Simon Gerber

Simon Gerber is a tenured scientist and head of the Quantum Photon Science Group at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), within the PSI Center for Photon Science and the Laboratory for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies. He leads cutting-edge research using SwissFEL and other advanced photon sources to explore quantum many-body phenomena in condensed matter systems.

Education:

• BSc in Physics, ETH Zurich
• MSc in Physics (with distinction), ETH Zurich
• Dr. Sc., Department of Physics, ETH Zurich & Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, PSI

His research centers on quantum criticality, unconventional superconductivity, and ultrafast dynamics in quantum materials. He employs neutron scattering, X-ray free-electron lasers, and low-temperature, high-magnetic field techniques to investigate non-equilibrium states and coherent control in solids. His work bridges fundamental solid-state physics and quantum technologies.

The selected publications highlight his contributions to ultrafast control of quantum materials, charge density wave order, and coherent X-ray optics. His work frequently appears in top-tier journals such as Science, PNAS, and Reviews of Modern Physics, reflecting broad impact across condensed matter and quantum physics.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellowship of the Swiss Study Foundation
• Fellowship of the Swiss National Science Foundation
• Swiss Neutronics Young Scientist Prize
• IBM Award in Condensed Matter Physics

Simon Gerber supervises PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, and holds leadership roles in major PSI initiatives. He manages the QPS optics laboratory and the SwissFEL Cristallina endstation, where he leads the Cristallina Quantum sub-project. He is also a board member of the PSI Research Initiative Quantum Technologies Collaboration (QTC@PSI) and will join the PSI Research Committee (FoKo) in 2025. His work is supported by institutional mandates to exploit SwissFEL for imaging quantum coherent control and developing novel measurement schemes.

Laboratories and Teams: He leads the Quantum Photon Science Group, which operates within the Laboratory for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies. His team develops bespoke sample environments and measurement techniques for SwissFEL, with a focus on low-temperature and high-magnetic field experiments.