Tijmen Euser

Prof Tijmen Euser is a Professor at the University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, affiliated with the Physics of Soft Matter and NanoSystems group in the School of Physical Sciences. He leads the Optofluidics laboratory in the Maxwell Centre, focusing on nanoscale light-matter interactions, optothermal manipulation, and photocatalytic systems. His work integrates optical, thermal, and fluidic forces using novel optofluidic waveguides and spatial light modulators.

Before Cambridge, he held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Max-Planck Institute for the Science of Light and completed his PhD at the University of Twente (Netherlands). His research spans optically propelled nanoparticles, hollow-core photonic crystal fiber microreactors, and applications in solar fuel generation, battery chemistry, and flow chemistry.

Key innovations include label-free protein sensors, attomole-sensitivity spectrofluorimetry, and in-situ monitoring of catalytic reactions. His methods enable ultra-low volume photochemical analysis (five orders of magnitude smaller than conventional methods), leveraging well-defined waveguide modes for absorption and Raman spectroscopy.

Current efforts emphasize optical manipulation of biomolecules, nanoparticle photocatalysts, and interdisciplinary collaborations across photonics, chemistry, and materials science. His lab's work bridges fundamental optics with applied challenges in energy storage and sustainable chemistry.

Notable contributions include developing fiber-based sensors for Li-ion battery electrolytes, Rydberg atom interactions in hollow-core fibers, and optomechanical systems for particle trapping. His research is highly collaborative, leveraging expertise in microfluidics, nanoparticle spectroscopy, and catalysis both within the Cavendish Laboratory and across the School of Physical Sciences.