This year's prestigious Röntgen Prize of Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) goes to physicist Dr. Roy Shiloh from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen (FAU) and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Dr. Shiloh receives the prize for his outstanding research on the subject of "Nanophotonic electron acceleration". For over 125 years, X-ray sources for medical and other applications have been based on electron acceleration in vacuum tubes or accelerators. Dr. Shiloh has based his research on this principle: He was able to show that electrons can be actively guided in nanophotonic structures using optical fields. These structures are in the same size range as the wavelength of light, i.e. in the nanometer range - a billionth of a meter. Dr. Shiloh was able to show that electrons in such structures can be controlled with light.
Particle accelerator on a microchip
The prizewinner's research work requires a great deal of technical know-how, sophisticated simulations and the most precise nanofabrication. Using a new method, he has succeeded in creating the world's first particle accelerator on a microchip. This method could enable the construction of innovative and very compact X-ray devices for clinical purposes in the future.
The Röntgen Prize is awarded for outstanding work in basic research in radiation physics and radiobiology. It is named after Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who was a professor in Giessen from 1879 to 1888. The award is primarily intended to recognize the work of young scientists. The prize, which is endowed with 15,000 euros, is sponsored in equal parts by Pfeiffer Vacuum and the Ludwig Schunk Foundation.