The institute currently is organized in four divisions, each led by a director with equal rights. The institute researchers are supported by several scientifically active technology development and service units. It is also the home of several Max Planck Research Groups that are organizationally independent of the divisions. The MPL hosts an
International Max Planck Research School Physics of Light Through the appointment of the directors and affiliated professors as university professors, through several affiliated groups and participation in graduate schools, a collaboration between the MPL and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg is maintained.
Division Russell - "Photonic Crystal Fibres" The division "Photonics and New Materials" is led by
Prof. Philip St. J. Russell. The winner of the prestigious
Körber European Science Prize was awarded the
Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach chair with his move from the
University of Bath to Erlangen. The division investigates new optical materials, especially
photonic crystal fibers. [https://mpl.mpg.de/research-at-mpl/russell-emeritus-group
Division Marquardt - "Theory" The theory division is headed by
Florian Marquardt. The research of the division is mainly concerned with
light–matter interaction, the topics covered include
cavity optomechanics and interaction of electromagnetic radiation with qubits, as well as many-body physics.
Division Sandoghdar - "Nanooptics" In 2010 Prof.
Vahid Sandoghdar was appointed the third director of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light. Sandoghdar, previously working at
ETH Zurich, was awarded the prestigious
Alexander von Humboldt Professorships at the
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. His fields of interest comprise
nanooptics,
biophotonics and
plasmonics.
Division Guck - "Biological Optomechanics" On Oktober 1st, 2018
Jochen Guck was named Director of the new Division "Biological Optomechanics". His team will do basic research in the field of biophysics and in the interface between physics and medicine. In the coming years Guck will move to the Max Planck Zentrum für Physik und Medizin (MPZ-PM), which is being built in a cooperation with the
Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuernberg and the University Hospital Erlangen.
Independent Research Groups •
Leuchs Emeritus Group: Optics and Information •
Chekhova Research Group: Quantum and Photonic Crystal Fibres • Joly Research Group: Microstructured optical fiber • Genes Research Group: Light-matter interfaces • Viola-Kusminskiy Research Group: Theory of hybrid systems for quantum technologies • Singh Research Group: Microendoscopy • Christoph Marquardt Research Group: Quantum Information Processing • Stiller Research Group: Quantum Opto-Acoustics • Fattahi Research Group: Femtosecond Molecular Fieldsocopy •
Del'Haye Research Group: Microphotonics • Zieske Research Group •
Technology Development and Service Units • TDSU 1: Micro- and nanostructuring • TDSU 2: Optical technologies • TDSU 3: Fiber fabrication and glass studio • TDSU 4: Lab-on-a-chip Systems
Former Research Groups • Junior research group "integrated quantum optics", led by Christine Silberhorn, • Research group "Nonlinear photonic nanostructure", led by Fabio Biancalana, • Research group "Optical quantum information theory", led by Peter van Loock, • Max Planck fellow group "Laser Physics and Photonics" led by Prof. Dr. Lijun Wang with a focus on optical high precision measurements.
Max Planck – University of Ottawa Centre for Extreme and Quantum Photonics Max Planck - University of Ottawa Centre for Extreme and Quantum Photonics" offers a platform for close cooperation and scientific exchange between
uOttawa and the
Max Planck Society. Since 2012,
uOttawa and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light have maintained intensive research collaboration through student and staff exchanges, international workshops and joint research projects. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of very high-intensity laser sources, the development of optical methods relevant to quantum information science, and the manufacture of components for classical and quantum photonics. == History ==