NWO-Spinoza Prize

Jury report for prof. Th.H.M. (Theo) Rasing

Professor of Experimental Physics at Radboud University Nijmegen

Professor Rasing receives the NWO/Spinoza Prize 2008 for his breakthroughs in the field of magneto-optics, in particular for his work on manipulating tiny magnets using light.

Theo Rasing (26 May 1953, Didam) obtained a cum laude degree in physics from the Radboud University Nijmegen in 1976, where he also gained his doctorate in 1982. After stays in Slovenia and the United States, he was appointed professor in Nijmegen in 1997. He is the founder and director of the Nijmegen Centre for Advanced Spectroscopy (NCAS), member of the board of NanoNed and founder of NanoLab Nijmegen that makes its expertise and infrastructure available to the commercial sector. In 2007 he received the Physica Prize from the Netherlands Physical Society. To date, his research has yielded more than 300 publications in renowned international journals, including Nature, Science and Physical Review Letters.

Theo Rasing is a leading pioneer in the development of new techniques for studying and manipulating materials at the nanometre scale with the use of light. He carries out groundbreaking fundamental research with an open eye for possible applications. For example, he has obtained two patents and has written many publications in cooperation with the commercial sector. Due to his outstanding reputation and organisational talent, he is a highly respected physicist and a member of various scientific advisory bodies. He is also the initiator and coordinator of various large international partnership programmes.

His most recent and most successful research is that into the manipulation of magnetism using light. In a computer hard disk, information is stored by setting the magnetic direction of individual magnetic domains either 'up' or 'down' by applying a magnetic field either parallel or antiparallel to the magnetisation direction. Rasing developed a method to change the magnetic areas using very short laser pulses that switch their polarisation rapidly. This might eventually allow information to be recorded up to 100,000 times faster than is currently possible.

Previously, the physicist played a prominent role in the development of a new method which used lasers to visualise the movement of molecules over a surface, a technique now widely used. Furthermore, his study of extremely thin magnetic layers led to the discovery of new large magneto-optical effects, which can be used to study magnetism at interfaces and on nanostructures.

Theo Rasing frequently gives public lectures and is not afraid to enter into public debate about the pros and cons of technology. He has a large research group and knows how to attract considerable funding for this. For his researchers he is an inspiring leader who gives a lot of care and attention to each individual. His active supervision of students during the preparation of articles or lectures has led to them winning prizes on many occasions. His enthusiasm, broad scientific knowledge, international fame, inspiring personality and leadership give the Spinoza Committee every confidence that Rasing will invest the Spinoza Prize very wisely.

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This jury report served as the basis for the speech given by Prof. Hans Mooij at the announcement ceremony for the NWO/Spinoza prizes 2008 on 2 June 2008.