Preprint on harmonic generation in multilayers

Handout on laser safety

• ultrafast laser spectroscopy
• the physics of semiconductors
  • generation and characterization of novels forms of matter under high-intensity laser excitation
  • the generation and application of extremely short pulses of far-infrared light at semiconductor surfaces
  • silicon luminescence
  • semiconductor nanostructures
• characterization of optical fibers

This past summer was a productive one in the laboratory. Mike Bush has refined the technique Evan Goer helped develop for preparing free-standing oxide-silicon-oxide membranes from silicon-on-insulator substrates. We are ready to make luminescence efficiency measurements from the delicate films. These measurements will help clarify the mechanism of luminescence in nanoscale silicon structures in which the quantum confinement acts in only one dimension.

Semiconductor nanostructures

A nanostructure is any structure fabricated with condensed matter having at least one dimension of a few nanometers or less. At JILA, I studied the luminescence properties of extremely thin layers of crystalline silicon made by oxidizing silicon-on-insulator substrates.

We have recently succeeded in preparing free-standing films. See Films for pictures and details.

Follow the links for more information about these areas or drop by to discuss possible research projects.

With the help of a grant from The Cottrell Foundation (Research Corporation), I have set up a titanium:sapphire femtosecond laser in my laboratory in Jacobs 104. We will use the laser system to study the nonlinear optical properties of the silicon layers Mike makes this semester. The laser produces pulses of light in the near infrared region of the spectrum with a duration of ~60 femtoseconds (a femtosecond is a millionth of a billionth of a second). These pulses are intense enough to permit efficient second- and third-harmonic generation from most materials. Please come speak with me if you are interested in learning about lasers and/or nonlinear optics.

Publications