News

8.5.2013

Researchers around Andreas Wallraff have verified the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect with microwaves. 

ETH Life >>

Nature Physics, 2013, doi:10.1038/nphys2612

PhysOrg: Quantum optics with microwaves >>

7.5.2013

Klaus Ensslin was invited to give a Lunch talk at the ABB Research Center in Baden, Switzerland. He took the opportunity to excite his audience of 90 industry researchers about turning quantum science into technology. 

18.4.2013

Physicists around Andreas Wallraff have developed a method for precisely controlling quantum systems by exploiting a trick that helps cats to land on their feet and motorists to fit their cars into parking spots. In the longer run, the method could lead to the development of more reliable quantum computers.

ETH Life >> (engl) and >> (german)

Nature, 2013, doi: 10.1038/nature12010

2.4.2013

Researchers around Anna Fontcuberta i Morral have built solar cells from individual nanowires, and showed that the nanowires absorbed far more light than expected based on their size. This unusual optical properties of nanowires could lead to cheaper, http://phys.org/news/2013-05-quantum-optics-microwaves.htmlmore efficient solar panels.

Nature Photonics >>

MIT Technology Review >>

8.3.2013

The artcle "Transport in a three-terminal graphene quantum dot in the multi-level regime", published 2012 in New Journal of Physics (NJP) by Arnhild Jacobsen et al. has been selected for inclusion in the exclusive 'Highlights of 2012' collection.

Articles were chosen on the basis of referee endorsement, impact and broad appeal to collectively showcase the quality and diversity of NJP's broad coverage last year.

5.3.2013

Quantenzirkus mit Licht und Atomen (mit Tilman Esslinger).

Deutschlandfunk: Wissenschaft im Brennpunkt >>

26.2.2013

More than 1100 people attended the "leçon d’ouverture du semestre de printemps" by Nicolas Gisin at the University of Geneva on “Quand la science rejoint la science-fiction: De Newton à la teleportation quantique”.

Flyer at >>

Watch the lecture at >>

18.2.2013

Anna Fontcuberta i Morral and Richard Warburton have reported in Nature Materials the discovery of a new quantum-dot-in-nanowire system with remarkable quantum photonics properties.

Nature Materials >>

EPFL News >>

2.2.2013

Tobias Kippenberg is awarded an ERC Advanced Grant. This newly won grant seamlessly followes up the 2007 received Starting Grant. The title of the project is: "Cavity Quantum Optomechanics: Exploring the Quantum regime of Mechanical Oscillators". Congratulations!

January 2013

Researchers around Tobias Kippenberg at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), as well as from the Walther-Meissner-Institute (WMI), the Technische Universität München (TUM) and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ) have introduced a radically different approach to control the propagation of microwave signals by using the electromechanical interaction of a vibrating silicon nitride nanostring. They are thus able to dynamically switch, slow down, and accelerate the propagation of microwave pulses.

Nature Physics >>

EPFL News >>

30.1.2013

Theoretical physicists at the ETH Zurich from the group of Matthias Christandl occcur in the footsteps of Wolfgang Pauli: They could show that an extension of the important Pauli exclusion principle is physically relevant >>

28.1.2013

ETH Zurich is involved in the “Graphene Flagship” project through Klaus Ensslin. ETH Life spoke to him about the advantages of graphene and his personal vision of this very special material. >>

21.1. 2013

Patrick Maletinsky gave a public lecture at the Naturforschende Gesellschaft Schaffhausen on 'Quanten-Technologien zur Erforschung der Nano-Welt'.

>> with coverage in the "Schaffhauser Nachrichten".

16.1.2013

The Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering and  Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at ETH hosted 70 female highschool students interested in math and science. Vanessa Wood's presentation was a great inspiration for the girls and the lab tours co-organized by QSIT PhD students were highly appreciated.

The event was featured by the Tagesanzeiger online >> and radio DRS 1 broadcasted a short interview >>

3.1.2013

Jonathan Home earns the Young Researcher Award 2013 of the Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT). Congratulations!

16.+ 23.12.2012

The blog 2Physics.com cites research by Nicolas Gisin's group >> and Atac Imamoglu's group >>.

16.11.2012

Milestone in quantum communication: Researchers led by Atac Imamoglu, professor of Quantum Photonics, have succeeded for the first time, to observe entanglement between a quantum dot spin and a single photon  in a semiconductor system. This is an important step on the way to a new form of telecommunication, which is based on quantum physics.

Nature 491, 426–430 (15 November 2012) >>

ETH Life 19.1.2012 >>

28.10.2012

Researchers look beyond space and time to cope with quantum theory

Physicists around Nicolas Gisin have proposed an experiment that could force us to make a choice between an extreme and the unknown to describe the behavior of the Universe. 

The proposal comes from an international team of researchers from Switzerland, Belgium, Spain and Singapore, and is published today in Nature Physics. It is based on what the researchers call a ‘hidden influence inequality’. This exposes how quantum predictions challenge our best understanding about the nature of space and time, Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Nature Physics, 8, 867-70, 2012 doi:10.1038/nphys2460

Press release from the University of Geneva >> (french), >> (english translation)

e! Science news >>

23.10.2012

Even quantum fail of the millionnaire's problem

ETH Zurich researchers around Matthias Christandl have shown that in processes such as on-line auctions there is no absolutely secure communication. Not even with the help of the sophisticated means of quantum physics. This leads to the answer to an old question which way their discipline should embark in the future.

H. Buhrman, M. Christandl, C. Schaffner; Complete Insecurity of Quantum Protocols for Classical Two-Party Computation; Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 160501 (2012) >>

ETH Life >>

Tagesanzeiger

29.08.2012

Unerwartete Kühleffekte rücken Quantencomputer näher:

Das Team um Dominik Zumbühl von der Universität Basel hat in Zusammenarbeit mit dem IBM-Forschungslabor in Rüschlikon beobachtet, dass in Nanostrukturen bei sehr tiefen Temperaturen ein bislang etabliertes Naturgesetz verletzt wird. Diese Entdeckung könnte wichtige Konsequenzen für den Bau eines Quantencomputers haben.

Press release Uni Basel >>

Tele Basel News >>

Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 086601 (2012) >>

Rev. Sci. Instr. 83, 083903 (2012) >>

24.8.2012

Nicolas Gisin has written a book on  "L'impensable Hasard, non-localité, téléportation et autres merveilles quantiques". It will appear on September 6th in the Edition Odile Jacob >>

20.8.2012

Christian Degen was awarded an ERC starting grant for his project entitled «NANOMRI - Three-dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Molecular Resolution» The aim of the ERC project is to promote the combination of magnetic resonance imaging and atomic force microscopy. A new microscope that could represent complex biological objects such as single viruses or large protein molecules directly and in three dimensions, would open up entirely new opportunities in medicine and structural biology.

ETH Life >>

20.8.2012

Ultrafast all-optical switching by single photons: Researchers from the group of Atac Imamoglu at ETH Zurich have succeeded in developing a precursor of an optical transistors which can be controlled by a single particle of light.

ETH Life >>, Nature Photonics >>

13.8.2012

Physicists at IBM Research - Zurich and ETH Zurich have made ​​a breakthrough in the investigation of electron spin for future memory and logic applications. In specially designed samples grown by Christian Reichl and Werner Wegscheider at ETH Zurich, Matthias Walser and Gian Salis at IBM were the first to synchronize the dynamics of electron spins and image the formation of a persistent spin helix. These new findings help to selectively control and manipulate electron spins in electronic devices. Spintronics could enable a new class of magnetic-based semiconductor transistors resulting in more energy efficient electronic devices.        
IBM Research - Zurich press release >> (en) and >> (dt)

Nature Physics (2012) doi:10.1038/nphys2383 >>

6.8.2012

Dominik Zumbühl at TeleBasel, News: Kälte-Sensation: Basler Physiker haben einen Kühlschrank entwickelt, der Rekorde bricht. >>

29.7. - 3.8.2012

ICPS 2012 in the media:

16.7.2012 ETH Life: Halbleiter-Forschung trifft sich in Zürich >>

29.7.2012 Sonntagszeitung: In Zürich werden neue, fantastische Resultate gezeigt >>

30.7.2012 ETH Life: Vier Nobelpreisträger eröffnen Halbleiterphysikkonferenz an der ETH >>

8.8.2012 NZZ: Ganz wie sein Antiteilchen  >>

2.5.2012

Daniel Loss, Dominik Zumbühl at Tele Basel report: Das Quantengenie >>

15.3.2012

Cold atoms simulate graphene: Scientists in Tilman Esslinger's group used a set of laser beams to create a honeycomb-like structure similar to that found in graphene. By loading ultracold atoms into this optical lattice, they can simulate electronic properties of this promising material. Such experiments may be used to identify electronic properties of materials which have yet to be discovered.

Nature March 14, 2012

ETH press release: >>; ETH life: in english >>, in German >>; Science daily >>; Wissenschaft aktuell >>; NZZ 21.3.2012 >>; Pro-physik.de >>; St. Galler Tagblatt >>; Swisscom News >>; Physics world >>

7.3.2012

Patrick Maletinsky's start as Professor at the University of Basel was covered in the Sachaffhauser Nachrichten >>

5.3.2012

A team of researchers lead by Nicolas Gisin and Mikael Afzelius at the University of Geneva are developing a new approach to bring quantum networks to reality, and their latest finding has just been published in Nature Photonics.

Communiqué de presse de l'Université de Genève >>; English version >>

Interview avec Nicolas Gisin à la radio TSR Impatience, Mars 8, en français >>

12.2.2012

LICHT AUS FÜR HACKER
Schweizer Forscher verbessern die Verschlüsselung von Geheimdaten
Sonntagszeitung p. 66
online >>

3.2.2012

Radio LoRa, Zuerich: Stefan Wolf diskutiert im Rahmen einer Trilogie zum Theme Freiheit. Im Bereich der Quantentheorie und deren Interpretationen spielt das Konzept der Freiheit eine bedeutende Rolle spielt und spannende Konsequenzen können daraus gezogen werden >>

2.2.2012

Tobias Kippenberg and his group have presented a microscopic system in which light can be converted into a mechanical oscillation and back. 

Mit der Kraft des Lichts: Quantenkontrolle eines mikromechanischen Oszillators: NZZ online 8.2.2012 >>

SNF online in E, in D

Nature 482, 63–67 (02 February 2012) >>

27.1.2012

Christian Schönenberger, University of Basel, was awarded an ERC-Advanced Investor Grant from the European Research Council. Congratulations!

Press release by the University of Basel >>

25.1.2012

Quantenkryptographie «wieder» sicher machen:
Renato Renner and Nicolas Gisin together with their groups search to reassure security in quantum cryptography.
ETH LIfe >>
Nature Communication >>

15.12.2011

Eliminating errors in quantum computing
Quantum computers, should they be realized one day, will inevitably make errors. Therefore, they need special error correcting mechanisms. The most important part of it, a so-called Toffoli gate, has now been realized with superconducting circuits by ETH scientists from Andreas Wallraff's group.

ETH Life in German >> or in English >>

Nature 481, 170–172 (12 January 2012) >>

3.12.2011

La cryptographie quantique passe l'épreuve du temps: Une méthode de codage  extrêmement sûre et exploitée par des chercheurs genevois démontre qu'elle est fiable sur le long terme.

Le Temps >>

23.11.2011

Lecture at the Senioren Universität bei Klaus Ensslin >>

Quantenmechanik und Informationsverarbeitung:
Waren Sie schon einmal gleichzeitig an zwei Orten?

About the Senioren Uni see also: ZürichTV.ch

20.11.2011

Waren Sie schon an zwei Orten gleichzeitig?

Lecture and Lab visits by Klaus Ensslin at 'Treffpunkt Science City' >>

27.10.2011

'Einstein' - the popular science magazine of swiss national television reported on Cryptography and Quantum Cryptography.

Watch the clip (from minute 4.56 onwards).

September 2011

Vanessa Wood: Ein Faible für Hightech-Zwerge
ETH Globe, p. 51 >>

September 2011

Andreas Wallraff: Mit Quantensprüngen zum Erfolg
ETH Globe, p. 54 >>

August 2011

Was ist Quantenphysik:

Céline interviewt Klaus Ensslin >>

Was ist Theoretische Physik:

Cèline interviewt Johann Blatter >>

26.8.2011

Der Bund: Computerspiel soll Mädchen für Naturwissenschaften begeistern.

online version >>

Cooperation with the NCCR QSIT: further press releases around the ETH4Kids video game are found at >>

26.8. - 28.8.2011

NCCR QSIT at the 'Scientifica'
- Wohin führt die Miniaturisierung? >>
- Wer sind die Forschenden der Zukunft? >>

Interview with Klaus Ensslin at Radio 1: Link to the interview >>

12.8.201

Technische Rundschau: Quanteninformationen dauerhaft speichern >>

4.8.2011

«Amazing opportunities» Interview with Vanessa Wood.
ETH Life: in english >>, in german >>

26.7.2011

"Unvorstellbar klein und schnell"

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Sonderbeilage >>

21.7.2011

Quanteninformationen dauerhaft speichern: Atac Imamoglu und Renato Renner gingen anhand von numerischen Modellen und theoretischen Analysen der Frage nach, ob es einen Langzeitspeicher für Quanteninformationen überhaupt geben kann.

ETH Life: in english >>, in german >>; nanowerk >>

Stark C, Pollet L, Imamoglu A & Renner R: Localization of Toric Code Defects Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 030504 (2011) >>

28.6.2011

Auf dem Weg zum Schweizer Supercomputer: Der ETH-Physiker Andreas Wallraff entwickelt Mikrochips, die tausendmal energieeffizienter sind als herkömmliche Computer.

Tagesanzeiger >>

Der Bund >>

23.6.2011

Andreas Wallraff receives the Max Rössler-Preis-2011. He earns the price allocated with 200'000 CHF for his outstanding research at the interface of quantum physics and information technology.
ETH press release >> and >>
Blick am Abend 23.6., page 11 >>
ETH Life, Interwiew with Andreas Wallraff >>
ETH Globe, p. 54 >>

3.6.2011

Susanne Dröscher in 20min: Mädchen, ran an die Technik!
Link >>

1.6.2011

Quantum knowledge cools computers: Whether data is processed or deleted in computers, both consume energy. The energy is released as heat. A study has now shown that the heat forming can be avoided, and, in an extreme case, cold can be created – a glimmer of hope for supercomputer centres.This is confirmed by a study led by ETH Zurich Professor Renato Renner together with Vlatko Vedral of the National University of Singapore and published today in “Nature”.
More in ETH Life >> (english) >> (german);
Nature: 10.1038/nature10123,
Nature-Podcast: Interview with Lidia del Rio: min 14.30
20min >>
Tagesanzeiger >>

May 2011

Each year L'Hebdo, a well-known magazine in Switzerland, chooses the 100 most prominent people in the French part of Switzerland, the “Forum des 100”. In the 2011 edition of the Forum, Nicolas Gisin was selected for his contributions to the physics of entanglement >>

May 2011

Report on the start of the NCCR QSIT
SPG MITTEILUNGEN, COMMUNICATIONS DE LA SSP, 34, page39, 2011 >>

18.5.2011

The D-Phys awards to Clemens Rössler the prize for the most innovative experimental contribution to the Advanced Physics Laboratory 2011 for the "Student Cleanroom Laboratory".

3.5.2011

Tobias Kippenberg, EPF Lausanne, receives the EFTF Young Scientist Award >>

March 2011

The Swiss Physical Society reports on the start of the NCCR QSIT >>

3.3.2011

Ideen für neue Sensoren

CHemie plus 3, 59, 2011 >>

March 2011

Quanten sind nicht alles
ETH GLOBE Vol. 1, p. 42, 2011 >>

21.2.2011

'Forschungsdurchbruch bei Photonen im Mikrowellenfrequenzbereich'

ETH Life >>

3.2.2011

Interview with Klaus Ensslin: 'Die Zukunftsmusik der Quantenforschung' in ETH LIfe >>

English version:'The vision of the future in quantum research' in ETH Life >>

also published at Nanowerk >> and Institute of Nanotechnology >>

16.1.0211

'Le monde où la matière change de lois'
Interview avec KLaus Ensslin à swissinfo.ch >>

14.1.2011

Patrick Maletinsky receives the Prix Schläfli at the first General Meeting of the NCCR QSIT in Arosa.

More at ETH life and the Swiss Academy of Science

4.1.2011

«Das ist völlig absurd» Interview with Richard Warburton.
Baslerstab >> or >>

20.12.2010

The validation of cold atoms as quantum simulators, in which the group of Matthias Troyer participated, and the measurement of the phase diagram of the Dicke Quantum Phase transition by the group of Tilman Esslinger were listed by the Magazine SCIENCE under " Science Breakthroughs of the Year".

More at SCIENCE

20.12.2010

Medienmitteilung der Universität Basel:

Ko-Leitung im «NFS Quantenwissenschaft und -technologie» >>

8.12.2010

Klaus Ensslin and Giorgio Broggi are awarded the 'golden tricycle', the prize for family-friendly supervisors at ETH.

More at ETH Life and ETH Life print

29.11.2010

This year's Ruzicka price goes to Prof. S. Willitsch from the Departement of Chemistry at the University of Basel.

More at ETH Life

20.11.2010

Für ihre grundlegenden Beiträge zur Quanteninformatik wurden die «Erfinder» der Quantenkryptographie, Charles H. Bennett und Gilles Brassard, zu Ehrendoktoren der ETH Zürich ernannt.

More at ETH Life