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Innovation by creativity and cooperation

The sponsoring association Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen was founded in 1987 in the form of a registered association. It has since then run the institute (IFNANO) as a non-profit making special-purpose enterprise, being institutionally supported by the State of Lower Saxony.

The statutory purpose “Promotion of Optical Technologies” is successfully fulfilled through applied basic research and knowledge transfer between research institutions and industry through research assignments, consultancy, scientific expertise, training and services and is documented by a large number of publications.

The departments

With their research projects and developments in various fields of physics, the IFNANO divisions have gained worldwide acceptance. This acceptance is expressed by a multitude of international co-operations and development orders by research institutions, small businesses and affiliated groups from most important industrial locations of the world. It also generates synergies, moreover, between the University, the institutes of the Max Planck Society and the industry of precision mechanics and optics in the region.

The research activities range from the development of non-contacting laser measurement engineering, the manufacturing of new products and product processing by using lasers, the development of new laser systems to applications in medical technology and the live sciences. Selected research and development results are marketed or distributed by various companies under licence. Further developments made within these companies flow back to IFNANO, thus pushing the research ahead in large steps. This also leads to the development of new fields of action for the researchers.

The IFNANO thus contributes to safeguarding the scientific and industrialposition of Lower Saxony. The scientific commission summarized the successful evaluation as follows:

“With IFNANO, the State of Lower Saxony has an institute of worldwide reputation.”

Administration

The administration team and the technical personnel in optical, electronic and mechanical workshops and the IT sector ensure an efficient infrastructure for innovative and profitable research activities.

The head of the department is Roland Becker, who is also the deputy general manager.

Economic development

As an institute for application-oriented fundamental research in the field of optic technologies, Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen has been an important partner for universities and companies since 1987.

The Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen receives an essential portion of its basic financing in the form of an institutional grant from the German State of Lower Saxony. In addition, as a globally recognised research institute for applied fundamental research in the field of optic technologies, IFNANO has for years generated a consistently high level of third-party funds through research on behalf of industrial customers as well as from projects for the German Federal Government and the German research organisation DFG.

Human resources development

At the end of 2021, the Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen had 58 employees, 43 of them scientists and technicians, which corresponds to 74.1 % of the total number of employees. Most of the scientific staff have an MSc degree in physics. In addition, graduated photonics, chemists specialists, computer scientists and business people work in interdisciplinary research groups at the intitute.

Traning and Qualification

The IFNANO offers students the opportunity to combine their studies with practical scientific work in the IFNANO laboratories and workshops. At the end of 2021, ten students and research assistants were superresed at the IFNANO. In addition, two doctoral thesis was deferened in cooperation with the Georg August Universität Göttingen.

Excellence through cooperation

Our mission is to conduct application-oriented frontier research in the field of optical technologies and to transfer technology from science to industry
with a strong regional focus. We use light as a tool and are experts in nanoscale structuring, analyzing, and imaging with light. In this field, we are one of the world’s leading research facilities.

The Institute for Nanophotonics Göttingen conducts cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in collaboration with regional, national, and international partners from the worlds of industry and research,
and in doing so develops competitive products, solutions, and innovations – for the good of society and to strengthen the economy.

We primarily view ourselves as the first point of contact for small and medium-sized enterprises
for all matters in the field of applied nanophotonics. We work with our customers and partners in a trusting, fast, and highly effective manner.

The regional economy benefits from our activities thanks to the transfer of knowledge and exceptionally well-trained graduates. We initiate and facilitate
dialog and knowledge sharing on all topics related to optical technologies.

We offer an industry-oriented scientific education of the highest caliber. Our success is based on the knowledge and dedication of our employees. Their skills and enthusiasm, a spirit of open communication, and an excellent working environment create the foundation for developing creative solutions
to scientific and technological challenges.

1987 – Foundation of the Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V. (LLG) under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony. Founding Board:

  • Prof. Dr. Fritz Peter Schäfer, Max Planck Institute for biophysical chemistry
  • Dr. Dirk Basting, precision mechanics and optics industry
  • Prof. Dr. Jürgen Troe, Georg August University

1987 – Development of organisational structure and scientific projects by the Institute’s director Priv. Doz. Dr. H. Gerhardt in the premises of Physical Chemistry Institute of the Georg August University in Göttingen

1989 – Extension by renting rooms in the Phywe Systeme GmbH & Co. KG

1990 – Move into the new building of the Laser Laboratorium Göttingen (Im Hassel 21, today Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1)

1992 – New director of the Institute Prof. Dr. G. Marowsky, foundation of a new project group: Non-linear Optics

1993 – Building up of the research activities and of the international relations, extension of co-operation with a large number of scientific institutions, collaborators and industrial partners

2002 – Foundation of LLG GmbH

2003 – Move into additional rooms in the extension building

2004 – Evaluation by the “Wissenschaftliche Kommission Niedersachsen”  (Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony) and restructuring of the working groups in 4 clusters

2005 – Visit by Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Christian Wulff

2007 – LLG‘s 20th anniversary and visit by the German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel

2008 – New Head of the institute Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Viöl, Foundation of a new department: “Laser-Plasma-Hybridtechnologie”

2010 – New Head of the institute apl. Prof.  Dr. Alexander Egner, Foundation of a new department: “Optical Nanoskopie”

2012 – LLG´s 25th anniversary and visit by the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony David McAllister “pdf”

2014 – The LLG congratulates its board member Prof. Dr. Stefan W. Hell on winning the Nobel Prize 2014 “pdf”

2018 – Verleihung des Titels „außerplanmäßiger Professor“ der Georg-August Universität Göttingen an Institutsdirektor Dr. Alexander Egner

2020 – Das Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V. firmiert unter dem neuen Institutsnamen: Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V.

Management

Vice management

apl. Prof. Dr. Alexander Egner

Head of the institute & Divisional manager of the department
Optical Nanoscopy

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-35
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: alexander.egner@ifnano.de

Vice management

Roland Becker

Head of Administration
Administration

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-36
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: roland.becker@ifnano.de

Areas of Competence

Areas of Competence

Dr. Claudia Geisler

Divisional manager of the department
Optical Nanoscopy

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-65
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: claudia.geisler@ifnano.de

Dr. Carola Gregor

MBExC Junior Fellow
Optical Nanoscopy

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-45
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: carola.gregor@ifnano.de

Dr. Peter Simon

Divisional manager of the department
Short Pulses / Nanostructures

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-21
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: peter.simon@ifnano.de

Dr. Jürgen Ihlemann

Contact person for
Nano Structure Technology

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-44
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: juergen.ihlemann@ifnano.de

Dr. Dong Du Mai

Divisional manager of the department
Optics / Short Wavelengths

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-43
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: dong-du.mai@ifnano.de

Dr. Klaus Mann

Contact person for photothermia and
beam characterization

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-41
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: klaus.mann@ifnano.de

Dr. Hainer Wackerbarth

Divisional manager of the department
Photonic Sensor Technology

Institut für Nanophotonik Göttingen e.V. (IFNANO)
Hans-Adolf-Krebs-Weg 1
37077 Göttingen

Tel.: +49(0)551/5035-41
Fax: +49(0)551/5035-99
E-Mail: hainer.wackerbarth@ifnano.de

Ahrens, Anja
Optics / Short Wavelengths
Tel: 0551 5035-55 / E-Mail
Bates, Dr. Mark
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-68 / E-Mail
Becker, Roland
Head of Administration
Tel: 0551 5035-36 / E-Mail
Belosa, Fenja
Central Service
Human Resource
Tel: 0551 5035-36 / E-Mail
Born, Dirk
Central Service
EDV /Operational Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-51 / E-Mail
Brinker, Theresa
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-69 / E-Mail
Ctistis, Dr. Georgios
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-27 / E-Mail
Egner, apl. Prof. Dr. Alexander
Head of Institute / Head of Department
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-35 / E-Mail
Geisler, Dr. Claudia
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-65 / E-Mail
Geweke, Dr. Jan
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-27 / E-Mail
Gregor, Dr. Carola
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-65 / E-Mail
Holburg, Jonathan
Optics / Short Wavelengths
Tel: 0551 5035-42 / E-Mail
Ihlemann, Dr. Jürgen
Short Pulses / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-44 / E-Mail
Jain, Dr. Parul
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-63 / E-Mail
Kasten, Tatjana
Central Service
Assistance Management
Tel: 0551 5035-35 / E-Mail
Klein-Wiele, Jan-Hendrik
Short Pulses / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-29 / E-Mail
Lenth, Dr. Christoph
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-53 / E-Mail
Lübbecke, Maik
Optics / Short Wavelengths
Tel: 0551 5035-49 / E-Mail
Mann, Dr. Klaus
Head of Department
Optics / Short Wavelengths
Tel: 0551 5035-41 / E-Mail
Meinertz, Dr. Jörg
Short Pulses / Nanostructures
Tel.: 0551 5035-47 / E-Mail
Müller, Felix
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel.: 0551 5035-56 / E-Mail
Müller, Fabian
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-52 / E-Mail
Niklas, Christian
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-52 / E-Mail
Nuerbahati, Ayiben
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-45 / E-Mail
Oltmanns, Jens
Short Pulses / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-28 / E-Mail
Reinkensmeier, Lenny
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-63 / E-Mail
Richter, Dr. Lukas Janos
Short Pulses / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-57 / E-Mail
Röben, Andreas
Short Pulses / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-776 / E-Mail
Schäfer, Dr. Bernd
Optics / Short Wavelengths
Tel: 0551 5035-46 / E-Mail
Schellhorn, Meike
Optics / Short Wavelengths
Tel: 0551 5035-43 / E-Mail
Scholz, Stefan
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-52 / E-Mail
Schwabe, Dr. Sven
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-23 / E-Mail
Siegmund, Dr. René
Optical Nanoscopy
Tel: 0551 5035-64 / E-Mail
Simon, Dr. Peter
Head of Department
Short Pulse / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-21 / E-Mail
Sölter, Dr. Lars
Optics / Short Wavelengths
Short Pulse / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-43 / E-Mail
Spata, Andreas
Central Service
Operational Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-22 / E-Mail
Wackerbarth, Dr. Hainer
Head of Department
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel: 0551 5035-58 / E-Mail
Wegener, Stefanie
Central Service
Tel: 0551 5035-39 / E-Mail
Wieduwilt, Florian
Photonic Sensor Technology
Tel. 0551 5035-27 / E-Mail
Wrigge, Hendrik
Short Pulses / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-57 / E-Mail
Zwingmann, Anette
Central Service / Nanostructures
Tel: 0551 5035-31 / E-Mail

Board of Directors

  • Prof. Dr. Jürgen Troe, Chairman
  • Dr. Bernd Stoffregen, Board Member, Treasurer
  • Prof. Dr. Stefan W. Hell, Board Member
  • Prof. Dr. Claus Ropers, Board Member
  • Prof. Dr. Tim Salditt, Board Member

Board of Trustees

  • Prof. Dr. Thomas Klar
  • Dr. Dietmar Gnass
  • Prof. Dr. Philippe Bastiaens
  • Prof. Dr. Andrea Koch
  • Prof. Dr. Sarah Köster
  • Prof. Dr. Peter Loosen
  • Birgit Nolte – a representative of the Ministry
    of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony

Membership

Personal or sponsoring membership is possible.
Sponsoring membership can be acquired by industrial companies by payment of an annual membership fee.

Announcement of the placed orders conform to § 30 UVgO

The announcement of the placed orders conform to § 30 UVgO is to be found on our German site.

Products and services

Optical Nanoscopy
  • Contract research Nanoscopy
Optics / Short Wavelenghts
  • Beam profiler / caustic scan mearurements
  • Hartmann Shack Wavefront sensor
  • Wavefront curvature sensor
  • Photothermal setup
  • EUV-/XUV Pinehole Camera
  • Absorptions measurements
  • Laboratory scale plasma
Short Pulses / Nanostrutures
  • Stretched flexible hollow fiber for pulse compression
  • Phase masks and dielectric masks
  • Feasibility studies for surface nanostructuring
Photonic Sensor Technology
  • Contract research Photonic Sensor Technoloy

Annual Reports

The annual report informs about research priorities, structure and economic development of the IFNANO e.V.

Training/Employment

IFNANO offers training and employment in the area of laser technology pertaining to current themes which can also be found in the canon themes mentioned in “High tech strategy for Germany” sponsored by the Federal Government.

Students and graduates from the Georg August University and from the University of Applied Sciences Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen can work on their Bachelor and Master as well as doctorate theses in the institute.

A list of the completed theses is given at the end of each department section.

Currently open positions

Administration

  • There is currently no vacancy

Scientific Assistant

Postgraduate

  • The Department of Optical Nanoscopy is looking for a doctoral candidate (m/f/d) in Physics in the field of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. The position is available immediately. For more information, please contact Tatjana Kasten at tatjana.kasten@ifnano.de or 0551/5035-35. Further information: Doctoral Candidate

 

  • The Department of Optical Nanoscopy is seeking a doctoral candidate (m/f/d) in Physics to collaborate on the DFG-funded cooperative project “Fast Monochromatic Reflection Nanoscopy Using Absorption Modulation.” The position is available immediately.
    For more information, please contact Fenja Belosa at fenja.belosa@ifnano.de or 0551/5035-36.
    Further information: Job Advertisement: Doctoral Candidate

Master Student

  • Further open positions can be found on our German site.

Bachelor Student

  • There is currently no vacancy

Student Assistant

  • There is currently no vacancy