Optical Research Groups

Professor Susan Dexheimer
Professor Dexheimer uses state-of-the-art femtosecond laser spectroscopic techniques to study ultrafast processes in condensed matter systems, including electronic materials for optoelectronic applications. Current research activities in her group include studies of the ultrafast dynamics of photoexcited carriers in semiconductors and in molecular-based electronic materials, as well as the development of techniques for ultrafast time-resolved measurements in the far-infrared, or terahertz frequency range.

Professor Tom Dickinson
Professor Tom Dickinson's research emphasizes basic studies of the laser desorption and ablation of materials, in particular those with bandgaps which exceed the photon energies of the incident light. The mechanisms of emission and formation of ground state and excited neutral species, ±ions, and free electrons are probed using time resolved optical spectroscopy, time resolved absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence, charged particle energy analysis, and angular distribution measurements. This research examines the role and production of absorption centers in the form of point defects and determine their role in (a) photodesorption processes, (b) heating and vaporization, and (c) plasma formation. Current studies involve careful time and spatial determinations of particle densities of the desorbed particles as a function of the state of the surface and near surface of single crystal ionic solids. The latter includes quantifying defect densities, the rate of production of surface defects with particle bombardment and mechanical stimulation, modeling the role of anion vacancies in photostimulated emission of ionic species.   Additional Information

Professor Mark Kuzyk
Professor Mark Kuzyk's research interests focus on understanding the response of materials to strong electric fields as generated by intense lasers. Motivated by the recent explosion of research activity in organic nonlinear optics at laboratories around the world, Professor Kuzyk has concentrated his efforts on understanding the nonlinear optical properties of guest-host polymers, to search for new phenomena, and to apply such phenomena to build novel all-optical devices. Measurements to characterize these materials include second and third harmonic generation, multiple-photon absorption, electro-optics, electro-chromism,nonlinear interferometry and a variety of three- and four-wave mixing experiments. His current research is focused on understanding microscopic mechanisms of nonlinearity, how the nonlinearity can be used to probe a polymer's microscopic properties, the fabrication of and nonlinear optical studies in doped polymer optical fibers, polymer photoconductivity, photo-mechanical fiber effects, optical damage in both fibers and thin films, all-optical fiber devices, and nonlinear optics of electric field intensifiers such as quantum dots and fractal clusters.  More information on Professor Kuzyk's research.