Professor of Physics · Sorbonne Université

Sylvain
Gigan

I lead the PICo Lab at the Kastler Brossel Laboratory (ENS, Paris), working at the intersection of wave physics, biological imaging, and optical computing. My research harnesses light propagation in disordered media — turning scattering from a limitation into a resource for computation, imaging, and quantum information.

SG
Position Professor, Sorbonne Université
Deputy Director, LKB
Location ENS Ulm, 24 rue Lhomond
75005 Paris, France — L192
01

Research

I
Computational & deep imaging

Wavefront shaping, transmission matrix measurement, and computational microscopy to image through opaque biological tissues. Non-linear and label-free techniques for in vivo neurophotonics.

Wavefront shaping Transmission matrix Neurophotonics Non-linear microscopy
II
Optical computing & physical AI

Leveraging multiple scattering to build optical computing architectures — reservoir computing, random matrix projections, nonlinear encoding — massively parallel and energy-efficient.

Reservoir computing Random projections OPU Physical AI
III
Quantum technologies

Manipulation of non-classical states of light through multimode fibers and complex media. Spatial multimode quantum optics, quantum imaging, and quantum machine learning with photons.

Multimode quantum optics Quantum imaging Entanglement Quantum ML
IV
Applications

Translational research in biophysics, neuroscience, and material science. Collaborations with clinicians, neuroscientists, and industrial partners including international initiatives (CZI, NIH BRAIN, DARPA).

Biology Neuroscience Material science CZI · NIH · DARPA
02

Selected publications

2024
Optical diffraction-free analog computing with disordered media
Gigan S. et al. · arXiv:2409.12965
PNAS — under review
arXiv ↗
2022
Roadmap on wavefront shaping and deep imaging in complex media
Gigan S., Katz O., de Aguiar H.B. et al. · J. Physics: Photonics
Review
DOI ↗
2022
Imaging and computing with disordered photonics
Gigan S. · Nature Physics
Nature Physics
DOI ↗
2020
Optical reservoir computing using multiple light scattering for chaotic systems prediction
Rafayelyan M., Dong J., Gigan S. et al. · Physical Review X
Phys. Rev. X
DOI ↗
2012
Exploiting disorder for perfect focusing
Conkey D.B., Caravaca-Aguirre A.M., Gigan S. et al. · Nature Photonics
Nature Photonics
DOI ↗
Full list on Google Scholar ↗
03

Background

67
h-index
200+
Publications
2
ERC grants (StG + CoG)
20+
PhD students supervised

Career

2024–
Deputy Director, LKB
Kastler Brossel Laboratory, ENS Paris
2014–
Professor of Physics
Sorbonne Université
2016
Co-founder, LightOn
Optical computing startup · IPO Euronext 2024
2007–14
Associate Professor
Institut Langevin, ESPCI ParisTech
2004–07
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Vienna — Aspelmeyer & Zeilinger group
2004
PhD in quantum optics
UPMC Paris, supervised by Claude Fabre

Awards & distinctions

Prix Cécile DeWitt-Morette
Société Française de Physique · 2025
Senior Member, Institut Universitaire de France
IUF · 2023–2028
Optica Fellow
Optica · 2023
ERC Consolidator Grant — SMARTIES
European Research Council · 2016
Prix Jean Jerphagnon
Club SEE-SFO · 2019
Atos–Joseph Fourier Prize
Atos / SFdS · 2018
ERC Starting Grant — COMEDIA
European Research Council · 2011
Prix Fabry de Gramont
Société Française d'Optique · 2016
04

Profiles & resources

05

Contact

For research inquiries, potential collaborations, or information about open positions in the group, please get in touch by email. Applications for PhD and postdoc positions are welcome — see the PICo Lab jobs page.

Office ENS Ulm, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris — L192
Affiliations
Sorbonne Université
École Normale Supérieure – PSL
CNRS
Collège de France