gas-based nonlinear fiber optics

W. Chang, A. Nazarkin, J. C. Travers, J. Nold, P. Hoelzer, N. Y. Joly, P. St. J. Russell

OPTICS EXPRESS 19 (21) 21018-21027 (2011) | Journal

We numerically investigate the effect of ionization on ultrashort high-energy pulses propagating in gas-filled kagome-lattice hollow-core photonic crystal fibers by solving an established uni-directional field equation. We consider the dynamics of two distinct regimes: ionization induced blue-shift and resonant dispersive wave emission in the deep-UV. We illustrate how the system evolves between these regimes and the changing influence of ionization. Finally, we consider the effect of higher ionization stages. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

Bright Spatially Coherent Wavelength-Tunable Deep-UV Laser Source Using an Ar-Filled Photonic Crystal Fiber

N.Y. Joly, J. Nold, W. Chang, P. Hoelzer, A. Nazarkin, G. K. L. Wong, F. Biancalana, P. St. J. Russell

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 106 (20) 203901 (2011) | Journal

We report on the spectral broadening of similar to 1 mu J 30 fs pulses propagating in an Ar-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. In contrast with supercontinuum generation in a solid-core photonic crystal fiber, the absence of Raman and unique pressure-controlled dispersion results in efficient emission of dispersive waves in the deep-UV region. The UV light emerges in the single-lobed fundamental mode and is tunable from 200 to 320 nm by varying the pulse energy and gas pressure. The setup is extremely simple, involving <1 m of a gas-filled photonic crystal fiber, and the UV signal is stable and bright, with experimental IR to deep-UV conversion efficiencies as high as 8 %. The source is of immediate interest in applications demanding high spatial coherence, such as laser lithography or confocal microscopy.

Entangling Different Degrees of Freedom by Quadrature Squeezing Cylindrically Polarized Modes

C. Gabriel, A. Aiello, W. Zhong, T. G. Euser, N. Y. Joly, P. Banzer, M. Foertsch, D. Elser, U. L. Andersen, et al.

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 106 (6) 060502 (2011) | Journal

Quantum systems such as, for example, photons, atoms, or Bose-Einstein condensates, prepared in complex states where entanglement between distinct degrees of freedom is present, may display several intriguing features. In this Letter we introduce the concept of such complex quantum states for intense beams of light by exploiting the properties of cylindrically polarized modes. We show that already in a classical picture the spatial and polarization field variables of these modes cannot be factorized. Theoretically it is proven that by quadrature squeezing cylindrically polarized modes one generates entanglement between these two different degrees of freedom. Experimentally we demonstrate amplitude squeezing of an azimuthally polarized mode by exploiting the nonlinear Kerr effect in a specially tailored photonic crystal fiber. These results display that such novel continuous-variable entangled systems can, in principle, be realized.

Ultrafast nonlinear optics in gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fibers [Invited]

John C. Travers, Wonkeun Chang, Johannes Nold, Nicolas Y. Joly, Philip St. J. Russell

JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS 28 (12) A11-A26 (2011)

We review the use of hollow-core photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) in the field of ultrafast gas-based nonlinear optics, including recent experiments, numerical modeling, and a discussion of future prospects. Concentrating on broadband guiding kagome-style hollow-core PCF, we describe its potential for moving conventional nonlinear fiber optics both into extreme regimes-such as few-cycle pulse compression and efficient deep ultraviolet wavelength generation-and into regimes hitherto inaccessible, such as single-mode guidance in a photoionized plasma and high-harmonic generation in fiber. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

Birefringence and dispersion of cylindrically polarized modes in nanobore photonic crystal fiber

T. G. Euser, M. A. Schmidt, N. Y. Joly, C. Gabriel, C. Marquardt, L. Y. Zang, M. Foertsch, P. Banzer, A. Brenn, et al.

JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS 28 (1) 193-198 (2011) | Journal

We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that a nanoscale hollow channel placed centrally in the solid-glass core of a photonic crystal fiber strongly enhances the cylindrical birefringence (the modal index difference between radially and azimuthally polarized modes). Furthermore, it causes a large split in group velocity and group velocity dispersion. We show analytically that all three parameters can be varied over a wide range by tuning the diameters of the nanobore and the core. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America

Theory of Photoionization-Induced Blueshift of Ultrashort Solitons in Gas-Filled Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fibers

Mohammed F. Saleh, Wonkeun Chang, Philipp Hoelzer, Alexander Nazarkin, John C. Travers, Nicolas Y. Joly, Philip St. J. Russell, Fabio Biancalana

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 107 (20) 203902 (2011) | Journal

We show theoretically that the photoionization process in a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber filled with a Raman-inactive noble gas leads to a constant acceleration of solitons in the time domain with a continuous shift to higher frequencies, limited only by ionization loss. This phenomenon is opposite to the well-known Raman self-frequency redshift of solitons in solid-core glass fibers. We also predict the existence of unconventional long-range nonlocal soliton interactions leading to spectral and temporal soliton clustering. Furthermore, if the core is filled with a Raman-active molecular gas, spectral transformations between redshifted, blueshifted, and stabilized solitons can take place in the same fiber.

Pressure-assisted melt-filling and optical characterization of Au nano-wires in microstructured fibers

H. W. Lee, M. A. Schmidt, R. F. Russell, N. Y. Joly, H. K. Tyagi, P. Uebel, P. St. J. Russell

OPTICS EXPRESS 19 (13) 12180-12189 (2011) | Journal

We report a novel splicing-based pressure-assisted melt-filling technique for creating metallic nanowires in hollow channels in microstructured silica fibers. Wires with diameters as small as 120 nm (typical aspect ration 50:1) could be realized at a filling pressure of 300 bar. As an example we investigate a conventional single-mode step-index fiber with a parallel gold nanowire (wire diameter 510 nm) running next to the core. Optical transmission spectra show dips at wavelengths where guided surface plasmon modes on the nanowire phase match to the glass core mode. By monitoring the side-scattered light at narrow breaks in the nanowire, the loss could be estimated. Values as low as 0.7 dB/mm were measured at resonance, corresponding to those of an ultra-long-range eigenmode of the glass-core/nanowire system. By thermal treatment the hollow channel could be collapsed controllably, permitting creation of a conical gold nanowire, the optical properties of which could be monitored by side-scattering. The reproducibility of the technique and the high optical quality of the wires suggest applications in fields such as nonlinear plasmonics, near-field scanning optical microscope tips, cylindrical polarizers, optical sensing and telecommunications. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

Femtosecond Nonlinear Fiber Optics in the Ionization Regime

P. Hoelzer, W. Chang, J. C. Travers, A. Nazarkin, J. Nold, N. Y. Joly, M. F. Saleh, F. Biancalana, P. St. J. Russell

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 107 (20) 203901 (2011) | Journal

By using a gas-filled kagome-style photonic crystal fiber, nonlinear fiber optics is studied in the regime of optically induced ionization. The fiber offers low anomalous dispersion over a broad bandwidth and low loss. Sequences of blueshifted pulses are emitted when 65 fs, few-microjoule pulses, corresponding to high-order solitons, are launched into the fiber and undergo self-compression. The experimental results are confirmed by numerical simulations which suggest that free-electron densities of similar to 10(17) cm(-3) are achieved at peak intensities of 10(14) W/cm(2) over length scales of several centimeters.

Single-mode hollow-core photonic crystal fiber made from soft glass

X. Jiang, T. G. Euser, A. Abdolvand, F. Babic, F. Tani, N. Y. Joly, J. C. Travers, P. St J. Russell

OPTICS EXPRESS 19 (16) 15438-15444 (2011) | Journal

We demonstrate the first soft-glass hollow core photonic crystal fiber. The fiber is made from a high-index lead-silicate glass (Schott SF6, refractive index 1.82 at 500 nm). Fabricated by the stack-and-draw technique, the fiber incorporates a 7-cell hollow core embedded in a highly uniform 6-layer cladding structure that resembles a kagome-like lattice. Effective single mode guidance of light is observed from 750 to 1050 nm in a large mode area (core diameter similar to 30 mu m) with a low loss of 0.74 dB/m. The underlying guidance mechanism of the fiber is investigated using finite element modeling. The fiber is promising for applications requiring single mode guidance in a large mode area, such as particle guidance, fluid and gas filled devices. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

Scientific career

  • Since 2021: Head of the microstructured optical fibres independent research group at the Max-Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen, Germany
  • Since 2009: Associate professor at the Univ. of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany
  • 2005 – 2008: Maître de conférences at the Univ. of Lille in France

Education background

  • 2012: Habilitation at the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Cachan (France)
    Title: Supercontinuum generation using pulses propagating in photonic crystal fibres, 
    Defended in July. 10th 2012. Thesis adviser: Prof. Dr. Joseph Zyss.
  • 2002-2005: Post-doctoral fellow at the University of Bath (UK) in the group of Prof. Philip Russell
  • 1999-2002: PhD with honors (“Félicitations du jury”) at the laboratory of Physics of Lasers, Atoms, and Molecules (PhLAM) at the University of Lille (France)
    Title: Instabilities in pulsed mode-locked lasers: techniques for observation and control
    Defended on Sept. 23rd 2002. Thesis adviser: Prof. Dr. Serge Bielawski.

Awards & appointments

  • Since 2023: Advisor of the Erlangen Optica Student Chapter
  • Since 2021: Scientific coordinator of the Internation Max Planck School for the Physics of Light (IMPRS-PL)
  • Since 2020: Senior member of Optical Society of America (OSA)
  • Since 2019: Fellow of the Max Planck School of Photonics (MPSP) and member of the selection committee
  • Since 2016: Fellow of the Max Planck Center for Extreme and Quantum Photonics, Ottawa, Canada
  • 1999: MENRT scholarship from the French ministry of Research to perform his doctoral degree at the University of Lille from 1999 to 2002
  • 1998: Awarded a CIME scholarship from AUF (Agence universitaire de la Francophonie) to perform his Master study at Laval University (Québec) in 1998

Professional activities

  • 2024: Member of the Technical Program Committee for the SPIE Photonics Europe in Strasbourg
  • Since 2022: Associate Editor of Opt. Express
  • 2017: General chair of the 1st Sino-German symposium on fiber photonics for light-matter interaction in Shanghai, China
  • 2017 – 2018: Member of the Technical Program Committee for SPIE UV and higher energy photonic
  • 2013 – 2017: Member of Technical Program Committee for CLEO US (OSA)
  • 2015: co-Chair of the 2nd Siegman International School of Laser (OSA)
  • Since 2015: Member of the Technical Program Committee for WSOF (OSA) in Hong-Kong (2015), Limasol in Cypris (2017), Adelaide in Australia (2022), and in Prague in Czech Republic (2025)
  • Since 20214: Member of the Student Commission of the internation Master of Advanced Optics and Technologies (MAOT)
  • 2013: Topical session at PIERS (Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium) in Stockholm
  • 2011: International conference on Nonlinear optics and complexity in photonic crystal fibers and nanostructures in Erice, in Sicily
  • 2011: 14th International SAOT workshop on Fiber laser, sensors and materials at Reicheschwand, Germany
  • Since 2009: External expert for the evaluation of proposals from ANR (National agency of research in France), the Polish Society of Science, DFG (National agency of research in Germany) and ERC (European Research Council)
  • Since 2009: Supervisor of 13 PhD students, 2 post-docs, 14 MSc students

Ongoing projects

  • DFG project JO 1090/8-3 – OrbitFlySens [FAU]
    Orbiting flying particle sensor (with Bernhard Schmauß, FAU) – 2025-2028
  • BayFrance FK-34-2024 [FAU]
    Real-time detection of Terahertz signals using ultrashort lasers
    Mobility allowance – collaboration with University of Lille - 2025
  • BayFrance FK-35-2024 [FAU]
    Exploring chiral fibers for new-type of polarization-resolved endoscopy
    Mobility allowance – collaboration with University of Marseille – 2025
  • DFG project JO 1090/3-2 – Photon Triplets [FAU]
    Generation of photon triplets via three-photon parametric down-conversion (with Maria Chekhova) – 2024-2027
  • QuNet beta [MPL]
    2021-2026
  • Max-Planck-School of Photonics (MPSP) [FAU]
    2019-2025

Finished projects

  • SFB – QuCoLiMa [FAU]
    Levitated ferrimagnetic particles in hollow-core photonic crystal fibres -2021-2025
  • DFG project JO 1090/6-1 -Twin Beams [FAU]
    Fiber source of entangled photons with giant tunable frequency separation (with Maria Chekhova) - 2021-2024
  • DFG project JO 1090/4-1 – Rydbergatoms in photonic crystal fibres [FAU]
    (with Robert Löw, University of Stuttgart) - 2019-2023
  • BayFrance FK-29-2018 [FAU]
    Frequency conversion of single-photon quantum sources using gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fibres
    Mobility allowance – collaboration with LKB, Ens Paris, France - 2018
  • DFG project JO 1090/3-1 – Photon Triplets [FAU]
    Generation of photon triplets via three-photon parametric down-conversion (with Maria Chekhova) – 2017-2020
  • BayFrance FK-38-2013 [FAU]
    Dynamical instabilities in photonic crystal fiber ring cavities synchronously pumped by femtosecond pulses
    Mobility allowance – collaboration with University of Lille, France - 2013-2014
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