Aurèle Adam develops THz near-field imaging and spectroscopy. Research: (1) apertureless scattering-type near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) at THz frequencies for nanometre spatial resolution imaging of material properties; (2) THz time-domain spectroscopy of quantum materials and condensed matter systems; (3) antenna-coupled detectors and sources for THz near-field imaging. Relevant to quantum material characterisation at the nanoscale.
Aeppli leads the Quantum Technologies Group spanning ETH Zurich, EPFL, and PSI. Research directions: (1) Quantum materials imaging — using SLS synchrotron X-rays (including SwissFEL ultrafast pulses) and neutrons at SINQ to image quantum phase transitions, skyrmions, and correlated phases; non-destructive imaging of device structures; (2) Rare-earth quantum magnets and qubits — LiHoF4 as a model quantum system; Er, Pr, and Nd spin qubits in crystals for quantum information and sensing; (3) Semiconductor quantum devices — silicon and germanium nanostructures probed by synchrotron nanoscale X-ray imaging; (4) Van der Waals materials and CDW memory devices. Strong interface with PSI large-scale facilities as unique quantum sensing tools for materials.
Agarwal is a leading quantum-optics theorist whose recent work (with Yakovlev) established quantum-enhanced stimulated Brillouin scattering spectroscopy and imaging, plus fundamental limits of quantum-enhanced sensing, entanglement-assisted spectroscopy and super-resolution. In the broader landscape of NV-centre ensemble quantum sensing (DEER, nano-NMR, T1 relaxometry) operating near pT/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity, this work supplies the estimation-theory backbone for beating classical sensitivity limits.
Ahmed develops cryogenic TES bolometer arrays and SQUID multiplexing readout for next-generation CMB polarization instruments (CMB-S4 and predecessors), working at the intersection of quantum-limited detector physics and observational cosmology.
Aigrain leads the Stars & Planets group, developing Bayesian data-analysis methods (including Gaussian-process regression) to disentangle stellar activity signals from exoplanet transit and radial-velocity data, with a leading role on the CoRoT, Kepler/K2, TESS, PLATO and Terra Hunting Experiment surveys.
Ajoy's group uses NV and P1 centers in diamond to hyperpolarize nuclear spins via optically pumped dynamic nuclear polarization, dramatically boosting NMR/MRI signal for chemical sensing and nanoscale spectroscopy. This builds directly on the broader lineage of NV-ensemble quantum sensing experiments (DEER, nanoscale NMR, T1 relaxometry) that have reached pT/sqrt(Hz)-class sensitivities, extending it toward practical hyperpolarized-sensing applications; the lab is actively recruiting postdocs.
Akerib is a leader of the LZ (LUX-ZEPLIN) dark matter experiment, a dual-phase liquid-xenon time-projection chamber that uses single-photon and single-electron-sensitive detection to search for weakly interacting massive particles.
Pioneer in nanocrystal science. Sensing-relevant directions: (1) coherent Er spin defects in colloidal nanocrystal hosts as scalable solid-state spin qubit platform (2024 paper with Awschalom); (2) size- and shape-controlled nanocrystal synthesis for mid-IR sensing applications; (3) fundamental scaling laws governing optical properties for sensor design. Founder Nanosys and Quantum Dot Corp.
Allain (PPSM) designs luminescent and mechanofluorochromic molecular materials and lanthanide/organic probes acting as optical stress and environment sensors, including solid-state and time-resolved luminescence readouts. In the broader landscape of NV-centre ensemble quantum sensing (DEER, nano-NMR, T1 relaxometry) operating near pT/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity, this work is complemented by stimuli-responsive molecular luminescent sensors.
Allemand co-pioneered single-molecule magnetic-tweezer manipulation of DNA and RNA, using calibrated magnetic forces/torques to measure the torsional and stretching mechanics of nucleic acids and the real-time kinetics of the motor proteins (helicases, polymerases, topoisomerases) that act on them. His joint lab with Vincent Croquette continues to develop new magnetic-tweezer instrumentation (including high-throughput and torque-sensing variants) applied to DNA replication, repair, and RNA processing machinery.