International Recognition for Scientific Achievement

The “Soft X-ray Spectroscopy and Microscopy“ research group leader has been designated as an Optica (formerly OSA) Senior Member. Optica is an international organization for promotion of optics and photonics with a mission to unite and educate scientists, engineers, educators, and other professionals globally.

This award is given to members, with more than ten years of significant professional experience, for their outstanding professional achievements and for their engagement with Optica and the optics and photonics community. The selection is made by the Optica Board of Directors after being nominated for this honor by two Optica members.

Dr. Jan Rothhardt completed his doctorate under Prof. Andreas Tünnermann at the IAP. After a PostDoc in the field of Attosecond Science at CEA Paris-Saclay, he returned to Jena. Since 2014 he is a group leader at the Helmholtz Institute Jena and the Institute of Applied Physics. His research focuses on the development and application of XUV and soft-ray sources with high photon flux. Such sources are made possible by generating high harmonics with femtosecond fiber lasers of high average power. The group investigates matter on the smallest spatial and temporal scales using modern laser-based XUV and soft X-ray sources.

Dr. Rothhardt is a very active member of Optica since 2012. He is regularly visiting Optics conferences, reviewing for a number of Optica journals and has been a program committee member of CLEO Europe from 2014-2018. Since several years he additionally active in the Optica Traveling Lecturer Program.

Until now, he has published more than 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including a number of invited review articles. In addition, he handed in 5 patent applications and contributed a book chapter. In total, he has given 14 invited talks at international conference and 15 invited seminar talks at 8 different research institutions worldwide.

A number of awards has recently recognized his research. In 2020, he received the prestigious “Röntgenpreis” – awarded for “Outstanding contributions in the field of laser technology, in particular for the development and application of laser sources of extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray radiation” by Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen.

In November 2023, together with Prof. Limpert, Prof. Pertsch and Prof. Hillman, he received the research prize for "Excellent Interdisciplinary Cooperation" from Beutenberg e.V. for a pioneering new microscopy method in the extreme ultraviolet. This enables novel insights into the nanoworld of microorganisms.