Willy Lüthy

Willy Lüthy received the Diploma in physics in 1971 and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Bern in 1975. In 1976, he joined the group of Prof. H. P. Weber in the Laser Department of the Institute of Applied Physics, Bern. His new field of research was the interaction of laser light with semiconductor material. In 1980, he became project leader of a group investigating optical excitation of gas lasers. The main interest was on photolytical excitation of metal halide vapors such as $\hbox{HgBr}_{2}$, thalliumbromide, and thalliumiodide. In spring 1986, he was recognized as a Lecturer for “Applied Physics, especially Experimental Optics” at the University of Bern for the work “Laser Excited by Photodissociation: The Thalliumiodide Laser.” In 1991, he became a Professor for experimental optics. With his group, he has been working on the development of lasers at a wavelength near 2 and 3 $\mu\hbox{m}$. This involves the generation of laser emission from rare-earth-doped crystals and silica glass or ZBLAN fibers. Presently, he is studying manufacturing of fibers doped with rare-earth ions, manufacturing of photonic crystal fibers, and thermo-optically driven adaptive mirrors.