Tino Hofmann, Research Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Lincoln, receives the 2010 Paul Drude Award for his unique contributions with strong focus on development of far infrared and Terahertz ellipsometry, the optical Hall effect and numerous applications on the determination of phonon and free charge carrier properties in semiconductor layer structures. Tino Hofmann - who is working in close collaboration with Associate Professor Mathias Schubert - has made substantial impact onto our ellipsometry community within the last decade by pioneering ellipsometry experiments into the far infraredand Terahertz spectral regions, and by designing and building instrumentation that allow broad use of such spectral regions in desk-top style, easy-to-use laboratory experiments. He further added strong external magnetic fields to these instrumentations, developing and leading to invention of a new ellipsometry methodology – the optical Hall effect. He has demonstrated many original applications and uses of these spectral regions to numerous problems in physics, engineering and materials sciences, as documented within his extraordinarily strong and original publication record.

The Paul Drude Award is named in honor of Paul Karl Ludwig Drude (1867 - 1906), who invented and first applied ellipsometry. Reflecting Drude's work related to the electron-conductivity model, emphasis is also placed on spectroscopically determining and understanding the interaction of light with matter. The Paul Drude Award is presented by the Selection Committee Chairman at a ceremonial session of ICSE, followed by an invited presentation by the prize winner. The Paul Drude Award is given at each International Conference of Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (ICSE) to a young scientist for exceptional contributions to the development and application of spectroscopic ellipsometry. The ICSE V Paul Drude Award is sponsored by the J.A. Woollam Co., Inc., and includes a monetary prize of 1000 USD.