Faculty in Ultrafast Science

Philip H. Bucksbaum
Professor of Photon Sciences, Applied Physics, and Physics

I am an atomic physicist.  My main research interest is fundamental light-matter interactions, and especially the control of quantum systems using ultrafast laser fields.  I develop new sources of ultrafast laser light in the infrared, visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray regions of the light spectrum.

Robert L. Byer
Professor of Applied Physics
Director, Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory

Advanced laser concepts, diode pumped solid state lasers, nonlinear materials and devices, parametric oscillators. Applications include gravity wave interferometry, remote sensing, quantum optics, optical frequency synthesis.

Martin M. Fejer
Professor of Applied Physics

Nonlinear optical materials and devices. Guided wave optics. Microstructured ferroelectrics and semiconductors. Photorefractive phenomena. Optical characterization of materials and material synthesis processes.

Stephen E. Harris
Professor of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics
Barbara and Kenneth Oshman Chair in Electrical Engineering

Our group has two projects: 1) The first is aimed at the synthesis of single-cycle optical wave forms, and more generally at the synthesis of optical waveforms of arbitrary shape. This is done by using a Raman source that has approximately four octaves of optical bandwidth. 2) We are interested in synthesizing the quantum waveforms of spontaneously emitted and entangled biphotons. As an example, one may generate entangled photons that have opposing chirps, and then use group velocity dispersion at either wavelength to make ultra-short, and in effect, high power photons.

Mark A. Kasevich
Professor of Physics and of Applied Physics

Atom optics, interferometry, and the study of quantum many-body effects in dilute atomic vapors.

Zhi-Xun Shen
Professor of Applied Physics, Physics, and Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory
Director, Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University
Director, X-Ray Laboratory for Advanced Materials, SLAC, Stanford University

Physics of Quantum Matter: including superconducting, magnetic, ferroelectric and dielectric materials, organic conductors and superconductors, low-dimensional compounds, quantum phase transitions, elementary excitations and collective modes, Kondo and mixed valence problem, magneto-resistive materials, metal-insulator transition. Interaction between Light and Matter, and Advanced Spectroscopy, Scattering and Imaging Techniques: synchrotron radiation and free electron laser, high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy with angle, spin and time resolution, inelastic x-ray scattering, laser based photoelectron spectroscopy and microcopy, soft x-ray emission, and Raman spectroscopy. Physics of the Ultra-Small and Ultra-Fast: nanostructured materials, scanning microwave microscopy, time resolved photoemission spectroscopy, pump probe experiments.

David A. Reis
Associate Professor of Photon Science and of Applied Physics

My research interests include ultrafast processes in the solid state and fundamental light-matter interactions. In particular, our group is investigates nonequilibrium dynamics in solids with atomic level spatial and temporal resolution. Our tools include ultrafast optical laser and x-ray sources (as well as ultrafast x-ray lasers such as the Linac Coherent Light Source x-ray free-electron laser at SLAC).

Lambertus Hesselink
Professor of Electrical Engineering
Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics by Courtesy
Professor of Applied Physics by Courtesy

Professor Hesselink's research encompasses fundamental research on optics, photonics and optical materials guided by significant applications.   We are focusing on ultra-high performance nano-photonics devices based on a new class of nano-apertures that provide more than 1,000,000 times the optical power throughput of conventional round or square apertures. These apertures form the basis of new applications in many areas of nano-photonics,  including, but not limited to, optical data storage, biophysics, and spectroscopy. In addition we are continuing to further develop digital holographic storage, which we pioneered in 1994.  Currently holographic storage is one of two premier candidates for the next generation of DVD devices.  We also carry out materials research needed to advance the performance of these devices, or to increase our understanding of biological media using a holistic system approach. Currently we are studying the interaction between ultra-fast laser beams and biological tissue.  All device and system research is supported by an extensive effort on exact modeliing of underlying fundamental physical principles.