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December
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October
Nanoprinting Quantum Emitters for Integrated Nanophotonics
Organic dye molecules play an important role in various areas of science and technology, ranging from pigments and lasers to advanced super-resolution…
Unprecedentedly bright quantum light generates high harmonics
Quantum optics and high harmonic generation (HHG) have historically been extremely prolific research areas with little or no overlap. This is because,…
September
Physics directed towards the medicine of tomorrow: the new Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin was officially opened
The three-day celebrations to mark the opening of the new Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin in Erlangen culminated in a ceremony on September…
The opening ceremony of the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin in pictures
On 20 September 2024, the new Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen was opened in the presence of The Bavarian Minister-President Dr.…
New impetus for medicine: interdisciplinary research center opening ceremony takes place on 20 September
Numerous guests of honor including Dr. Markus Söder (Minister President of Bavaria), Hubert Aiwanger (Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Regional…
Fighting cancer with light – Leonhard Möckl fills professorship in Nanooptical Imaging and researches new cancer therapies
At the medical faculty of the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) a new professorship in Nanooptical Imaging has been established.…
Hanieh Fattahi receives ERC Consolidator Grant to advance ‘Label-free microscopy’ research
Dr. Hanieh Fattahi from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) is delighted to have been awarded the prestigious ERC Consolidator…
1.5 million euros in funding for Mario Krenn's research into artificial intelligence in physics
Researcher Dr. Mario Krenn is developing artificial intelligence (AI) to complement the ingenuity and creativity of human researchers. The researcher…
August
For a new understanding of life: young international scientists present their pioneering visions
At a distinguished science symposium, 14 young international scientists presented their current research at the interface of physics and medicine.
Always worth a visit: Science-enthusiastic school classes enjoy unique insights into the work at MPL
Not a trace of dusty theory and old-fashioned experiments: during their visit to the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL), the tenth…
Research on solar lasers at MPL receives funding from Europe-wide APACE project
Dr. Hanieh Fattahi, independent leader of the research group “Femtosecond Fieldoscopy”, and her team at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of…
MPL Board of Trustees welcomes new members
The Board of Trustees of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light welcomed new members at this year's summer conference: Barbara Hahlweg,…
Two exciting DLS talks in July: MPL welcomes Isabelle Staude, Jena and Tracy Northup, Innsbruck
The Distinguished Lecturer Series (DLS) at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light was recently continued with two renowned guests. Prof.…
July
Strong light-matter coupling with sugar-coated metamaterials
An international team of scientists has developed a method for confining light inside an organic material. The researchers from the joint Max…
Nobel Laureate Meeting 2024
More than 650 young scientists enjoyed an invitation to the 73rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting this year - including five researchers from the Max…
From an idea to an application: Nano Innovation Award for MPL doctoral student Cornelia Holler
The Center for NanoScience (CeNS) at the Ludwigs-Maximilian-Universität in Munich (LMU) has honored Cornelia Holler, PhD student at the Max Planck…
Neural networks made of light
Scientists propose a new way of implementing a neural network with an optical system which could make machine learning more sustainable in the future.…
Physicist Markéta Icha Kubánková awarded Hermann Neuhaus Prize
The Max Planck Society (MPS) has awarded the Hermann Neuhaus Prize to Markéta Icha Kubánková, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute…
June
"What is a physicist doing in biology and medicine?" – Jochen Guck gives the opening speech at the annual meeting of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
On June 27th and 28th, the annual meeting of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation will take place. Professor Jochen Guck, Director at the Max Planck…
A LIQUID CRYSTAL SOURCE OF PHOTON PAIRS
Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), as a source of entangled photons, is of great interest for quantum physics and quantum technology, but…
May
LIGHT – A Multifaceted Phenomenon
Under the title “LIGHT a Multifaceted Phenomenon”, the MPL celebrated this year's International Day of Light with a two-part lecture series.
Guiding Trojan Beams Using Lagrange Points: Professor Mercedeh Khajavikhan gives lecture at MPL
In May, we welcomed Professor Mercedeh Khajavikhan from the University of Southern California. She visited the Max Planck Institute for the Science of…
New insights into the interaction of femtosecond lasers with living tissue
Nonlinear light microscopy has revolutionized our ability to observe and understand complex biological processes. However, light can also damage…
With Benoit Ladoux, the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin wins an additional Humbold-Professor and expands the scope of its research
How cells perceive physical changes in their environment, process this information and react accordingly remains largely unexplored. Since May,…
'Weird' statistics of electrons ejected by intense quantum light
Photon-number distributions of various light sources have been studied extensively. However, little is known about the statistical distribution of…
April
Awaken enthusiasm for the science of light: visitors take a discovery tour through MPL on Girls'Day 2024
On Girls'Day 2024 at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 15 science-loving girls experienced first-hand how scientists research light.…
Tracking the dynamics of biomolecules with optofluidic antennas
In order to better understand fundamental processes in life science at the molecular level, the precise observation of single molecule dynamics is of…
A novel universal light-based technique to control valley polarization in bulk materials
An international team of researchers reports in Nature a new method that achieves valley polarization in centrosymmetric bulk materials in a…
Speeding up spectroscopic analysis
Ultrafast laser spectroscopy allows the ascertainment of dynamics over extremely short time scales, making it a very useful tool in many scientific…
Students experience professional diversity on Girls’Day 2024
To share exciting insights into the working world of a researcher and its passion for scientific and technical career fields in which women are…
Exploring the Physics of Basic Medical Research: Insightful Essay by Professor Vahid Sandoghdar in Physical Review Letters
The 20th century witnessed the emergence of many paradigm-shifting technologies from the physics community, which have revolutionized medical…
Photonic computation with sound waves
Optical neural networks may provide the high-speed and large-capacity solution necessary to tackle challenging computing tasks. However, tapping their…
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light well represented at the 73rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
Five young scientists from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light - Steven Becker, Xuemei Gu, Shada Hofemeier Abu Hattum, Michael Poloczek…
March
New topological metamaterial amplifies sound waves exponentially
An international team of researchers, with the participation of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and in collaboration with partners…
The artwork ›Black Hole Sun‹ at MPL
Focus on light: Vernissage "Black Hole Sun" at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light creates a scientific symbiosis between physics and…
Postdoctoral Fellow Clara Wanjura honored with dissertation prize of the German Physical Society
The German Physical Society awarded Dr. Clara Wanjura with the SAMOP Dissertation Prize 2024. The scientist received the prize for her doctoral…
German Society for Developmental Biology (GfE) awards Daniel Wehner with the Hilde Mangold Science Prize
Daniel Wehner, research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, has been awarded the Young Research Award from the German…
Apply now for a Max Planck Research Group Leader at the interface between physics and medical research
The newly established Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) in Erlangen, Germany welcomes applications for the position of a Research…
DLS Talk by Yiwen Chu – "The quantum world of massive mechanical objects"
The Distinguished Lecturer Series (DLS) at our institute reconvened at the start of the year with high-calibre guests and scientific lectures,…
Quantum technology simply explained: Gerd Leuchs gives the Leopoldina lecture
In front of over 200 science enthusiasts – including the Prime Minister of the State of Saxony-Anhalt and physicist Dr. Reiner Erich Haseloff – Prof.…
February
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation appointed Birgit Stiller as Henriette Herz Scout
Birgit Stiller, independent group leader in quantum optoacoustics at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, studies the interaction…
µkiss-and-tell: A new method for precision delivery of nanoparticles and small molecules to individual cells
The delivery of experimental materials to individual cells with exactness and exclusivity has long been an elusive and much sought-after ability in…
Theoretical physicist Lewis Hill elected as chair of Optica’s technical group for Nonlinear Optics
Dr. Lewis Hill, senior scientist in the Del'Haye Research Group for microphotonics at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light has been…
Flore Kunst named Equal Opportunities Officer at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Flore Kunst, Lise Meitner Research Group Leader, is the new Equal Opportunities Officer at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in…
January
Reflections without mirroring: novel concept for detecting chiral molecules
In contrast to conventional mirrors, light can be reflected on surfaces known as meta surfaces without changing its polarization. This has now been…
Experimental physicist Gerd Leuchs elected president of renowned scientific society Optica
Gerd Leuchs, Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen and Senior Professor at the…
Towards the quantum of sound
A team of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light led by Dr. Birgit Stiller has succeeded in cooling traveling sound waves in…
December
A freezing Advancement
MPL has put its new helium liquefaction system into operation. It enables researchers to recover and reuse liquid helium sustainably and independently…
Allen Ehrlicher praises MPZPM: It could be the new beacon in the field of biophysics research
With Allen Ehrlicher, the Rosalind Franklin Scientist-in-Residence Program (RFSR) of the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) has brought…
Arnold Sommerfeld Prize goes to Leonhard Möckl
The Bavarian Academy of Science (BAdW) awarded the Arnold Sommerfeld Prize 2023 to Dr. Leonhard Möckl, research group leader at MPL. He is being…
FAU Gender Equality Award for the DIPHER22 organizing committee including three female employees of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Three female employees of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL), Shada Abu Hattum, Gesine Murphy and Laura Blázquez Martínez, have…
A Rising Star of Light at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Dr. Danqing Wang has been named a rising star in optics-related research. The award is presented every year by the Nature Group journal Light: Science…
November
German Society for Cell Biology and ZEISS award Carl Zeiss Lecture 2023 to Professor Dr. Jochen Guck
Lecture and award ceremony in a public webinar on 29 November 2023
The German Society of Cell Biology (DGZ) and ZEISS have honoured Professor Dr.…
Another ERC grant for brain research goes to Professor Tomohisa Toda in Erlangen
Tomohisa Toda, Professor of Neural Epigenomics at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) has been awarded another European Research…
On-chip interference of scattering from two individual molecules embedded in plastic
Physicists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have succeeded in coupling two organic molecules embedded in a plastic film via…
Deciphering the secrets of spinal cord regeneration protein by protein
Scientists have long sought to understand how certain animals, such as zebrafish, are able to regrow nerve fibers and regain lost motor function after…
October
Unravelling the secrets of brain folding: UNFOLD research project at Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin receives prestigious ERC Synergy Grant
Physicist and veterinarian Prof. Dr. Kristian Franze, Research Group Leader at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) and Director of…
A Look Back: The Long Night of Science at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Nearly 1,500 visitors wanted to learn everything about the interaction between light and matter during this year's Long Night of Science and were…
Artificial intelligence predicts the future of artificial intelligence research
It has become nearly impossible for human researchers to keep track of the overwhelming abundance of scientific publications in the field of…
Research and Science Under the Dome of Light - The Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light Opens its Doors for the Long Night of Science
The Long Night of Sciences is the largest science festival in the metropolitan region of Erlangen-Nuremberg and the largest of its kind in Germany.…
Federal Patent Court visits the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
As part of a training initiative of the 19th and 4th Senates of the Federal Patent Court in Munich, a five-member delegation visited the Max Planck…
NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS 2023 - Science of light honoured
The highest scientific award in physics - the Nobel Prize in Physics - was this year awarded to Ferenc Krausz, Director of the Max Planck Institute of…
AutoRAPID project enters the home stretch: Successful trial installation of the integrated structure at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen.
The fully automated measurement of the biophysical properties of hundreds of cell samples in just a few days is the goal of the cooperation project…
September
“Frontiers of Neuromorphic Computing” workshop at MPL 2023
The “Frontiers of Neuromorphic Computing” workshop attracted experts from all over the world to Erlangen in September.
Light and sound waves reveal negative pressure
Negative pressure is a rare and challenging-to-detect phenomenon in physics. Using liquid-filled optical fibers and sound waves, researchers at the…
Complex sugar structures on the cell surface to shine light on cancer development and immune system regulation
The glycocalyx, a highly complex structure consisting of sugars, surrounds every cell in the body. The molecular organization of the glycocalyx, its…
Efficient training for artificial intelligence: New physics-based self-learning machines could replace the current artificial neural networks and save energy
Artifical intelligence not only affords impressive performance, but also creates significant demand for energy. The more demanding the tasks for which…
No one and nothing can stop physicist Flore Kunst: A Max Planck researcher in the fast lane
High praise for Flore Kunst. The physicist and researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light has been awarded a coveted spot in the…
August
New Research Funding for Spinal Cord Regeneration
Zebrafish are capable of regenerating their spinal cord. The German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) is now providing 250,000€ to…
QuNET initiative: One step closer to highly secure quantum communication
Quantum key successfully distributed between two points with combination of free-space and fiber links
A dual carriageway for signals
Unidirectional transport of signals in pairs of "one-way streets": An international research team including Clara Wanjura from MPL have published a…
July
Distinguished Lecturer Series: Talk by Prof. Marin Soljačić
We have one more exciting guest for our Distinguished Lecturer Series before the Summer Break. Prof. Marin Soljačić from MIT will talk about certain…
The Board of Trustees of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) met in Erlangen in July
On 7th July 2023 the Board of Trustees of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) met in Erlangen under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr.…
‘Frontiers of Neuromorphic Computing’ workshop at MPL 5-7 September
A three day in-person workshop about the rapidly developing area of neuromorphic hardware concepts for deep learning applications
Sam Edwards thesis prize for Clara Wanjura
Prestigious award for best PhD thesis in theoretical condensed matter physics goes to researcher from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of…
When stretching rainbows reveal terahertz fingerprints
Recording THz frames at 50 000 frames per second with a table-top experimental setup.
June
June 27, 2023: Professor Vahid Sandoghdar awarded EPS-QEOD PRIZE 2023
The 2023 EPS-QEOD Quantum Electronics and Optics Prize for fundamental aspects is awarded to Vahid Sandoghdar, Director of the Nano-Optics Division…
„We can also be festive” – Max Planck Directors in a celebratory mood at the Schlossgarten Fest
This weekend, the scientific world of quantum communication, nano-optics, biological optomechanics and medical physics had to do without the expertise…
MPL at CLEO/Europe - EQEC
MPL was nearly empty from June 26 to June 30, as a large delegation of our researchers was taking part in Europe’s largest conferences on photonics…
New scholarship for Maximilian Eiche
Stipend from the Marianne-Plehn-Program for researcher from the Kayser research group at MPL.
Martin Kräter Receives Poster Award for ME/CFS and Post-Covid Research
Post-infectious diseases such as post-covid or ME/CFS affect millions of people worldwide. Nevertheless, they are still extremely difficult to…
May
Get to know our IMPRS Physics of Light!
Learn more about our great International Max Planck Research School Physics of Light (IMPRS), what it's like working at the Max Planck Institute for…
Where Quantum Particles Are Born: AI Reveals New Insights Beyond Entanglement
Quantum physics, the science of the very small, operates via laws that can often seem strange to our everyday intuition. Research group leader Mario…
Girls'Day: Light on for the Girls at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light!
On 27 April, the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light opened its doors to a group of young students curious to get an impression of the daily…
April
Exploding batteries in sleet
Safety briefings are part of the routine at a research institute like the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL). However, this changes…
Karim Almahayni invited to Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
Karim Almahayni has been chosen as one of 635 young scientists to attend the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. The MPL researcher from the…
March
Successful retreat for MPL infrastructure
The MPL Infrastructure team has returned from a two-day retreat in Kloster Banz, full of motivation and new ideas. During their stay at the…
Incoming President of the Max Planck Society visits MPL
Patrick Cramer has been chosen as the new president of the Max Planck Society starting in June 2023. Before that time, he intends to visit every one…
Little noticed, but of enormous influence: Tissue mechanics affect the growth and metastasis of cancer
The first awardee of the Rosalind Franklin Scientist-in-Residence (RFSR) Program of the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM), Claudia…
February
Humboldt Research Fellowship for Xuemei Gu
Xuemei Gu, a postdoc at MPL has received a prestigious Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for 2 years.
Life as a matter of function – DLS talk by Petra Schwille
The Distinguished Lecturer Series had another high-profile guest in February: MPI of Biochemistry Director Prof. Petra Schwille visited MPL to talk…
MPL Alumni Prof. Daqing Wang receives prestigious ERC grant
Interview with Prof. Daqing Wang, an MPL alumni who is now a Tenure Track Professor at Kassel and just managed to secure a prestigious Starting Grant…
Marta Urbańska, former PhD student of Professor Guck, awarded with Dresden Physics 2022 Doctoral Award
On Jan. 31, 2023, the Physics Faculty of the Technical University (TU) of Dresden awarded two female scientists with the Dresden Physics 2022 Doctoral…
What is physics doing in medicine? - Presentation of the new Max-Planck-Zentrum
Why is it a good idea for physicists to work on medical issues? Prof. Dr. Jochen Guck, Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light…
January
Exploring brain mechanics: FAU Collaborative Research Center (CRC) approved
Within the next four years, the FAU Collaborative Research Center CRC 1540 „Exploring Brain Mechanics“ (EBM) will investigate the origin, as well as…
Interdisciplinary research project "Mechanical properties of innate immune cells: functional relevance and therapeutic implications in colitis" attracts IZKF grant funding
Prof. Jochen Guck, Director of the Department of Biological Optomechanics, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, in interdisciplinary…
A paradigm shift for revolutionizing lab-on-a-chip bioimaging technology
The research project "On-chip tomographic microscopy: a paradigm shift for revolutionizing lab-on-a-chip bioimaging technology" (DISRUPT) is starting…
“The Quantum Way of Doing Computations, Simulations and Measurements”
Professor Rainer Blatt was the first speaker in the year 2023 at the Distinguished Lecturer Series of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of…
Coburg physics students visit MPL
The group came to MPL in January to learn more about the various research fields at the institute.
December
Michael Frosz chosen as primary guest editor of special IEEE issue
Michael Frosz, the head of the Fibre Fabrication & Glass Studio at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, has been asked to serve as…
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light on Mastodon
MPL has joined a new platform that can help communicate our research.
December school visit to MPL
A group from the Christian-Ernst-Gymnasium in Erlangen visited the Max-Planck-Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) in December. The group of 12th…
November
Ultrafast & Twisted Photonics – Francesco Tani new research group leader
Francesco Tani is the head of a new independent research group at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) in Erlangen. He uses…
Mario Krenn invited to workshop at the conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS)
Research group leader Mario Krenn from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) has been invited to be in a panel at the Machine…
Quantum Optics meets Acoustics organized by Birgit Stiller, Wolfgang Löffler and Simon Gröblacher
The Workshop „Quantum Optics meets Acoustics” was held from 14th to 18th of November 2022 at the Lorentz-Center in Leiden, Netherlands, organized by…
MPL Alumni chosen as runner up at Quantum Futur Award
Former PhD student Kirill Spasibko from the research group of Maria Chekhova has been chosen as the runner up at the Quantum Futur Award competition.
October
Nobel Prize in Physics underscores the enormous importance of quantum research
The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded this year to three quantum researchers, Alain Aspect, John Clauser and Anton Zeilinger. According to the Royal…
Cavity Optomechanics meet Topological Phononics
In a theory-experiment collaboration between MPL and Caltech, the first demonstration of topological transport of mechanical vibrations in an…
Creating the laser hammer and winning the Nobel Prize: Donna Strickland visits MPL
Professor Donna Strickland visited the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Light (MPL) on October tenth, 2022, as part of the Distinguished…
Scholarship for Maximilian Eiche
Scholarship from Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes for a team member of the Kayser research group.
Breakthrough in optical information transmission: One-Way Street for optical vortices
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light have managed for the first time to create a unidirectional device that significantly…
September
Claudiu Genes was an organizer at Molecular Polaritonics 2022
After two years of delay due to the pandemic, the second edition of Molecular Polaritonics was held as a “conventional” in-person workshop in…
Learning how machines learn
Scientists from the University of Toronto and Mario Krenn from the MPL have developed a new method for observing how artificial neural networks…
Max Planck School of Photonics Autumn School in Erlangen
The Max Planck School of Photonics (MPSP) kicks off its annual Autumn School Retreat with a visit to the Max Planck Institute for the Science of…
August
Metasurfaces offer new possibilities for quantum research
Tomás Santiago-Cruz and Maria Chekhova from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität…
Diagnosis and therapy of ME/CFS: What can we learn from Long Covid?
Objectively measurable parallels between Long Covid and ME/CFS: Bavarian health minister Klaus Holetschek and chair of the Bavarian health committee…
July
Geometrical freedom in glass: laser-manufactured 3D microstructures for complex photonic components
A research team from the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Light (MPL) has launched the joint project "LAR3S" with the Fraunhofer Institute for…
Max Planck Sabbatical Award for Amir Safavi-Naeini
Amir Safavi-Naeini from Stanford University has won the Max Planck Sabbatical Award, awarding him a research stay at the Max Planck Institute for the…
SAOT Innovation Award for Alexandra Popp
Alexandra Popp from MPL received the SAOT Innovation Award for her research proposal “Arbitrary pulse shaper based on localized light-sound…
June
Paul Roth received dissertation prize from the Max Planck Society
Paul Roth received the Otto Hahn Medal of the Max Planck Society for outstanding scientific achievements in his doctoral thesis. He researched…
Deciphering protein complexes with Angstrom optical resolution
Cryogenic optical localization in three dimensions (COLD) has been shown to be a viable option for deciphering protein complexes at Angstrom-level.…
4th WOMBAT 2022 at MPL
The 4th international Workshop on Optomechanics and Brillouin scattering: Fundamentals, Applications and Technology (WOMBAT) was held from 14th - 17th…
International Year of Glass in Erlangen
On Friday, July 1, 2022, within the framework of the Year of Glass, public events such as lectures and demonstrations will be held in the rooms of the…
Improving quantum communication and computing with PALANTIRI
Birgit Stiller and Silvia Viola-Kusminskiy of MPL are working towards making long-distance quantum communication and wireless communication more…
May
A nearly ideal research building
A working group on sustainable building from the Max Planck Society and the Technical University of Munich visited the building of the Max Planck…
Director Vahid Sandoghdar portrayed in Nature Methods
Director Vahid Sandoghdar is a physicist who explores biology’s unknowns, with greater precision by linking two methods. He has been covered in this…
A look back at the Long Night of Science
As part of the largest science festival in the region, MPL also opened its doors to the general public. More than 1,000 interested people visited the…
Long Night of Science on Saturday
The 10th Long Night of Science will take place on Saturday, 21 May. 130 places will open their doors from 6 pm to midnight. MPL is among them.
Christoph Marquardt has been appointed professor at FAU
Christoph Marquardt, who heads the independent research group for quantum information processing at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light…
A new method for exploring the nano-world
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) in Erlangen present a…
A step forward in modern quantum technology: frequency conversion of single photons at arbitrary wavelengths
Quanta of light - photons - form the basis of quantum key distribution in modern cryptographic networks. Before the huge potential of quantum…
April
Girls`Day 2022 at the Max Planck Institute
What is the daily work of a scientist like? How does one become a physicist? And what does our mechanic actually do? The Max Planck Institute opened…
Laboratory Animal Day - Zebrafish at MPL
The 24th of April is World Day for Laboratory Animals and we would like to take this opportunity to introduce the zebrafish Danio rerio, which makes…
Director Jochen Guck honored by the Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Jochen Guck received the Wilhelm Ostwald Medal of the Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Leipzig, which is usually awarded annually to a…
Twisted photonic technology for measuring the safety and efficacy of drugs
Measuring the chirality – the lack of symmetry upon reflection – of substances is of fundamental importance to pharmacology. Until now, this has been…
March
"My fingers are itching, I would love to start next week." Time capsule embedded at the Max Planck Center for Physics and Medicine
The next step in the construction of a special large-scale project has been taken: after the foundation stone was laid in 2021, employees of the…
Son et lumière in twisted space
Xinglin Zeng, a postdoc in Birgit Stiller's group at our institute, has recently reported the first observation of stimulated Brillouin scattering in…
Light-driven rocket propulsion of microscopic particles in hollow core fibre
Scientists have for the first time accelerated microscopic particles backwards at the speed of sound inside hollow core photonic crystal fibre. A…
New microscopy method provides unexpected insights into the inner workings of cells
By combining three imaging methods, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen and the Center for Molecular and…
February
Bavarian Health Minister promotes innovative project on Long Covid with more than one million euros
During a visit to the Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Minister Klaus Holetschek handed over the funding notification for the project "disCOVer…
International Year of Glass: MPI for the Science of Light is on board
The United Nations has declared 2022 to be the Year of Glass to raise awareness among the general public of the enormous scientific, economic and…
First visit by University of Technology Nuremberg President Prömel at the MPI in Erlangen
The founding President of the University of Technology Nuremberg, Professor Hans Jürgen Prömel, met with the directors of the Max Planck Institute for…
January
Everything you need to know about Cooperative Quantum Phenomena
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts: This ancient insight is all the more valid today at the level of quantum systems. Therefore,…
Promising pair: When darkness and brightness marry
For the first time, scientists were able to create in tiny glass rings – called microresonators – ultrashort dark and bright light pulses that are…
The perfect trap: a new way to control the polarization of light
For quantum communication or optical computing, it is important to measure and to influence in which direction a light wave is oscillating. It is now…
How elegant equations help to understand quantum materials
Flore Kunst likes to manipulate formulas as if to stretch, twist and crumple – but only on paper and with her computer. The leader of a new research…
December
Bavaria boosts building of quantum computers
The Free State invests 300 Million Euro in the newly formed initiative Munich Quantum Valley. One of its goals: The development of a new generation of…
Art project: Erlangen MPL for the Science of Light cooperates with Nuremberg Academy of Fine Arts
In the past, natural sciences have always inspired artists to create extraordinary art. But today, direct exchange with each other is becoming…
Chip manufacturer ASML partners with the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
From lab to fab: the Dutch corporation ASML and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) in Erlangen will over the next three years…
November
Three MPL researchers receive awards
Three scientists from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) in Erlangen - Paul Roth from the Russell emeritus group and Alexander…
Maria Chekhova and Florian Marquardt become Fellow Members of Optica
MPL group leader and MPL director honoured for their contributions to the science of light.
New Seminar Series: IMPRS Monday Show
The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) Physics of Light has successfully launched an event for PhD students at the Erlanger MPI.
Open positions at the IMPRS Physics of Light!
The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) Physics of Light, established at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL),…
Founding Director Gerd Leuchs becomes Vice President of the scientific organisation Optica
The membership of Optica, formerly OSA, the leading organization for the advancement of optics and photonics worldwide, has elected Gerd Leuchs,…
How cells specifically activate genes
It is essential for cells to control precisely which of the many genes of their genetic material they use. This is done in so-called transcription…
October
Corona: Using magnetic tweezers to track down new antiviral drugs against Covid-19
How can SARS-CoV-2 be stopped? David Dulin and his team at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin in Erlangen have investigated how the virus…
September
Federal Ministry of Research funds drug trial against Long COVID in Erlangen
The BMBF is providing 1.2 million Euros for the reCOVer project. This will enable a research team from the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin…
Towards particle accelerators in chip size
Instead of using kilometre-long large-scale research facilities, physicists want to accelerate electrons in micrometre-sized structures in the future…
Emmy Noether Travel Grant for Michelle Küppers
Promotion on the way to a leadership position: physicist will attend the University of Oxford.
Using artificial intelligence to invent new technologies
With his new group at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Mario Krenn wants to use AI algorithms as a source of inspiration in quantum…
August
First MPL partner group in Africa
The Max Planck Society is funding the team of Professor Geoffrey Kihara Rurimo, Director of the National Institute of Optics and Lasers at the…
First quantum-secured video conference between two federal agencies
Initiative QuNET demonstrates highly secure and practical quantum communication
Health Minister Klaus Holetschek looks into Long Covid research at the MPL
The Bavarian Minister of State for Health and Care was impressed by the great potential of real-time deformability cytometry for the diagnosis of…
July
Artificial intelligence to accelerate the design of nanostructures
An artificial neural network helps to predict the band structure and topological properties of a metamaterial nanostructure.
June
New scholarship of MPZPM for outstanding scientists
In memory of the pioneering English chemist Rosalind Franklin, the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin has set up a scientist-in-residence…
How a corona infection changes blood cells in the long run
Using real-time deformability cytometry, researchers at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin in Erlangen were able to show for the first…
Florian Marquardt in the podcast of "Welt der Physik"
The podcast of the German magazine "Welt der Physik" (World of Physics) interviewed the Director of our Theory Division, Florian Marquardt, for an…
Horizon Award for Leonhard Möckl
The British Royal Society of Chemistry has awarded a research team for their work on the protective sugar coat of cells, which included the scientist…
May
Artificial Intelligence to discover simplified descriptions of complex phenomena
Automatically finding collective coordinates of a physical system by analyzing and optimizing their information content
„Ecosystem for Ideas and Creativity”: Laying of the foundation stone for the new Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin
Construction phase of the innovative, interdisciplinary research institute in Erlangen begins. Minister-President and Minister of Economic Affairs…
Three decades of photonic crystal fibres: new ways to control light
Fibres made of special glass and filled with a defined pattern of microscopic hollow channels are helping to better understand the sometimes strange…
Organic molecules unveil a brighter future for quantum technology
Today, it is easily possible to produce customised carbon-based compounds with a wide range of properties. This opens up exciting areas of application…
Efficiently smuggling drugs into cells
A new, patented method called Progressive Mechanoporation makes it possible to mechanically disrupt the membranes of cells for a short time period and…
April
Emmy Noether Group for Jona Kayser
Millions for cancer research: Jona Kayser, junior group leader in the Biological Optomechanics Division at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of…
How does a typical day in the life of a scientist look like? Girls'Day at MPL
For Girls' Day 2021, the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light welcomed twenty girls who wanted to know how a day in the life of a scientist…
Fast and efficient diagnoses through artificial intelligence
The mechanical properties of cells can reveal which diseases a patient is suffering from. Researchers at the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin…
Coveted EU funding for Michael Becker
Michael Becker, postdoc in the nano-optics division of MPL Director Vahid Sandoghdar, was able to convince with his project idea and receives the…
With new technology, researchers can look deep into the interior of cells – in 3-D
Tracking the mystery of cell division: Scientists of the IRI Life Sciences of Humboldt University and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of…
March
Launch of the Forum Erinnerungs- und Zukunftsort Heil- und Pflegeanstalt Erlangen
During National Socialism in Germany, crimes against humanity, especially medical crimes, also occurred in Erlangen. In order to commemorate the…
Dresden Excellence Award for Maik Herbig
The city of Dresden awarded Maik Herbig, former PhD student of MPL Director Jochen Guck, the Dresden Excellence Award 2020 for his doctorate. The…
February
Quantum communication: new efficient source for entangled photons
Innovative quantum technologies for communication, imaging, and metrology depend on photon pairs, two light particles which are connected even over…
Emmy Noether Travel Grant from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light: Learning from role models
Women are still underrepresented in many areas of science - including physics. The new Emmy Noether Travel Grant of the Max Planck Institute for the…
Artificial knee tissue to help in the fight against arthritis
In a project funded by the European Union with almost six million euros, researchers from Europe and Turkey are reproducing tissue from the knee - on…
When Light Beams Talk to Each Other
Light, when locked in a tiny ring called a microresonator, shows amazing behaviour: Two beams, going in opposite directions, become linked and start…
January
New collaborative research centre at the interface of optics and solid-state physics
Even in the quantum world, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Scientists will investigate this collective behaviour of quantum systems in a…
When severed spinal cord grows back together again
After an injury to the spinal cord, patients often remain paralysed because damaged nerve tracts do not regrow due to the formation of scar tissue.…
New mathematical model: How dangerous bacteria form colonies
Disease-causing microbes as well as cancer cells gang together to form larger structures - and only then become dangerous to humans. Scientists at the…
December
Darkness from light
Microresonators are small glass structures in which light can circulate and build up in intensity. Due to material imperfections, some amount of light…
Maria Chekhova appointed FAU professor
Maria Chekhova, head of the independent research group Quantum Radiation, was appointed professor (20%) at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität…
High-brightness source of coherent light spanning from the UV to THz
An international team of scientists reports in Nature Photonics on a novel technique for a high-brightness coherent and few-cycle duration source…
BMBF initiative "QuNET" presents systems for highly secure quantum communication
An initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has been researching new possibilities for tap-proof communication for a…
November
Press conference: Update on research on quantum communication - Project QuNET offers a look inside the laboratories
Quantum communication is a key technology to ensure a safe life in the digital world in the future. Since 2015, quantum communication has therefore…
Teaching Award of FAU for Silvia Viola-Kusminskiy
Every year, the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg awards the Teaching Award for Young Scientists to one person per faculty, in…
Glycocalyx: New research group investigates the sweet husk around cells
From Stanford to Erlangen: A team led by chemist Leonhard Möckl is studying sugar compounds on the surface of cells at the Max Planck Institute for…
October
Partial demolition of the HuPfla starts
With construction companies having finished securing the so-called Mittelrisalit - the protruding central part of the building - demolition work on…
Another five years of German-Canadian cooperation
Funding secured for the Max Planck - University of Ottawa Centre for Extreme and Quantum Photonics - German ambassador guest during the annual meeting
…Symbolic ground-breaking ceremony for the new Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin in Erlangen
First Mayor Florian Janik and representatives of University Hospital, University, and Max Planck Institute emphasise the importance for the research…
September
Max Planck School of Photonics: Application Phase Started
The Max Planck School of Photonics is Germany‘s outstanding graduate program offered by the best German universities and research organisations…
August
Research group leader Birgit Stiller interviewed on Deutschlandfunk
Birgit Stiller appeared on a podcast of the series "Forschung aktuell" broadcasted by Deutschlandfunk. She talked about her research on converting…
July
Jochen Guck appointed FAU professor
Jochen Guck, Director of the Division Biological Optomechanics, was appointed professor at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg…
Congratulations to our apprentices
We are happy that Nadja Kupfahl, Viktoria Kupfer, Simon Nussel and Samuel Rothfischer have successfully completed their apprenticeship at MPL! All…
Michael Becker wins SPS-Award 2020
Congratulations! On July 1, 2020 Michael Becker received the SPS-Award of the Swiss Physical Society for Applied Physics donated by Oerlikon Surface…
June
70th birthday symposium for Gerd Leuchs has been re-scheduled to June 2021
Update: Unfortunately, we had to cancel the symposium completely due to the still ongoing coronavirus restrictions.
The symposium "Light, Lasers and…
May
Light, sound, action: extending the life of sound waves
Information carried by light can be stored into sound waves that travel at a speed a 100 000 times slower than light. For information processing,…
Observing the freely behaving brain in action
A team of scientists led by Jason Kerr, Director at the center of advanced european studies and research (caesar) in Bonn, Germany, has developed a…
April
March
POSTPONED: 70th Birthday Symposium for Gerd Leuchs: Light, Lasers and Quanta
As a result of the current coronavirus emergency, we sadly have no choice but to postpone the 70th birthday symposium "Light, Lasers & Quanta" for our…
CANCELED: Girls'Day
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our Girls'Day programme scheduled for 26 March. Due to the current situation regarding the COVID-19 virus, the Max…
POSTPONED: Opening Symposium for Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin
Unfortunately, we had to postpone the opening event for the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin planned for March 16. Due to the current…
Katja Zieske heads new research group
As of February 2020 Katja Zieske joined the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light to set up her laboratory. Starting in May she will head a…
February
70th Birthday Symposium for Gerd Leuchs: Light, Lasers and Quanta
To celebrate our Director Emeritus Gerd Leuchs' 70th birthday, the Symposium "Light, Lasers and Quanta" will take place at the Max Planck Institute…
Sensitive detection of molecules
To observe molecules, one has to use sensitive tools. Such measurements would be important for determining the concentration of minute particles in…
January
New Microphotonics Research Group
As of January 2020 Pascal Del’Haye heads the new Microphotonics Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light.
New Particle Analysis Technique Paves Way for Better Air Pollution Monitoring
Efficient monitoring of airborne particulate matter (PM), especially particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), is crucial for…
Let's go! Work starts for the new Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin
The first steps to build the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin will start in the following week. Here you can find more informations about the…
Physik und Medizin
Das Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts und seine Kooperationspartner stellen das neue Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin vor.…
December
November
Humboldt Professorship for Management Member of the Max-Planck-Zentrum
Kristian Franze receives five million euros for his research on physical biology. He has been selected by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for a…
Max Planck School of Photonics – Application Portal open NOW
The Max Planck School of Photonics is Germany‘s outstanding graduate program offered by seven of the best German universities and research…
New President for the Erlangen OSA Student Chapter
The OSA Student Chapter in Erlangen has a new president: Dominik Rattenbacher took over the position in November 2019. He is a PhD student at the Max…
Kick-Off in Jena: BMBF initiative QuNET for bug-proof quantum communication
On November 12, 2019 about 30 project participants met at the Fraunhofer IOF in Jena for the launch of QuNET. As part of the BMBF-funded initiative,…
Circularly Polarized Light from Linear Dipoles
Surprisingly, linear electric dipole emitters can also generate circularly polarized light. These findings may drive development of novel…
Max Planck School Matter to Life – Application Portals open NOW
The new Matter to Life Master’s programs at Heidelberg University, Göttingen University, and Technical University of Munich (TUM) offer you an unique…
October
Annual Meeting of the Max Planck-uOttawa Centre
From October 29 – 31, the 2019 annual meeting of the Max Planck-uOttawa Centre for Extreme and Quantum Photonics (MPC) took place in Erlangen. As in…
A Memory Effect at Single-Atom Level
An international research group has observed new quantum properties on an artificial giant atom and has now published its results in the high-ranking…
Long Night of Science at the Max Planck Institute
On Saturday, 19 October 2019, the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) took part in Germany's largest science festival - more than…
Cellular Evolution Group
As of October Jona Kayser heads new Research Group "Cellular Evolution" at the Max Planck Institute for the science of light.
Cellular evolution is…
New Max Planck Research Group Leader
Hanieh Fattahi will head the new Max Planck Research Group "Femtosecond Fieldoscopy" at the Max Planck Institute for the science of light.
September
Swinging Molecules
A theoretical method allows the description of molecules coupled to light - the vibrations of the molecule play the central role.
Gerd Leuchs new OSA Director-at-large
From 2020, Prof Gerd Leuchs and Prof Polina Bayvel will be members of the board of directors of OSA.
Max Planck School of Photonics starts up
The selection and admission process for the first round of applications of the Max Planck Schools has been completed. First students start at the Max…
August
Launch of a New Distinguished Lecturer Series
In November, a new Distinguished Lecturer Series (DLS) begins at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light.
Taming the ultraviolet
When UV light is transported through a special gas-filled hollow glass fibre, undreamt-of possibilities arise
MPL PhD student awarded for best conference poster
Gaetano Frascella, PhD student at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, was awarded for the best poster at this year`s “Quantum“…
July
Kristian Franze Appointed New Director at MPZPM
On August 1, Kristian Franze will become one of the directors of the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) - at the same time he will…
Prof Karimi awarded with MPL Visiting Fellows Title
Prof Florian Marquardt awarded the title of MPL Visiting Fellows to Prof Ebrahim Karimi in recognition of his great scientific achievements!
After…
Guided Tour to the Coolest Place of the Metropolitan Region
Günther Beckstein and Forchheim District Administrator Hermann Ulm visit the Max Planck Institute.
Erlangen, July 08, 2019. The Max Planck Institute…
Wissenschaftlicher Pioniergeist in Erlangen: Forschung am MPZPM hat bereits begonnen – Blutdiagnosen werden schneller und differenzierter
Auch wenn der Bau des Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) erst in vier Jahren abgeschlossen ist, wird schon jetzt interdisziplinär…
June
Otto Hahn Prize Winners Honoured
The Max Planck Society awards highest distinction for junior scientists at its Annual Meeting.
28 early career researchers were awarded the Otto Hahn…
May
Construction work for the Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin starts
The construction work for the new Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZPM) will start: The construction site at the Schwabachanlage in…
Max Planck researchers develop the "ultimate cell sorter"
By combining imaging of deformed cells and artificial intelligence, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and the…
The coronascope on television
Recently, a film team of the Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian broadcasting organisation) visited the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light: The…
Stiller - New Max Planck Research Group
Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for the science of light! We are happy to announce that Birgit Stiller has taken up her position as the head of a…
A pulse for tap-proof quantum communication
In the future, it will be possible to exchange data in a tap-proof manner - with the aid of quantum physics. To achieve this goal, the German…
April
The Coronascope – Scientists at Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin observe an infection with Sars-CoV-2 live
A kind of video surveillance could contribute to getting an insight into the life cycle of the coronavirus: Researchers at Max Planck Institute for…
Following a protein nano-rover on the cell membrane
The human body is composed of billions of cells, each one representing the smallest self-sustaining unit of life. We know that surfaces of our cells…
March
Technology from Erlangen exploring the Atmosphere
Klaus Mantel from MPLs TDSU developed a spatial heterodyne inferometer which is now on a satellite in low Earth orbit.
February
Turning a molecule into a coherent two-level quantum system
Physicists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have succeeded in turning an organic molecule into a nearly ideal quantum system…
International Day of Light
We are celebrating UNESCOs International Day of Light on May 16
January
In Memoriam: Roy Jay Glauber
We note with sadness the passing on December 26, 2018 of Roy Jay Glauber, the founding father of quantum optics and member of the Scientific Advisory…
December
Bavarian Maximiliansorden
Director Prof. Dr. Gerd Leuchs received the Bavarian Maximiliansorden for Science and Art. The award was officially presented on Monday, December 17th…
Let there be light
At the traditional christmas lecture of the Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) on December 13th, everything revolved around visible and invisible…
November
AAAS and MPL Announce 2018 Fellows
Prof. Dr. Gerd Leuchs has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as a AAAS Fellow is an honor…
Peter Hommelhoff becomes MPL Fellow
As of November 2018, Prof. Dr. Peter Hommelhoff, who holds the Chair of Laser Physics at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, will…
October
New MPL Research Group
We are happy to announce that as of October 2018, Kanwarpal Singh started his work at MPL as head of a new Research Group. Kanwarpal, who previously…
Jochen Guck becomes new director at MPL
As of Oktober 2018, Prof. Guck will lead the new MPL-Division "Physics & Medicine".
We would like to warmly welcome our new director Jochen Guck: As…
September
Laser Swords at Max Planck Day
On September 14th MPL, along with all other Max Planck Institutes, opened its doors to the general public. Some 700 visitors from Erlangen and the…
August
Herbert-Walther Award 2018
On March 7 2018, at a ceremony held during the Spring Meeting of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG), Gerd Leuchs received the 2018 Herbert…
Symposium for the Science of Light 2018
A Symposium for the Science of Light took place 23 to 26 July, in celebration of 150 years of optics in Erlangen, 15 years since the formation of the…
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
New Max Planck Research Group
As of January 2018, Silvia Viola Kusminskiy has taken up her position as the head of a new Max Planck Research Group (MPRG). Her group "Theory of…
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