Inauguration of NanoPhoton – Center for Nanophotonics
Thursday, November 4, 2021, was the day of the official opening of the Center of Excellence Center for Nanophotonics (NanoPhoton) at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), which has been postponed for almost one and a half years due to Covid-19. The center, which is led by Professor Jesper Mørk, is concentrating its research efforts on light-matter interaction. By strengthening light and semiconductor nanostructures, the center’s researchers will be able to develop new, efficient computer and quantum technology.
The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) provided the setting on Thursday, November 4, 2021, for the official inauguration of the Center of Excellence NanoPhoton. The center’s research is focusing on light, since the right transportation and storage of light may lead to the development of more efficient computer and quantum technology. The day started with Dr. Lars-Ulrik Aaen Andersen, head of department at DTU Fotonik, addressing the audience:
”It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the official opening. It is a special situation as the center has actually been open for almost one and a half years, but we are very happy to have an actual physical opening.”
Afterward, the Danish National Research Foundation’s board chair, Professor Jens Kehlet Nørskov, congratulated the team behind NanoPhoton:
“We look forward to following your work. We are very proud of all the centers; we think the centers are the cornerstones of the Danish funding system. We expect a lot of new things to come out of this and congratulations again.”
The third speaker of the day was the president of DTU, Professor Anders Bjarklev:
”I’m happy to be here today. I have had the pleasure of working with Jesper Mørk, and I’m sure you’re the right man for the job.”
Head of center Jesper Mørk then took the stage to introduce the center and its research:
“Thank you for all the supportive words. We are, of course, very grateful to the DNRF for putting its trust in us with this very large grant, which allows us to pursue our research. And thank you to DTU for hosting this center. NanoPhoton is actually all about localizing and storing light. We have been delayed with this opening due to Covid-19. So we have already been working on our research for one and a half years, which means we already have some progress to show for it, but we are, of course, nowhere near done.”
Professor Mørk then introduced some specific examples of the research developments, which, among other things, is a new type of microlaser, a so-called Fano laser. He then finished his speech:
“Those were just some glimpses. We are very excited about the prospects of this research. We do expect that this will have an impact on fundamental science.”
The inaugural ended with a reception.