Electron-beam written optical circuits on a 4-inch silicon wafer.

Micro- and Nanooptical Hybrid Systems

Prof. Dr. Uwe ZEITNER
Electron-beam written optical circuits on a 4-inch silicon wafer.
Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)

Prof. Uwe Zeitner

Image: Hochschule München

Prof. Uwe ZEITNER

Email: uwe-detlef.zeitner@uni-jena.de
Phone: +49 3641 9-47830

Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung Logo

Picture: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung.

In 2025, Prof. Uwe Zeitner was appointed to the Carl Zeiss Stiftung-endowed Professorship for Micro- and Nanooptical Hybrid Systems, in a joint appointment with the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering, Jena.

The main goal of the Zeitner research group is to create a scientific and technological foundation that will enable the development of new photonic applications by advancing flexible fabrication approaches of optical micro- and nanostructures. The knowledge gained is used for the consistent development of innovative technological methods for the precise realization of very small optical structures on application-relevant areas. Furthermore, those techniques can be transferred with reasonable investments to the existing infrastructure of the optical industry.

Research Areas

Prof. Zeitner’s research is focused on novel fabrication technologies for optical micro- and nano-structures with a strong emphasis on the exploitation of their application potential. Research fields include:

  • High-resolution lithographic fabrication technologies
  • Effective-refractive index structures and meta materials
  • Plasmonic resonant nano-structures
  • Nano-structures for quantum devices
  • Gratings for high-end applications
  • High-precision computer-generated-holograms (CGHs)
  • 3D structuring of crystals by ion-beam implantation and etching

Teaching Fields

Prof. Zeitner gives lectures in:

  • Micro- and nano-structure technology for optics
  • Optical modeling and design
  • Electrodynamics and Optics

Research Methods

The laboratories led by Prof. Zeitner offer a wide range of methods for the fabrication and characterization of optical micro- and nanostructures. Methods and facilities include:

  • Electron beam lithography on large areas
  • Optical and grayscale lithography
  • Various reactive ion etching (RIE) facilities
  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused ion beam (FIB)
  • Tactile and optical profilometry
  • Optical characterization lab

Link to the Zeitner group at the Institute of Applied Physics