Source: Nanowerk.com.

    PhD Student Yannick Chassagneux is the winner of the first Photonics21 Student Innovation Award. Jan Ostoja-Ostaszewski, Member of the EU-Directorate Information Society and Media awarded Chassagneux the prize at the opening ceremony of the World of Photonics Congress in Munich on the 15 th June 2009. Ostaszewski handed him a cheque of 5000 Euros, sponsored by Adva, Laserline, Trumpf and Zeiss, an official certificate and a trophy. Chassagneux also received a complimentary ticket for the following World of Photonics Congress.

    The Frenchman Jannick Chassagneux works as a PhD Student at the Institut d¡¯Electronique Fondamentale (IEF) of the Universit¨¦ Paris Sud in France. His innovative R&D paper in photonics is entitled: ¡°THz quantum cascade lasers with ultimate control of mode pattern and divergence¡±. The award committee appreciated Chassagneux¡¯s work as ¡°outstanding and excellent¡± as his research activity fully met the expectations of the Photonics21 Student Innovation Award.

    During his undergraduate work, Chassagneux worked on a theoretical proposal for a new generation of mid-infrared optoelectronic devices operating in the strong-coupling regime between light and matter. In his PhD period, Chassagneux focused on the physics and technology of THz semiconductors laser sources with an emphasis on the development of innovative solutions based on photonic crystal technology. He carried out original theoretical and experimental work and published 9 articles in high-level, internationally refereed journals and gave several presentations at international conferences. The culmination of Chasagneux¡¯s research activity has been the demonstration of a novel, highly effective photonic technology to control the spectral and spatial output properties of THz semiconductor lasers. The result, published in the journal Nature, will also have an impact on applications.

    The award committee was set up of nine European photonics experts who are members of the 7 Photonics21 work groups. It has been elected for a term of 3 years.

    By the closing date on the 31 st of March 2009, 44 applications were submitted, which can be regarded as a great success. Due to several excellent works, the selection committee evaluated the decision for one winner as very difficult and nominated two runners-up. Andreas Jechow from the University of Potsdam in Germany was placed second. He worked on the topic ¡°Tailored light from external cavity enhanced broad area diode lasers - enabling new applications¡±. James Stone from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom handed in an excellent paper on ¡°Blue-to ultraviolet-enhanced optical supercontinuum sources¡± and was placed third. Both received an official certificate during the award ceremony.

    The Photonics21 Student Innovation Award has been established in order to promote research in photonics especially related to R&D with an industrial impact and to support and raise awareness for young European photonic researchers.

    The next Photonics21 Student Innovation Award will be held in 2010.