Applied Physics Research

Source: https://aph.caltech.edu/research Parent: https://aph.caltech.edu/

Research in Applied Physics is built on the foundations of quantum mechanics, statistical physics, electromagnetic theory, mechanics, and advanced mathematics. The style of Applied Physics research at Caltech is both theoretical and richly experimental. State-of-the-art facilities are housed in the Watson Laboratories and in associated laboratories across campus.

New Device Opens Door to Storing Quantum Information as Sound Waves

Research Areas

Biophysics

Nanostructured materials for biological applications, mechanics and dynamics of biomaterials (Dr. Chiara Daraio)
Natural and synthetic regulatory circuits in living cells (Dr. Michael Elowitz)
Mechanics of macromolecular assemblies (Dr. Rob Phillips)
Nanofabrication techniques for DNA manipulation (Dr. Axel Scherer)
Biophysical flows generated by Marangoni forces (Dr. Sandra M. Troian)

Computational Physics

Development and application of first-principles calculations of materials based on density functional theory and excited state methods (Dr. Marco Bernardi)
Continuum and non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of thin films far from equilibrium (Dr. Sandra M. Troian)
Atomistic studies of materials and processes (Dr. William Goddard III)

Gas and Fluid Mechanics

Fluid physics and the dynamics of turbulence (Dr. Paul E. Dimotakis)
Pattern formation and non-normality in nanoscale flows (Dr. Sandra M. Troian)

Photonics, Optics, and Quantum Electronics

Interdisciplinary materials and device research, spanning photonics and electronics and with applications in Si-based photonics, plasmonics, renewable energy and mechanically active thin film devices (Dr. Harry Atwater)
Theory and ab initio computation of light-matter interaction in materials (Dr. Marco Bernardi)
Development of new ultrafast spectroscopy and photonics techniques. (Dr. Scott Cushing)
On chip quantum photonic devices, like quantum bits and quantum memories, and flat optics based on dielectric metasurfaces (Dr. Andrei Faraon)
Nonlinear photonic devices and systems for quantum optics, optical computing and information processing, and mid-infrared spectroscopy and sensing. (Dr. Alireza Marandi)
Superconducting qubits, quantum optics, and chip-based devices for multi-physics information processing (Dr. Mohammad Mirhosseini)
Nanophotonics, quantum optics, and optomechanics for applications in precision measurement and quantum information science (Dr. Oskar Painter)
Nanostructure fabrication for opto-electronic, magneto-optic and electronic devices (Dr. Axel Scherer)
Quantum-limited amplifiers at microwave frequency, applications of advanced superconductors, opto-mechanical structures to interface with atomic physics, preparation of mechanical structures at quantum limits (Dr. Keith Schwab)
Contact-free patterning of nanofilms for micro-optical applications (Dr. Sandra M. Troian)
Nonlinear optics in high-Q microcaviities, frequency microcombs, optical soliton physics (Dr. Kerry Vahala)
Quantum imaging and physics, photoacoustic tomography, light-speed compressed ultrafast photography, wavefront shaping/time-reversal optics. (Dr. Lihong Wang)
Quantum well semiconductor lasers, nonlinear optics and lightwave communication (Dr. Amnon Yariv)

Plasma Physics

Fusion, magnetospheric, solar, and astrophysical plasmas; ice dusty plasmas; fundamental plasma physics including waves, magnetic helicity, reconnection (Dr. Paul Bellan)
Electrohydrodynamic simulations of ion beam micropropulsion systems (Dr. Sandra M. Troian)

Quantum Science and Engineering

See qse.caltech.edu for details.

Solid State Devices

Quantum mechanics for the electronic wave functions of large molecules and crystals (Dr. William Goddard III)
Nanostructure fabrication for opto-electronic, magneto-optic and electronic devices (Dr. Axel Scherer)
Fabrication of mechanical structures coupled to superconducting circuits and devices for the study of quantum physics at large scale (Dr. Keith Schwab)
Ultrafast electronic processes and nanoscale devices (Dr. Kerry Vahala)
Semiconductor lasers and optoelectronic devices (Dr. Amnon Yariv)

Solids and Materials

Charge carrier dynamics in materials using first-principles calculations Ultrafast dynamics of excited electrons in materials (Dr. Marco Bernardi)
Development of new ultrafast spectroscopy and photonics techniques. (Dr. Scott Cushing)
Highly nonlinear dynamics, phononic crystal, multiscale metamaterials, nanofabrication (Dr. Chiara Daraio)
Superfluid helium devices at very low temperatures (Dr. Keith Schwab)