Dr. Michael Zwilich

Research Topics

Transverse modes and their superpositions are an elegant way to describe the light distribution of a laser beam. In my PhD I am investigating the conversion of such mode superpositions, that are called transverse mode-locked states. We have developed a technique that converts a beam whose brightness changes overt time into a beam that moves in space. I am fascinated by the fact that such a simple concept, at first glance, creates motion out of thin air.

Publications

Articles

Research Articles (Journals)

Wichmann, Jan, Zwilich, Michael, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2025. “Spatiotemporal wavevector dynamics of transverse mode-locked beams.” Optics Express 33 (7): 15159–15167. doi: 10.1364/OE.551952.
Zwilich, Michael, Wichmann, Jan, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2025. “On the relation between periodically deflected and transverse mode-locked laser beams.” Optics Express 33 (13): 27968–27978. doi: 10.1364/OE.551953.
Zwilich, Michael, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2025. “Combination of differently structured pump beams for selective mode excitation.” Preprint. Optics Express 33 (14): 30149–30161. doi: 10.1364/OE.561035.
Zwilich, Michael, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2024. “Continuous beam scanning by transverse mode-locking in a Pound-Drever-Hall stabilized resonator.” Optics Express 32 (14): 24406–24414. doi: 10.1364/OE.523812.
Keil, Denise, Scharring, Stefan, Klein, Erik, Lorbeer, Raoul-Amadeus, Schumacher, Dennis, Seiz, Frederik, Sharma, Kush Kumar, Zwilich, Michael, Schnörer, Lukas, Roth, Markus, Ben-Larbi, Mohamed Khalil, Wiedemann, Carsten, Riede, Wolfgang, and Dekorsy, Thomas. 2023. “Modification of space debris trajectories through lasers: dependence of thermal and impulse coupling on material and surface properties.” Aerospace 10 (11) 947. doi: 10.3390/aerospace10110947.
Zwilich, Michael, Schepers, Florian, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2023. “Longitudinal to transversal conversion of mode-locked states in an empty optical resonator.” Optics Express 31 (16): 25943–25953. doi: 10.1364/OE.491697.
Zwilich, Michael, and Ewers, Benjamin. 2020. “Coherent beam combining of multipass thin-disk lasers with active phase control.” OSA Continuum 3 (11): 3176–3186. doi: 10.1364/OSAC.404658.
Lorbeer, Raoul-Amadeus, Zwilich, Michael, Zabic, Miroslav, Scharring, Stefan, Eisert, Lukas, Wilken, Jascha, Schumacher, Dennis, Roth, Markus, and Eckel, Hans-Albert. 2018. “Experimental verification of high energy laser-generated impulse for remote laser control of space debris.” Scientific Reports 8 (1). doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26336-1.

Conference Contributions

Research Articles in Edited Proceedings (Conferences)

Zwilich, Michael, Schepers, Florian, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2024. “Rapid spatio-temporal beam oscillation by transverse mode-locking in an empty Pound-Drever-Hall stabilized resonator.” in Proceedings of SPIE Photonics West 12901 - Complex Light and Optical Forces XVIII, edited by David L. Andrews, Enrique J. Galvez and Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop. Bellingham: SPIE. doi: 10.1117/12.2692276.
Zwilich, Michael, Schepers, Florian, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2023. “Conversion of Mode-Locked States within an Empty Optical Resonator.” in 2023 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC), edited by IEEE. München: Wiley-IEEE Press. doi: 10.1109/CLEO/Europe-EQEC57999.2023.10232551.
Zwilich, Michael, Schepers, Florian, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2022. “Conversion of Mode-Locked States within an Optical Cavity.” in EPJ Web of Conferences, edited by Patricia Helfenstein. Hannover: EDP Sciences. doi: 10.1051/epjconf/202226701032.

Abstract in a Digital Collection (Conferences)

Zwilich, Michael, Schepers, Florian, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2022. “Longitudinal to Transversal Conversion of Mode-Locked States in an Empty Optical Cavity.” contribution to the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), San Jose

Research Articles in a Digital Collection

Zwilich, Michael, Schepers, Florian, and Fallnich, Carsten. 2023. “Longitudinal to transversal conversion of mode-locked states in an empty optical resonator.” Preprint. arxiv.org doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2304.05282.