Marco Stucki wins Berlin University Alliance ideas competition
His quantum research project ‘Sawfish Cavity’ is now being used for a poster campaign in Berlin
Marco Stucki has won the Berlin University Alliance's open knowledge lab competition with a novel process for manufacturing tiny diamond structures for quantum technologies. “Art meets Science” was the motto under which the Berlin University Alliance invited researchers in Berlin to submit their projects. The aim of the competition was to showcase the diversity and potential of Berlin's research – from global health to climate and water to quantum technologies. More than 80 entries impressively demonstrated the creative breadth of this science metropolis.
In the quantum technologies category, Marco Stucki impressed with his “Sawfish Cavities” project. As part of the Joint Lab Diamond Nanophotonics at the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, led by Prof. Dr. Tim Schröder, he has developed a process for manufacturing tiny diamond structures that serve as a source of quantum light. His team is thus laying the foundation for future quantum computers and secure quantum communication networks.
Sawfish Cavity and quantum technologies – a closer look!
The Sawfish Cavity is an optical resonator that traps and amplifies light in diamond-based, wave-like structures. Instead of conventional mirrors, it uses a photonic crystal structure whose regular “serrations” resemble the nose of a sawfish. Two of these crystal rows act like concave mirrors, between which the light is reflected back and forth several times until it is strongly amplified and can be fed into a glass fiber with minimal loss.
“In addition to the research itself, I consider effective science communication to be one of my most important tasks,” explains Stucki. With its memorable name, the “Sawfish Cavity” not only makes complex quantum processes technically powerful, but also illustrative and accessible.
As part of the competition prize, his project will now be visualized artistically: a poster motif for the “Sawfish Cavity” will be displayed in Berlin as part of the “Open Knowledge Lab” campaign organized by the Berlin University Alliance.
Further information:
- Information and an in-depth interview at Berlin University Alliance (in German)
- Quantum research at Ferdinand-Braun-Institut
- Integrated Quantum Photonics Group at HU Berlin
Credit: FBH news, 16 June 2025