Micro- and nano-photonics
Photonics is using light to transfer and process information instead of electrons. Thanks to the properties of photons (the virtual particles that carry light), photonics has the potential for creating faster and more power-efficient devices than electronics. One of the building blocks for photonic circuits is the optical micro-resonator, which keeps light confined in both space and time. Micro-resonators are the basis of many photonic devices, such as filters, modulators, delay lines, etc. We are interested in exploring optical micro-resonators with new geometries and materials for creating new micro- and nano-photonic devices.
Optical properties of nanomaterials
The optical properties of semiconductor nanostructures are incredibly rich. In collaboration with Dr. John Capobianco, in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, we grow ZnO nanostructures using solution-based methods.
Slowing down trapped light
By carefully sculpting periodic patterns in dielectric media it is possible to slow down its group velocity (the velocity at which a wave can carry information). We have combined that patterning with microring resonators, to find the effect of combining confinement of light at the microscale with slow light.
