Brunswick, Lower Saxony, Germany
Currently a postdoctoral researcher at PTB (Germany), working on the standardized characterization of ion traps using Ytterbium (Yb) ions for applications in atomic clocks and quantum computing. The research focuses on stability and performance benchmarking of ion traps, including industry-developed traps, to provide standardized performance metrics, datasheet-level characterization, and guidance on suitable application domains. Completed a PhD in atomic physics focused on coherent light-matter interactions in rubidium vapor, gaining experience in neutral-atom spectroscopy, quantum optics, laser systems, and experimental optimization. Interested in translating laboratory research into robust, industry-relevant quantum technologies.
Ion Trap Systems: Led the development and benchmarking of microfabricated ion trap systems in collaboration with industrial partners, achieving performance compatible with 10⁻¹⁸ fractional frequency stability. High-Fidelity Detection & Control: Utilized PMT/EMCCD for single-ion detection/imaging, and utilized FPGA-based control (ARTIQ) for nanosecond-level timing of multi-laser pulse sequences. Noise Mitigation & Coherence: Reduced motional heating rates from 40 to 1 phonon/s by diagnosing DC/RF noise and stray magnetic fields, resulting in a 10x improvement in coherence time. Laser Systems & Ground-State Cooling: Operated and optimized frequency-stabilized UV/IR laser systems (SHG and tapered amplifiers) for motional ground-state cooling (microkelvin regime). Benchmarking & Protocols: Developed standardized ion trap benchmarking protocols (heating rate, micromotion, trap lifetime) to ensure reproducibility and quantitative comparison across multiple architectures. UHV & Quantum Operations: Maintained ultra-high vacuum systems (~10⁻¹⁰ mbar) for stable single-ion confinement of > 150 hours, while designing quantum control sequences for state preparation and coherent manipulation.
•Vacuum & UV Optics: Managed titanium vacuum chamber installation and performed precision optical alignment for UV laser systems, including free-space optics and modulators.
• Quantum Spectroscopy & Sensing: Designed and built a quantum spectroscopy platform for alkali vapor cells, enabling demonstrations of quantum sensing, optical switching, and FADOF-based spectral filtering. • Magnetic Field Precision: Developed a quantum sensing platform for vector magnetic field measurements, achieving sensitivity at the few milligauss level (< 1 mG) through coherent population manipulation. • Laser System Optimization: Aligned and optimized Littrow-configuration ECDL systems (780 nm and 795 nm), implementing frequency stabilization via saturation absorption spectroscopy. • Atomic Coherence Engineering: Improved coherence lifetimes by ~50% in room-temperature vapor cells by optimizing buffer gas composition and anti-relaxation coatings. • Noise Mitigation: Achieved ~40% noise reduction and enhanced signal stability using μ-metal magnetic shielding and structured light (Laguerre–Gaussian beams). • Analytical Modeling: Validated magneto-optical effects for FADOF implementation, achieving agreement within 10% of theoretical predictions. • Optical Switching: Demonstrated optically controlled switching with low-power thresholds of 5 μW. • Spectroscopy Techniques: Developed a velocity-selective technique achieving 2x enhancement in spectral linewidth control and resonance contrast. • Mentorship: Supervised master's theses on polarization spectroscopy, EIT resonances, and stray magnetic field compensation.
• Injection Locking & Stability: Built injection locking of diode lasers using an ultrastable reference laser, achieving > 20x improvement in frequency stability and reducing linewidth to < 50 kHz. • Remote Laser Locking: Engineered fiber-length stabilization (> 100 m) and laser locking of an IR laser from a remote laboratory.