Dr. Matthias Wapler

Vita

Matthias Wapler received his undergraduate degree in physics in 2004 at Imperial College London, where he was awarded the Governors' Prize for the overall best student. Inspired by student research stays at the University of Cambridge, CERN and the Space Telescope Science Institute, he then moved to the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and the University of Waterloo in Canada to perform his doctoral research in the areas of theoretical particle physics, gravitational physics and quantum gravity, spending also one year at the KITP at the UC Santa Barbara. After receiving his Ph.D. in 2009, he worked at the Center for Quantum Spacetime at Sogang University in Seoul on applications of the mathematical formalism of gravitational physics to low-temperature condensed matter physics, in particular superconductivity and quantum liquids.

In 2011, he decided to apply his research “to reality” and started working "with the hands in the lab" at IMTEK in 2011. Initially, he was working as a postdoc on an MR-compatible miniature microscope based on adaptive optics that can be integrated into an MR scanner to provide concurrent MR and optical microscopy. Driven by his geometric and analytical instincts as a "practial theorist", he also developed new piezo actuation principles and active glass membrane lenses. This research resulted in two patent applications and was recognized with the “Innovation in Optomechatronics Research Award”.

His research activities branched out into other projects with applications in biomedical technology and sensorics as he became responsible for the piezo actuation and adaptive optics activities of the laboratory and for the supervision of graduate students (currently Mikel Gorostiaga, Florian Lemke and Angelina Müller). Still, he continues his active research with a project in the excellence cluster BrainLinks-BrainTools, where he develops the next generation of highly miniaturized MR-compatible adaptive optics. In his fabrication know-how, he is particularly interested in the hybrid processes on the border of MEMS and classical engineering, involving e.g. laser-structuring, milling and molding; and also optical surface characterization is in his responsibility.

Publications

Publications at IMTEK 
Complete publication list (Google Scholar, verified)

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