Prof. Dr. Birgit Stiller

I am an experimental physicist and my research background is in nonlinear optics, quantum communications, integrated photonics and fiber optics. The special focus of the Stiller AG is on light-sound interactions and our main topics evolve around quantum signal processing and optical computing.

The physics of optical waves interacting with acoustic or mechanic vibrations is fascinating because it links two very different domains in terms of frequency, velocity, dissipation and other properties. We explore the interaction experimentally at the classical and quantum level with suitably engineered microstructured fibres and nanowaveguides to manipulate, in this way, light states. Finally, we aim at using the interaction of optical and mechanical waves for applications in quantum technologies and optical neural networks.

Our current research projects focus on the following topics:

• Quantum optoacoustic interactions
• Photonic-phononic storage
• Optoacoustic signal processing for optical neural networks
• Twist and sound: interaction of structured light and structured sound
• Thermodynamics and acoustics
• Magnon-phonon-photon interactions