Professor Henning Schomerus FInstP, SFHEA
ProfessorResearch Overview
My research aims to uncover quantum phenomena occuring for electrons and photons in small quantum systems, in particular involving topology, disorder and interactions, and dissipation.
This includes the study of topological phtonic systems such as lasers, topological insulators and superconductors, and quantum many-body systems.
PhD Supervisions Completed
Jake Arkinstall (2018)
Simon Malzard (2014-2018)
Macro Marciani (2017, Leiden, with CWJ Beenakker)
Diana Gradinar (2013, with VI Falko),
Christopher Birchall (2013) Statistical signatures of mesoscopic internal freedoms and PT-symmetry in microresonators
Marten Kopp (2011) Transport and escape in quantum dynamical systems
Research Interests
Quantum transport including graphene.— Nanostructures with normal, superconducting or ferromagnetic components possess a wide range of properties governed by quantum mechanics. Quantum transport is the field which explores and exploits these properties via conductance phenomena. In recent years, this field has received an enormous boost through the realization of graphene and related materials, including topological insulators. My research in this area focusses on the role of multiple scattering by disorder and interfaces. For graphene, I have made seminal contributions on chemical disorder, coupling to metallic contacts and quantum pumping (transport induced via parametric variations). Ongoing work addresses the effects of strain, the role of disorder in the quantum Hall effect of bilayer graphene, quantum pumping in topological insulators, and the question whether a recent groundbreaking experiment indeed provides unambiguous signatures of Majorana fermions. This research combines methods from scattering theory, random-matrix theory, semiclassics and phenomenology with exact numerics (e.g., based on the recursive Green function technique). Earlier work concerned the superconducting proximity effect, Anderson localization, and shot noise.
Quantum optics, microlasers and photonics.—Small-scale optical systems display intricate quantum effects which when controlled precisely open up applications in quantum information and precision sensing. In larger scale photonic systems, classical wave propagation can be manipulated to produce phenomena such as negative refraction, while microcavities and photonic crystals allow the tailoring of modes and dispersions for a wide range of practical applications. My research focusses on the interplay of amplification and absorption with multiple scattering, mostly applied to microcavity lasers where this interplay determines the mode formation, mode selection and quantum noise. The activities started with research on dynamics in disordered waveguides and then expanded into the quantum-optical treatment of mesoscopic and nonclassical light emitters and dielectric microlasers, as well as the semiclassical characterization of the modes in such systems. Current activities focus on photonic hybrid arrangements, especially those that combine amplification and absorption. I currently also explore the concept of topologically protected states (Landau levels and midgap states) in the photonic setting. Activities on polariton physics in collaboration with experimentalists in Sheffield aim at the electronics/optics interface in a setting where complex nonequilibrium electronic dynamics become important. Part of this work is integrated into the DFG Forschergruppe 760 (Scattering Systems with Complex Dynamics), where I am an external fellow.
Quantum dynamical systems, including atomic systems.— Quantum dynamics illuminates quantum effects in the time domain. This is particularly relevant for driven systems, but also can provide a useful perspective on stationary states. In this community, I am well known for my work on the fractalWeyl law (characterizing resonances in complex open systems), and in particular for the development of semiclassical approaches that apply to generic dynamics. Recently I have forged an EPSRC-funded alliance with atomic physicists at UCL and quantum chemists at Leeds, where we aim to merge these methods with other orbit-based methods linked to time-dependent DFT and the coupledcoherent-state method (CCS). My other research in this area informs the investigation of microcavity lasers and quantum transport mentioned above.
Research Grants
Lancaster PI of EPSRC Program grant “Semiconductor QuantumPhotonics: Control of Spin, Exciton and Photon Interactions by Nano-PhotonicDesign, EP/N019210/1” (2016-).
PI of EPSRC grant EP/P010180/1 “Non-perturbative and stochastic approaches tomany-body localization” (2017-2020).
PI of EPSRC grant EP/J019585/1 “Orbit-Based Methods for Multielectron Systems in Strong Fields” (2013-2016).
Head of EC Marie Curie Excellence Team “Nanoelectrophotonics” at Lancaster Physics Department (2005-2009).
Co-PI of EPSRC grant EP/E015336/1 “Semiclassical Asymptotics for Open Chaotic Systems” (2006-2010).
Web Links
For further information on publications see also my Researcher ID on ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar author profile, or arXiv author profile.
Career Details
Professor in Condensed Matter Theory, Lancaster University, 2009 –
Reader in Physics, Lancaster University, 2005 – 2009
Head of EC Marie Curie EXT Nanoelectrophotonics, 2005 – 2009
Head of junior research group, Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (MPIPKS), Dresden, Germany, 2000 – 2004
PostDoc, Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands, 1998 – 2000
Research assistant, Physics faculty, University Essen, Germany, 1994 – 1998
Research fellow, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Japan, 1993 – 1994
Qualifications
Dr rer. nat. (Essen, Germany, 1997)
Dipl. Phys. (Stuttgart, Germany, 1993)
Member of DPG (1994), Member of EPS (1994)
FInstP (2017), MInstP (2006)
SFHEA (2017)
Professional Role
Additional Roles:
Head of Lancaster Physics Theory Division/Major Research Group (since 2015)
Group Lead of the Theory Group (since 2017)
Member of Physics Strategy Committee (since 2009)
Member of Physics Research Commitee (since 2015)
Chair of Theoretical Physics Theme Group (2008-2011, 2015-)
Member of Postgraduate Admissions Committee (since 2015)
Member of Knowledge Exchange/External Engagement Committee (since 2015)
Member of Physics Promotions Committee (since 2010)
Admissions interviews (since 2006)
Physics Committee Meetings (since 2005)
Past roles:
UG Admissions Tutor (2014,16,17 entries)
Departmental panel member of EPSRC QTC visit (2019)
Departmental panel member of Review of Physics (2017)
Departmental panel member of Physics Periodic Quality Review (2017)
Departmental panel member of IoP Inclusive Learning site visit (2016)
Departmental panel member of CMA audit (2016)
Memner of REF2014 Strategy Group (2012-2014)
Degree Scheme Manager (MPhys with Theory, 2008-2014, and MSci Theo Phys with Maths, since 2011-14)
Member of Teaching and Learning committee, Student-Staff ConsultativeCommittee (2008-2018)
Moderator of 3rd and 4th year Projects and Dissertations (2009-2013)
Member of 2nd year exam committee (2010-2012)
External Roles
JSPS invitational fellowship (to commence in 2021/22)
CNRS Visiting Researcher Fellowship with University Nice, France (2017)
Fellow of the DFG Forschergruppe 760 Scattering Systems with Complex Dynamics (2007-2013)
Member of the APCTP topical program on Quantum Dynamics and Chaos (2008-2011)
Member of the IoP Theory of Condensed Matter committee (2006-2009)
Scholarship holder of the Studenstiftung des deutschen Volkes (1990-1993)
Current Teaching
PHYS223 Quantum Mechanics, PHYS483 Quantum Information Processing
PhD Supervision Interests
PhD research projects available:Topological states of matterTopological states in photonic systemsMany-body localizationQuantum optics of mesoscopic light emitters
Selected Publications
Universality of Entanglement Transitions from Stroboscopic to Continuous Measurements
Szyniszewski, M., Romito, A., Schomerus, H. 20/11/2020 In: Physical review letters. 125, 21, 6 p.
Journal article
Observation of supersymmetric pseudo-Landau levels in strained microwave graphene
Bellec, M., Poli, C., Kuhl, U., Mortessagne, F., Schomerus, H. 19/08/2020 In: Light: Science and Applications. 9, 1, 7 p.
Journal article
Nonreciprocal response theory of non-Hermitian mechanical metamaterials: response phase transition from the skin effect of zero modes
Schomerus, H. 17/01/2020 In: Physical Review Research. 2, 1, 6 p.
Journal article
Zero-voltage conductance peak from weak antilocalization in a Majorana nanowire
Pikulin, D.I., Dahlhaus, J.P., Wimmer, M., Schomerus, H., Beenakker, C.W.J. 12/2012 In: New Journal of Physics. 14
Journal article
Fermion-parity anomaly of the critical supercurrent in the quantum spin-Hall effect
Beenakker, C.W.J., Pikulin, D.I., Hyart, T., Schomerus, H., Dahlhaus, J.P. 2/01/2013 In: Physical review letters. 110, 1, 5 p.
Journal article
Parity anomaly and Landau-level lasing in strained photonic honeycomb lattices
Schomerus, H., Halpern, N. 4/01/2013 In: Physical review letters. 110, 1, 5 p.
Journal article
All Publications
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Physics at Lancaster
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
From copropagating modes to complex dispersion arcs in nonhermitian resonator arrays
Invited talk
Zero modes in complex systems - robust features against a random background
Invited talk
Synthetic Non-Hermitian Photonic Structures: Recent Results and Future Challenges
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Photonic Polarization Anomaly in Supersymmetric Topological Quantum Walks
Invited talk
Topologically protected lasers and condensates
Invited talk
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
IEEE Summer topicals
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
NOWNANO conference
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Lancaster Probability Days
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Supersymmetric Quantum Walks
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Altlas Reviewer Briefing
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Atlas SFHEA lunch
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
653. WE-Heraeus-Seminar
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
PT-symmetric scattering theory I&II
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Away day of programme grant "Semiconductor Quantum Photonics
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topological lasers and condensates
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Gaussian ensembles and their experimental realization
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Asymmetric Microcavity and Wave Chaos
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
FST Group Leads
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
ATLAS Reflection and Progress Workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Away day of programme grant "Semiconductor Quantum Photonics"
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
School
School Engagement
Undergraduate Admissions Interview Days (12 events)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Probability Seminar
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Statistical approaches to chaotic scattering and localisation
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Probability Seminar
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Journées de la Matière Condensée 2016
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
PIERS
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Selective amplification and charge conjugation in topological photonics
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
META 2016
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Recruiting the Best
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Non-Hermitian Photonics in complex media
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Statistical approaches to chaotic scattering and localisation
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
19th Symposium on Topological Quantum Information: Quantum matter out of equilibrium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Sir Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials Workshop 2016
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
XI Brunel-Bielefeld Workshop on Random Matrix Theory
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Symmetry and topology in photonic systems
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Undergraduate Admissions Interview Days (10 events)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Condensed matter theory group seminar
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Symposium on "Quantum Chaos, Billards, RMT and more" in honor of Hans-Jürgen Stöckmann on his 70th birthday
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Gathering on "Random matrix theory, correlations and long tail distributions"
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
LMS joint research group meeting
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
META 2015
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Summer school "Stochastic processes and random matrices"
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Topological and PT-symmetric photonic systems
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Quantum Correlated Matter and Chaos: A workshop in Honor of the Life and Work of Richard Prange
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Topological and PT-symmetric photonic systems
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Amplification and absorption in topological photonic systems
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topological and PT-symmetric photonic systems
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topological and PT-symmetric photonic systems
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
QuTe2015
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Random-matrix theory for Majorana modes in chiral superconductors
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
"Non-Hermitean Random Matrices: 50 Years After Ginibre"
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Delay times in chiral random-matrix ensembles
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
LPHYS 2014
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Topologically protected zero modes in electronic and optical systems
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
graphene flagship workpackage meeting
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Topologically protected zero modes in electronic and optical systems
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
School
School Engagement
Seminar talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Undergraduate Admissions Interview Days (12 events)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Transport in Majorana nanowires
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
International Workshop on Advances in Quantum Chaotic Scattering: From (Non-)Linear Waves to Few-Body Systems
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Physics at Lancaster (Undergraduate Admissions)
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Department of Physics (Publisher)
Editorial activity
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Business Engagement
Loreto College
School Engagement
conference "Transport in Open Quantum Systems: Experiment and Theory"
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Essen Alumni Meeting
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Department of Physics (Publisher)
Editorial activity
Department of Physics (Publisher)
Editorial activity
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Wave Chaos from the Micro- to the Macroscale
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Theo-Murphy meeting on "Complex patterns in wave functions - drums, graphs, and disorder"
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Non-Hermitian Operators in Quantum Physics
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Optics Express (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Physical Review X (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Journal of Computational Electronics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) (External organisation)
Membership of committee
School
School Engagement
Mathematical philosophies in physics-A condensed-matter perspective
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
PT-Symmetric Quantum Mechanics Symposium
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Quantum physics with non-hermitian operators
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
East Midlands Mathematical Physics Seminar
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Workshop On Microcavities and their Applications
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Beam shifts: Analogies between light and matter waves
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Annals of Physics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Chemical Physics Letters (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Nature Nanotechnology (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Nonlinearity (Journal)
Publication peer-review
The Royal Society (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Science Foundation Ireland (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Dynamic Days Europe
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Dynamics Days Europe
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Nanopeter 2010
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Physics of micro and nanoscale systems
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Foundations of Physics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Fluctuation and Noise Letters (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Journal of Statistical Physics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Applied Physics Letters (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft (DFG) (External organisation)
Membership of committee
The Leverhulme Trust (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Agressia-09
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Workshop on Random Matrix Theory
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Tunneling and Scattering in Complex Systems - From Single to Many Particle Physics
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Workshop On Microcavities and their Applications
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Graphene Workshop
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
East Midlands Mathematical Physics Seminar
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
ESF Conference "Graphene Week"
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Resonances in physics and mathematics
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Dynamics Days Asia-Pacific 5 [DDAP5]
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Seminar Talk
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Seminar Talk
Invited talk
Quantum Chaos: Routes to RMT Statistics and Beyond
Invited talk
Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter (Journal)
Publication peer-review
U.S. - Israel Binational Science Foundation (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Nanoelectronics 2006
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
International Winterschool on Counting Statistics
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Physical review a (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Journal of Low Temperature Physics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Solid State Communications (Journal)
Publication peer-review
New Journal of Physics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Institute of Physics (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Institute of Physics (External organisation)
Membership of committee
German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (GIF) (External organisation)
Membership of committee
National Science Foundation (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Journal of Mathematical Physics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Superconductor Science and Technology (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Il Nuovo Cimento B (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Minerva meeting on semiclassics, quantum chaos, and mesoscopics
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
European Physical Journal B (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Physical Review E (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Swiss National Science Foundation (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Anderson localization, quantum chaos and random matrices
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Physics Letters A (Journal)
Publication peer-review
EPL (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Physical review letters (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Physics Reports (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Journal of Physics -London- a Mathematical and General (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Physical review B (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG) (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
European Physical Society (EPS) (External organisation)
Member of an organisation
Fellow (FInstP)
Election to learned society
Prize for excellent PhD Thesis
Prize (including medals and awards)
Senior Fellow (SFHEA)
Other distinction
Condensed Matter Theory
Condensed Matter Theory
Condensed Matter Theory, Theory of Molecular-Scale Transport
- Condensed Matter Theory
- North West Nanoscience Doctoral Training Centre
- Quantum Technology Centre