FAU LMQ People Spotlight: Hanieh Fattahi

In this FAU LMQ People Spotlight, we interviewed our member Hanieh Fattahi, who leads the independent group Femtosecond Fieldoscopy at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light since 2020.

What is your research topic? Why exactly this topic/these topics?

We are pursuing two main goals in my labs: advancing the frontiers of 1. label-free sensing, and 2. sustainable solutions. Regarding sensing, we have developed a novel detection technique called femtosecond fieldoscopy. This technique enables us to access the electric field of light directly in ambient air at near petahertz frequencies. This allows for an unparalleled detection sensitivity and dynamic range, while accessing temporal dynamics of the sample under scrutiny with attosecond resolution and sub-diffraction limited spatial resolution. Currently, we are pushing the boundaries of femtosecond fieldoscopy in the realms of label-free spectroscopy and microscopy of soft matter.

In the realm of sustainable solutions, we are developing a new type of laser gain medium. This innovation facilitates the efficient and low-threshold conversion of solar light into coherent laser light, with potential applications in sustainable energy harvesting and space missions.

How is your research linked to the research foci of the FAU LMQ? Who in the Profile Center do you hope to collaborate with in the future? 

I have already established collaborations with the groups of Claudiu Genes and Flore Kunst and hope to extend it further to explore the potential of femtosecond fieldoscopy in quantum material and quantum light-matter interaction.

When I am not working as a scientist, then …

I enjoy reading books and gardening. I also spend quite some time with my dog “Robi”.

Do you have a secret talent?

I don’t have a special secret talent but I always like to see a conclusion (positive or negative) for the ideas that I am pursuing. That turns into a momentum and energy that drives me forward.

What does a typical day in your working life look like?

Well, I wake up very early, go for a walk with my dog Robi, have a coffee, and drive to MPL. At the institute, normally I spend the time before lunch on developing new concepts, writing manuscripts and proposals and …. The rest of the day is mostly spent on discussions with students and co-workers, in the lab, or administrative tasks.