Student Projects

Light is a powerful probe to learn about our environment. A light source generates a radiation field that interacts with the measured object. Detecting the field after the interaction reveals features of this interaction. Examples are absorption spectroscopy or Raman scattering, which allow us to learn about material properties. A class of optical measurements of particular interest in the Photonics Laboratory are position measurements. Here, the position of an object is typically encoded in the phase of the field that is reflected or scattered in the interaction process. A meaningful question to ask is: “How should the used measurement field be shaped to extract most information about the parameter of interest.” [1]. In this project, you apply the concept of maximum information states of light to optomechanical systems [2]. You will formulate the measurement process as an optimization problem in the language of classical electrodynamics. You should be excited about applying Maxwell’s theory of electromagnetic waves, dipole fields, plane waves, and Gaussian beams and have a solid foundation in this direction. Ideally, you will be able to connect your results to ongoing experiments towards the end of your project. This project requires independence, critical thinking, and good analytical skills. You should be motivated to contribute to a larger collaborative research effort. References: [1] Dorian Bouchet, Stefan Rotter, and Allard P Mosk. Maximum information states for coherent scattering measurements. Nat. Phys., 17(5):564–568, May 2021. [2] Felix Tebbenjohanns, Martin Frimmer, and Lukas Novotny. Optimal position detection of a dipolar scatterer in a focused field. Phys. Rev. A, 100:043821, Oct 2019. Prerequisites: Quantitative and structured approach, good communication skills, independence, solid knowledge in classical electromagnetism, strong work ethic.

Supervisor: Martin Frimmer (mfrimmer@ethz.ch)