Professor Thorsten Ackemann
Physics
Personal statement
I studied physics at the University of Göttingen, Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh) and the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster. There I received my Diplom in physics in 1992, my Dr. rer. nat (PhD) in 1996, and my habilitation in 2002. In 1998 and 1999 I have been working as a postdoc at the Institut Non Lineaire de Nice with a Feodor-Lynen fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation. In May 2005 I joined the Photonics Group of the Department of Physics at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (Scotland, UK) as a lecturer. I am Professor of Nonlinear Photonics since November 2012.
Prize And Awards
- Fellow of the Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Recipient
- 6/2012
- Fellow of the Optical Society (OSA)
- Recipient
- 1/2013
Publications
- Self-organization in cold atoms mediated by diffractive coupling
- Ackemann Thorsten, Labeyrie Guillaume, Baio Giuseppe, Krešić Ivor, Walker Josh G M, Costa Boquete Adrian, Griffin Paul, Firth William J, Kaiser Robin, Oppo Gian-Luca, Robb Gordon RM
- Atoms Vol 9 (2021)
- https://doi.org/10.3390/atoms9030035
- Vector vortex solitons and soliton control in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers
- Ackemann T, Guillet T, Pulham H, Oppo G -L
- Springer Series in Optical Sciences (2022) (2022)
- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97493-0_13
- Generating multiparticle entangled states by self-organization of driven ultracold atoms
- Krešić Ivor, Robb Gordon RM, Oppo Gian-Luca, Ackemann Thorsten
- Physical Review Letters Vol 131 (2023)
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.163602
- Quantum enhanced SU(1,1) matter-wave interferometry in a ring cavity
- Krešić Ivor, Ackemann Thorsten
- Physical Review A Vol 108 (2023)
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.108.043302
- Long-range interactions in a quantum gas mediated by diffracted light
- Robb G R M, Walker J G M, Oppo G-L, Ackemann T
- EMMI Workshop on Long-Range Ultracold Interactions 2022 (2022)
- Multiple self-organized phases and spatial solitons in cold atoms mediated by optical feedback
- Baio Giuseppe, Robb Gordon R M, Yao Alison M, Oppo Gian-Luca, Ackemann Thorsten
- Physical Review Letters Vol 126 (2021)
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.203201
Research Interests
My research interest covers several aspects of ‘Nonlinear Photonics’ with fundamental and applicative aspects in semiconductors and cold atoms.
One main activity is the exploration of self-organization in coupled light-matter systems, in particular the investigation of spontaneous phases and phase transitions in well-controlled cold atom systems with light-mediated coupling simulation of condensed matter phases. This includes self-organized magnetic ordering and atomic crystallization in self-organized optical lattices. We are working towards the realization of supersolids in quantum degenerate gases. Another focus is the investigation of solitons and structured light in vertical-cavity semiconductor lasers (VCSELs), nonlinear laser dynamics and spintronics and in general the understanding of the complex nonlinear processes determining and partially limiting the performance of semiconductor-based photonic devices and lasers and their control and applications. Many activities have strong interdisciplinary connections to self-organization phenomena in nonequilibrium system ubiquitous in Nonlinear and Complexity Science, technology and nature.
Professional Activities
- Photon thermalization in broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers
- Speaker
- 4/7/2023
- ColOpt Winter School: Collective Effects, Structured Light and Quantum Matter
- Organiser
- 4/3/2019
- Complex solitons in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with frequency-selective feedback
- Invited speaker
- 6/6/2019
- Atomic interaction via diffractive light coupling
- Invited speaker
- 15/7/2019
- European Physical Society (External organisation)
- Member
- 7/2015
- European Quantum Electronics Conference, EQEC 2017
- Chair
- 25/6/2017
Projects
- SELF-ORGANIZATION OF COLD MATTER DUE TO OPTO-MECHANICAL COUPLING
- Ackemann, Thorsten (Principal Investigator) Arnold, Aidan (Co-investigator) Robb, Gordon (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2011 - 30-Jan-2015
- Collective effects and optomechanics in ultra-cold matter (ColOpt) (H2020 MCSA ETN)
- Ackemann, Thorsten (Principal Investigator) Griffin, Paul (Co-investigator) Oppo, Gian-Luca (Co-investigator) Robb, Gordon (Co-investigator) Yao, Alison (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2017 - 31-Jan-2020
- Complex laser dynamics: Analysis and control
- Ackemann, Thorsten (Principal Investigator) Oppo, Gian-Luca (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2013 - 31-Jan-2016
- Cooperative effects and nonlinear optics in dense ensembles of cold atoms
- Ackemann, Thorsten (Principal Investigator) Arnold, Aidan (Co-investigator) Firth, William (Co-investigator) Oppo, Gian-Luca (Co-investigator) Robb, Gordon (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2011 - 31-Jan-2014
- High power Terahertz generation enabled by improved heat sinking
- Ackemann, Thorsten (Principal Investigator) Fraser, Helen (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2010 - 31-Jan-2011
- Stanford-Scotland Photonics Innovation Collaboration (Science Bridges)
- Ferguson, Allister (Principal Investigator) Ackemann, Thorsten (Co-investigator) Burns, David (Co-investigator) Dawson, Martin (Co-investigator) McConnell, Gail (Co-investigator) Riis, Erling (Co-investigator)
- The Universities of Strathclyde, St Andrews, Heriot-Watt and Glasgow, together with Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), are collaborating in a project which has won funding worth £1.6 million over three years from the Science Bridges awards, announced by Research Councils UK (RCUK).
The project, SU2P, is designed to capitalise on leading research in the photonics sector, in fields including life sciences and renewable energy, and the commercial opportunities the research offers.
It will also bolster existing links between universities and businesses in Scotland and the US.
The three-year venture between the six institutions focuses on:
■Biophotonics, including stem cell imaging and neuroscience photonics
■Solar cell devices and characterisation
■Integrated photonics
■Solid-state laser engineering and nonlinear optics
■Photonics sensors, including atom and quantum optic sensors and environmental science and technology
The project gives talented young researchers the opportunity to experience working in laboratories in California. It also enables businesses in the US and the UK to share ideas and expertise with academics in both countries. - 01-Jan-2009 - 28-Jan-2013