Paul Urbach is professor in optics and scientific director of DOC. His research interests are exploring methods to improve limits of resolution and sensitivity in optical imaging using all properties of light (amplitude, phase, polarisation and wavelength).  A new type of optical source suitable for achieving very fast phase sensitive hyperspectral imaging is the dual frequency comb. In a collaboration with the Twente University and Radboud University the source is made applicable to diverse frequency ranges. This source will become a DOC facility.

An important way of pushing limits of resolution and sensitivity is by designing special resonant structures. To quantify the gain, statistical analysis is applied. Another research interest is analytical approximations to scattering problems, for example the use of asymptotic methods in diffraction optics. An example is the use of Pade approximants to achieve convergence of the Born series.