In 1993 Denz was made Head of the Photorefractive Group at Technische Universität Darmstadt. She moved to the University of Münster in 2001, where she leads the Nonlinear Photonics Group. She founded the Centre for Nonlinear Science at the WWU University of Münster. She became Chair of Applied Physics and Head of the Institute in 2003. Denz develops modern optical methods for structuring light and matter; which includes optical data storage and systems for information processing. She developed a compact holographic data storage system in which data is imprinted on a liquid crystal display onto a laser beam. The laser beam is superimposed on a separated reference beam, with the information being encoded on a hologram. The information is read in parallel and can permit high data transfer rates. For digital data, holographic storage allows for improved security and encryption. She is interested in developing single crystal data storage systems, and uses them an switching elements such as optical transistors. She has worked on photonic crystals that use non-linear photorefractive materials. She demonstrated that optical induction could be used to produce quasicrystals, a chemical structure that has three-dimensional crystalline groups with spiral structures and defined defects. In CeNoS Denz uses nonlinear dynamics and chaos control, such as the control of cavity solitons and generation of slow light. In 2008 Denz began working with complex light fields; including non-diffractive and accelerating light fields, for the creation of holographic optical tweezers. She has used these light fields to manipulate nano and micro-scale particles.
Academic service
Denz has worked on activities promoting women in physics throughout her career. In 1993 she coordinated a travelling exhibition on women in physics, which started at Technische Universität Darmstadt. She organised a three-year program called Light Up Your Life, which introduced girls to science projects and career options. Denz founded the Minster Experimental Laboratory, through which she took part in science programs in schools as well as a research oriented school lab. In 2011 Denz planned a university-wide MExLab, MExLab Experi:de:MINT|MINTe, MINT being the German equivalent of the acronym STEM. She organised the German Physical Society German Conference on Physics in 2009. In 2010, she was made Vice Rector for International and Young Academics. Denz is an editor for Physik Journal, Annalen der Physik and Advanced Optical Materials. In 2012, the selected her as the Professor of the Year. In 2015 Denz was awarded for the Lise-Meitner-Lecture in Berlin. She serves on the board of the German Society for Applied Optics. She is a Fellow of The Optical Society and European Optical Society.
