Professor Stefan Kuhr
Head Of Department
Physics
Personal statement
Stefan Kuhr is the Head of the Physics Department and a specialist in experimental ultracold-atom physics, quantum optics, and quantum simulation. His research focuses on the trapping and manipulation of single or very few quantum objects. Stefan has made significant contributions to quantum simulation, notably as a co-inventor of the quantum-gas microscope, which has opened many new avenues in quantum information and quantum simulation. At the University of Strathclyde, his team achieved the first quantum-gas microscope with fermionic atoms. Earlier in his career, Stefan worked with Physics Nobel Laureate Serge Haroche to observe quantum jumps of a light field for the first time. During his PhD work in Bonn, Stefan developed a deterministic single-atom source.
Prize And Awards
- ERC Starting Grant
- Recipient
- 2011
- Fellow of the Institute of Physics
- Recipient
- 2011
Publications
- Experimental observation of single- and multi-site matter-wave solitons in an optical accordion lattice
- Cruickshank Robbie, Lorenzi Francesco, La Rooij Arthur, Kerr Ethan, Hilker Timon, Kuhr Stefan, Salasnich Luca, Haller Elmar
- Physical Review Letters (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1103/sh72-wnmv
- Rapid stochastic spatial light modulator calibration and pixel crosstalk optimization
- Schroff P, Haller E, Kuhr S, La Rooij A
- Optics Express Vol 32, pp. 48957-48971 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.539548
- Phonon excitations of Floquet-driven superfluids in a tilted optical lattice
- Cruickshank Robbie, Carli Andrea Di, Mitchell Matthew, Rooij Arthur La, Kuhr Stefan, Creffield Charles E, Haller Elmar
- Physical Review Research Vol 6 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023323
- Commensurate and incommensurate 1D interacting quantum systems
- Di Carli Andrea, Parsonage Christopher, La Rooij Arthur, Koehn Lennart, Ulm Clemens, Duncan Callum, Daley Andrew, Haller Elmar, Kuhr Stefan
- Nature Communications Vol 15 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44610-3
- A comparative study of deconvolution techniques for quantum-gas microscope images
- La Rooij A, Ulm C, Haller E, Kuhr S
- New Journal of Physics Vol 25 (2023)
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aced65
- Accurate holographic light potentials for cold-atom experiments
- Schroff Paul, La Rooij Arthur, Haller Elmar, Kuhr Stefan
- Digital Holography and Three-Dimensional Imaging 2023 (2023)
- https://doi.org/10.1364/DH.2023.HM1D.5
Research Interests
My research focuses on the single-site resolved detection and manipulation of atoms in optical lattices. A significant highlight from 2024 was the publication of our paper in Nature Communications titled "Commensurate and Incommensurate 1D Interacting Quantum Systems" [Nat. Comm. 15, 474 (2024)]. This work presents a well-controlled quantum system with three to six atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice with dynamically programmable light potentials. We demonstrated the ability to dynamically alter the number of available lattice sites, transitioning the system from commensurate to incommensurate filling. Currently, we are investigating other intriguing many-body phases in disordered optical lattices and restricted geometries. Additionally, we have conducted studies on enhancing arbitrary light potentials [Sci. Rep. 13, 3252 (2023)] and optimizing single-atom image analysis [New J. Phys. 25, 083086 (2023)]. My research subjects also include solitons and instabilities in optical lattices [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 234603 (2021); ibid. 125, 183602 (2020); ibid. 123, 123602 (2019)]. Earlier, my team achieved the first realization of a quantum-gas microscope with fermionic atoms [Nature Physics 11, 738 (2015)], which was recognized as one of the 'Highlights of the Year' by the American Physical Society in 2015.
Professional Activities
- QCS-Hub Forum, Oxford
- Speaker
- 20/6/2024
- Conference of the European Group of Atomic Systems (EGAS-55), Granada, Spain
- Invited speaker
- 16/6/2024
- HKUST-Strathclyde Workshop on Quantum Technologies
- Invited speaker
- 29/11/2023
- International Quantum Tensor Network Meeting
- Invited speaker
- 24/1/2023
- Kolloquium Optik und kondensierte Materie, Universtät Bonn, Germany
- Invited speaker
- 7/7/2020
- Workshop: Towards Dipolar Physics with Ultracold Molecules
- Invited speaker
- 20/11/2019
Projects
- DTP 2224 University of Strathclyde | Watson, Benjamin
- Kuhr, Stefan (Principal Investigator) La Rooij, Arthur (Co-investigator) Watson, Benjamin (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 01-Jan-2028
- Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (QC13)
- Kendon, Vivien (Principal Investigator) Kuhr, Stefan (Co-investigator) Pritchard, Jonathan (Co-investigator) Au Yeung, Rhonda (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 30-Jan-2029
- Quantum Advantage in Quantitative Quantum Simulation (Programme Grant)
- Daley, Andrew (Principal Investigator) Kuhr, Stefan (Principal Investigator) Haller, Elmar (Co-investigator) Kuhr, Stefan (Co-investigator) Pritchard, Jonathan (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 30-Jan-2030
- Quantum Advantage in Quantitative Quantum Simulation (Programme Grant)
- Daley, Andrew (Principal Investigator) Kuhr, Stefan (Principal Investigator) Haller, Elmar (Co-investigator) Kuhr, Stefan (Co-investigator) Pritchard, Jonathan (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 30-Jan-2030
- STFC Strathclyde Physics 2023 DTP
- Kuhr, Stefan (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2028
- DTP 2224 University of Strathclyde | Carfora, Lorenzo
- Kuhr, Stefan (Principal Investigator) Kirton, Peter (Co-investigator) Carfora, Lorenzo (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 01-Jan-2027
Contact
Professor
Stefan
Kuhr
Head Of Department
Physics
Email: stefan.kuhr@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3364