Author: José Adolfo de Azcárraga, RSEF President

https://rsef.es/area-de-miembros/premios-de-la-rsef

The RSEF medal, the highest scientific recognition of the Spanish Royal Physics Society, consisting of a commemorative medal and a cash award of 15000 euros, has been granted to Pablo Jarillo Herrero, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The RSEF medal recognizes Professor Jarillo-Herrero exceptional and ground-breaking work on twisted heterostructures (graphene on hBN and twisted bilayer graphene) and, specifically, his discovery of correlated insulating behavior and unconventional superconductivity in magic angle graphene superlattices. These remarkable discoveries have constituted the beginning of a completely new field: strongly correlated physics in 2D Moiré superlattices.

The European Physical Society [EPS], the Fondazione Alessandro Volta, and Edison S.p.A. are delighted to announce the award of the 2020 EPS Edison Volta Prize to

• Dieter Weiss
• Jurgen Smet
• Klaus Ensslin

"for their seminal contributions to condensed matter nano-science."

Dieter Weiss is recognized for discovering a most spectacular new quantum phenomenon, the “Weiss Oscillations”. Originally, he used standing light waves to generate a sub micrometer periodic electron density modulation in a 2-dimensional electron gas, which leads to new quantum oscillations if the circular motion of electrons in a magnetic field is commensurate with this modulation. Today modern electron beam lithography is able to bring these dimensions down to 10 nanometers, which allowed the realization of artificial crystals and new quantum devices. Dieter Weiss later extended the concept of “Weiss Oscillation” successfully to topological insulators and to 2-dimensional electron systems with magnetic modulation. His expertise in the realization of micro magnets opened the field of controlled spin injection in high mobility 2-dimensional systems so that his group belongs to the top teams in the field of semiconductor spintronics.

Jurgen Smet is recognized for the demonstration – in cooperation with Dieter Weiss - of the so.called Hofstadter butterfly and the correctness of the Composite Fermion concept, a new quasiparticle consisting of a combination of an electron and two flux quanta, as well as for the exploration of the special properties of composite fermions. Jurgen Smet is honoured especially for devising new tools based an ingenious combination of mK temperatures, microwaves, surface acoustic waves, optical excitations, and quantized magnetic fields, which allowed for his ground-breaking investigations on electron spin - nuclear spin interactions and correlations among electron charge and spin degrees of freedom, when these electrons are confined in two dimensions, in semiconductors or in graphene.

Whereas most of the research of Weiss and Smet focuses on 2-dimensional systems, Klaus Ensslin is specialized in the field of quantum dots. Klaus Ensslin receives the prize for his discoveries connected with nonequilibrium phenomena in quantum dots including the emission of microwave radiation from double quantum dots and the time resolved tunnelling dynamics in the occupation of biased quantum dots. The demonstration of strong coupling between a single spin or a single electron with a single photon in a resonator - the building block for long-distant correlation of semiconductor quantum bits and a crucial step towards quantum information processing - was a ground-breaking contribution of Ensslin’s group. Starting originally with quantum dots in GaAs, Ensslin is now a world-leading figure in the realization of single and double quantum dots in single and bilayer graphene.

EPS Edison-Volta Prize

The EPS Edison Volta Prize promotes excellence in research and is given in recognition of outstanding research and achievements in physics. The EPS Edison Volta Prize is given biennially to individuals or groups of up to three people. The laureates receive a medal, which is a faithful reproduction of the “Medaglia Premio dell’ Associazione per l’Incremento del Commercio in Como": a portrait of Alessandro Volta together with the saying: Alexandro Voltae Novocomensi, i.e. (dedicated) to Alessandro Volta from Novum Comum, which was the old name given to the city of Como by Julius Caesar.

The Prize was established in 2011 and was awarded for the first time in 2012 to R. D. Heuer, S. Bertolucci and S. Myers from CERN, Geneva. Other laureates of the prize include and in 2014 to J.-M. Raimond (2014) N. Mandolesi, J.-L. Puget, and J. Tauber (2015), M. J. Orrit (2016), and A. Brillet, K. Danzmann, A. Giazotto, J. Hough (2018)

Background Information

The European Physical Society provides an international forum for physicists and acts as a federation of 42 national physical societies. Founded in 1968, the EPS now has around 4000 individual members, and its Members Societies represent together over 130,000 physicists. More info: https://www.eps.org

The other partners and sponsors of the Prize are Edison S.p.A. (www.edison.it) and the Fondazione Alessandro Volta (http://fondazionealessandrovolta.it/).

The EPS Plasma Physics Division is happy to announce the winners of the EPS PPD PhD Research Award. The Selection Committee had following members : Alexander Andreev, Arutiun Ehiasarian, Enzo Lazzaro and Michel Chatelier.

The Selection Committee proposed 4 candidates for the award:

• Giada Cantono
• Eleanor Tubman
• Francisco Javier Artola Such and
• Michael Faitsch

Candidates and citations

Candidate: Giada Cantono

Nominator: Marco Borghesi

Title of PhD thesis: Relativistic plasmonics for ultra-short radiation sources

Univ./Inst:  Université Paris-Saclay and Università di Pisa

Citation: The thesis of Giada Cantono “Relativistic plasmonics for ultra-short radiation sources” demonstrates the opportunity of resonant surface plasmon (SP) excitation at ultra-high laser intensities by studying how such waves accelerate bunches of relativistic electrons along the target surface and how they enhance the generation of high-order harmonics of the laser frequency. Both these processes have been investigated with numerous experiments and extensive numerical simulations. Adopting a standard configuration from classical plasmonics, SPs are excited on solid, wavelength-scale grating targets. In their presence, both electron and harmonic emissions exhibit remarkable features that support the conception of practical applications. Putting aside some major technical and conceptual issues discouraging the applicability of plasmonic effects in the high-field regime, these results are expected to mark new promises to the exploration of Relativistic Plasmonics.

Candidate: Eleanor Tubman

Nominator: Nigel Woolsey

Title of PhD thesis: Magnetic field generation in laser-plasma interactions

Univ./Inst: University of York

Citation: In the thesis of Eleanor Tubman “Magnetic field generation in laser-plasma interactions” the primary focus is the understanding of the different mechanism of magnetic field production during laser-plasma experiments. The first one is from the by-product of launching asymmetric shocks. The second looks at the reconnection of magnetic fields between two laser focal spots and the third is from fields produced around a current carrying loop target The coupling of the laser energy into the shock wave is calculated to be 2%. It was experimentally demonstrate that when two laser spots are placed in close proximity reconnection occurs. Diagnostics, including proton radiography, X-ray detectors and an optical probe, record and diagnose the existence of a semi-collisional reconnection event. Magnetic fields are produced by driving a current through a loop attached to two plates and new measurements recording the voltages induced are presented in this thesis. Ideas for furthering this research to enhance our understanding in this area are given.

Candidate: Francisco Javier Artola Such

Nominator: Guido Huijsmans

Title of PhD thesis: Free-boundary simulations of MHD plasma instabilities in tokamaks

Univ./Inst: Université Aix-Marseille

Citation: The PhD works of Javier Artola address a central question for magnetic fusion energy, with major potential consequences for the next step device, ITER. In the standard operational regime of ITER, periodic relaxations (ELMs) of the edge plasma pressure may both affect plasma confinement and deteriorate plasma facing materials. Controlling these instabilities in a practical way is thus mandatory.

A major step toward this control is the development of an accurate and comprehensive numerical tool capable of describing the experimental observations and developing the adequate control scenarios for the future. This is the aim of the JOREK-STARWALL code, a free boundary simulation of MHD plasma instabilities coupled to the detailed tokamak structures where induced currents need to be calculated accurately.

The most visible result obtained in the frame of the PhD is the clear demonstration of ELM control by vertical plasma kicks which trigger ELMS. This result is fully explained by 3D simulations. Other important contributions relate to the development of halo currents in the machine structures when the plasma becomes vertically unstable. Javier Artola has made very general predictions for the halo currents development in ITER which will be very useful for minimizing their impact on the tokamak structures.

The prudent approach of Javier Artola of developing analytical codes in parallel to the full 3D simulations should be noted, giving confidence that the code predictions lay inside limits that can be justified.

The contribution of Javier Artola to the development of JORK-STARWALL, the code simulations of experimental results already accomplished and the application to the ITER geometry are outstanding achievements and give confidence that the magnetic fusion community has in hands a highly performing tool capable of assisting ITER operation since the beginning.

Candidate: Michael Faitsch

Nominator: Hartmut Zohm

Title of PhD thesis: Divertor Power Load Studies at ASDEX Upgrade and TCV

Univ./Inst: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, at Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik

Citation: The thesis work of M. Faitsch is well focused on the problem of the effect of magnetic perturbation breaking the axisymmetry of a tokamak on the heat flux pattern on the divertor target looking up to high performance scenarios, in L-Mode conditions as well as H-Mode. Attention is given to changes in steady state heat flux compared to heat flux without a magnetic perturbation present.

The questions specifically addressed by the author are all very meaningful for reactor oriented devices:

• How does the application of a magnetic perturbation change scrape-off layer heat transport?

• How does transport in the divertor region change the heat flux pattern on the divertor target in presence of an external magnetic perturbation?

• What are the differences between L-Mode and inter-ELM heat fluxes in presence of an external magnetic perturbation?

• How are ELM heat loads affected by the application of a magnetic perturbation?

The approach used in this work blends theoretical competence (and rigor) with concrete modeling of realistic situations (for AUG) with interesting technical proposals. The experimental results are new, to my knowledge and this research deserves encouragement to be continued and extended.

The conclusion that applying an external non axisymmetric magnetic perturbation leads to a major change in the divertor heat flux pattern and the inter-ELM and L-mode pattern is extremely important, practically and theoretically.

More information about EPS Plasma Physics Division and the award on the division's website: http://plasma.ciemat.es/eps/

In 2013, the European Physical Society launched the EPS Emmy Noether Distinction to recognise noteworthy women physicists.

Emmy Noether, with her fundamental and revolutionary work in the areas of abstract algebra and on the conservation laws in theoretical physics, is a role model for future generations of physicists. The laureates of the Emmy Noether Distinction are chosen for their capacity to inspire with their scientific merits the next generation of scientists, and especially encourage women to pursue a career in physics.

The previous recipients of the Emmy Noether distinction are:

• Dr. Françoise Remacle, University of Liege, Belgium (2017)
• Dr. Catalina Curceanu, INFN Frascati , Italy (2017)
• Dr. Patricia Bassereau, IC-CNRS Paris,France (2016)
• Dr. Eva Monroy (2016), INAC-CEA Grenoble,France (2016)
• Prof. Sibylle Günter, MPI- IPP Garching, Germany (2015)
• Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland (2015)
• Prof. Anne L’Huillier, Faculty of Engineering, LTH Lund, Sweden (2014)
• Dr. Rumiana Dimova, MPI Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany (2014)
• Prof. Nynke Dekker, TU Delft, Netherlands (2013)
• Dr. Alessandra Gatti, IFN-CNR Como, Italy (2013)

The EPS Emmy Noether Distinction for Women in Physics is awarded twice a year. The selection committee, appointed by the EPS Equal Opportunities Committee, will consider nominations for female scientists working in Europe.

To make a nomination, please, email the following information to the EPS Secretariat:

A cover letter, detailing (in no more than 3 paragraphs) the motivation for awarding the Emmy Noether distinction to the nominee;

• The nominee’s name, institution and email;
• The nominee’s résumé;
• The nominator’s name, institution, and email.

Download the distinction charter and read more about the Emmy Noether Distinction on the EPS website.

WASHINGTON, 30 November 2017- OSA

The Optical Society (OSA) and the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG) today announce that the 2018 Herbert Walther Award will be presented to Gerd Leuchs, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen and University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. The award was given to Leuchs ‘for his pioneering and widespread scientific contributions ranging from ultrasmall focii of light to nonlinear optics, squeezed states of light and their application in metrology and quantum information, as well as for a continuing commitment to the physics community, quantum optics and his students and team members.’

 “Gerd’s many research accomplishments are well known throughout the scientific community,” said Liz Rogan, CEO, The Optical Society. “Dr. Walther was known for his leadership and Gerd has modeled this quality though his effective connections with colleagues and organizations respresenting all aspects of the science eco-system.”

 Professor at the Department of Physics with the University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, and director of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen, Gerd Leuchs stated, “I have dedicated my life’s work to researching nano photonics and quantum optics, optical communication and quantum information. An early influence on my career was Herbert Walther and I would like to thank The Optical Society and DPG for this great honor in Herbert’s name.”

Leuchs’ Division at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light focuses on the three-dimensional vector patterns of optical modes and on their quantized excitation. The work spurred a worldwide increase of research into radially polarized and related light modes that has led to projects on the transverse angular momentum of light, on localization of particles and on non-factorable mode patterns resembling entanglement and including applications. In 1979, Leuchs' observation of photon anti bunching and of squeezed light in second harmonic generation in 1990 and has led to numerous on-going projects on quantum communication. He was elected Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He has also been an Alexander von Humboldt Lecturer in Russia and chair of the ICONO/LAT conference. Leuchs studied Physics at the University of Cologne and received his PhD degree from the University of Munich where Prof. Herbert Walther was his scientific advisor and later a colleague. Leuchs is a member of the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, German Physical Society, European Physical Society, German Society of Applied Optics, The Optical Society, Institute of Physics (London), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has more than 200 publications in scientific journals and is editor of three books.

Established in 2007, the Walther Award is named in honor of Dr. Herbert Walther for the seminal influence of his groundbreaking innovations in quantum optics and atomic physics, and for his wide-ranging contributions to the international scientific community.