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National Science Foundation: April 10, 2025
Fusion energy: Pathway to abundant power
The article mentions ZEUS, the highest-power laser system in the U.S. and located at the University of Michigan. ZEUS is part of the Gerard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science.Zetian Mi receives 2025 Nick Holonyak Jr. Award from Optica
Mi is recognized for his innovations on wide energy gap nanostructures for light emission and energy generation applications.Six faculty receive 2025 Ted Kennedy Family Faculty Team Excellence Award
These six research scientists helped design, build, and implement the ZEUS laser facility, which is the highest power laser in the U.S.Boosting AI model size and training speed with lightwave-connected chips
AI growth is capped by data transfer rates between computing chips, but transferring data with light could remove the ceiling.January 3, 2025
Unlocking Lightwave Electronics
Prof. Mack Kira co-authored an article with Prof. Rupert Huber (U. Regensburg) summarizing the state of the art in lightwave electronics. According to the authors, combining optical and electronic systems could enable information processing that is a million times faster than existing gigahertz technology. The research was featured on the cover of the January 2025 issue of Optics & Photonics News.Alex Burgers receives AFOSR support for research on atom-photon interactions
Prof. Burgers will use optical tweezers to create quantum mirrors from 2D arrays of atoms in a first-of-its-kind experimental demonstration.2024 ECE Core Values Excellence Award Winners
The recipients for 2024 are Shelly Feldkamp, Nancy Slowey, and Rick Van Camp.ECE Spinout company NS Nanotech releases first solid-state semiconductor to produce human-safe disinfecting UV light
NS Nanotech’s new product, enabled by ECE Prof. Zetian Mi’s research, can safely disinfect high-risk spaces like ambulances and school buses.A pulsed, helical laser to control other light signals, speeding up fiber-optic communication
New device can act as an all-optical switch, the first step towards processing data encoded in lightZetian Mi awarded $7.5M MURI for research on ferroelectric nitrides
Prof. Mi is the lead PI on a collaborative project that aims to advance ferroelectric nitrides for applications in next-generation microelectronics and quantum-photonic devices.Arthur Xiao wins SID Detroit Metro Chapter Academic Award for work on red micro-LEDs
Xiao’s PhD work has focused on developing tiny, efficient, and stable red LEDs for use in virtual and augmented reality displays.Laser Focus World: September 30, 2024
OptoGPT harnesses AI to automate, speed design of optical structures
An optics-based machine-learning framework developed by ECE Prof. Jay Guo could be a game-changer in the push to design more advanced devices.In the News: September 19, 2024
Laser Diode team at Notre Dame finds business clarity through $550,000 Partnerships for Innovation NSF grant
A research team at the University of Notre Dame recently secured a $550,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop promising new laser technology, expanding work done by ECE Prof. Di Liang and colleagues during his PhD there.An OLED for compact, lightweight night vision
Thinner than a human hair, the device amplifies and converts near infrared light into visible light with the potential for low power consumption and long battery life.In step toward solar fuels, durable artificial photosynthesis setup chains two carbons together
The system produces ethylene, an important ingredient of many plastics, with much higher efficiency, yield and longevity than competing systems.PV Magazine: July 29, 2024
US engineers develop ChatGPT algorithm to design solar cells
OptoGPT is a new algorithm that harnesses the computer architecture underpinning ChatGPT. L. Jay Guo, ECE professor, says that it will enable researchers and engineers to design optical multilayer film structures for a wide range of applications, including solar cells.OptoGPT for improving solar cells, smart windows, telescopes and more
Taking advantage of the transformer neural networks that power large language models, engineers can get recipes for materials with the optical properties they need.In the News: July 9, 2024
Cameras with Facial Recognition Detect Driver Impairment
Mohammed Islam, Electrical and Computer Engineering professor discusses his research developing systems to identify impaired drivers in Vision Spectra.Updating the textbook on polarization in gallium nitride to optimize wide bandgap semiconductors
Understanding the phenomenon underpinning the material’s electronic performance will inform the design of smaller, faster and more efficient electronic and quantum devices.Renewable grid: Recovering electricity from heat storage hits 44% efficiency
Thermophotovoltaics developed at U-M can recover significantly more energy stored in heat batteries.Parag Deotare and Zetian Mi are editors of new book: 2D Excitonic Materials and Devices
The book, which is part of Elsevier’s Semiconductors and Semimetals series, offers both an overview and a deep dive into 2D excitonic materials and their applications.John Nees earns U-M Research Faculty Achievement Award
Nees has been a key contributor to the many ultrafast and high science advancements accomplished at the Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences.March 19, 2024
Cars could detect drunk and impaired drivers using technology developed by U-M engineers
Local news source Concentrate interviewed Mohammed Islam about his plan to keep drunk and impaired drivers off the road with inexpensive technology that can be incorporated into cars in the near future.March 19, 2024
Scientists use biometrics, behavior analysis for drunk driver detection
News outlet Biometrics Update reports on Mohammed Islam’s solution to detect drunk and impaired drivers. They describe the solution as “More economically viable for mass adoption than in-car breathalyzer.”Auto industry deadlines loom for impaired-driver detection tech, U-M offers a low-cost solution
As the comment period closes on the new federal requirement, a U-M team led by Prof. Mohammed Islam demonstrates that upgrades to current technologies could do the jobBBC: December 11, 2023
Why the world’s most powerful lasers could unlock secrets of the cosmos
In this piece on how laser systems are helping scientists probe the fabric of the Universe, the BBC features U-M’s ZEUS, the most powerful laser system in the U.S., and Prof. Karl Krushelnick, as well as Nobel Laureate and Prof. Emeritus Gérard Mourou’s acclaimed research on Chirped Pulse Amplification.New faculty member Di Liang elected IEEE Fellow
Prof. Liang begins his career at Michigan by building up his Large-Scale Integrated Photonics (LSIP) group.Nextgen computing: Hard-to-move quasiparticles glide up pyramid edges
Computing with a combination of light and chargeless excitons could beat heat losses and more, but excitons need new modes of transportShaping the quantum future with lightwave electronics
The semiconductor-compatible technology is a million times faster than existing electronics and could give us access to an entire new world of quantum phenomena.CBS News: October 17, 2023
University of Michigan unveils new super powerful laser
In this video, John Nees and Gerard Mourou talk about the ZEUS laser and the 30-year journey to achieve the three-petawatt laser (100x the world grid power, says Nees). The laser is open to researchers around the world.Soon-to-be most powerful laser in the US is open for experiments
The NSF-supported facility at U-M is about to begin welcoming researchers to study extreme physics that could advance medicine, microelectronics and more.Duncan Steel retires, leaving a quantumly inspired legacy
With a history at Michigan dating back to the early 1970’s, Duncan Steel built a lasting legacy as he crossed disciplines and changed lives.Laser-focused
Franklin Dollar, a pioneer in laser plasma research, is not only unraveling cosmic mysteries but also promoting equity and inclusivity in science education and research.New undergraduate courses prepare students for the Second Quantum Revolution
Quantum information science and engineering is one of the hottest fields in engineering – and ECE wants to make it accessible to everyone.Gregory Robinson details the journey of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope for Gilleo Lectureship
Under Robinson’s leadership, the James Webb Space Telescope project went from being years behind schedule and billions over-budget to one of NASA’s greatest achievements of the 21st century.2023 EECS Outstanding Achievement Awards
The EECS Department has honored four faculty for their sustained excellence in instruction and curricular development, distinguished participation in service activities, or for their significant achievements in scholarly research.Parag Deotare awarded DURIP grant to probe exciton energy transport at nanoscale
The tool is expected to advance the study of exciton dynamics, which could help identify new research directions for clean energy and information technology.Laser Focus World: December 13, 2022
Meet ZEUS, the highest-power laser in the U.S.
Dr. Anatoly Maksimchuk describes Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System (ZEUS), the most powerful laser in the U.S., in a short recorded interviewNew non-invasive optical imaging approach for monitoring brain health could improve outcomes for traumatic brain injury patients
The SCISCCO system could better monitor brain and organ metabolism, helping to diagnose concussions, monitor cerebral metabolism in traumatic brain injury patients, and gauge the response of organs to treatments in an operating or emergency room scenario.Michigan Daily: October 27, 2022
UMich research lab houses most powerful laser in the U.S., tests for future studies
The Michigan Daily features ZEUS, the new laser system at CUOS, which is the most powerful laser in the U.S.Louise Willingale elected Fellow of APS
Willingale is a plasma science leader who is currently helping launch the ZEUS laser facility.Laser Focus World: October 17, 2022
University of Michigan fires up ultrafast, ultrapowerful ZEUS laser
Laser Focus World highlights Michigan’s ZEUS laser, the most powerful laser in the U.S., which features chirped-pulse amplification and a multi-laser beam capability.Detroit News: September 25, 2022
UM seeks to use powerful laser to improve health care, probe the universe
The Detroit News highlights the research that will be conducted with Michigan’s ZEUS, the most powerful laser in the U.S.Detroit News: September 23, 2022
University of Michigan will soon debut its new ZEUS laser beam
The Detroit News publishes a photo spread of the ZEUS facility preparing to begin operations.Physics: September 21, 2022
Plant-Based Strategy for Harvesting Light
Physics features Prof. Stephen Forrest’s new photodetector design, which borrows its light-gathering architecture from plants and offers a potential path to more efficient solar cells.AAAS: September 21, 2022
Golden Goose Award Honors 11 Researchers for Unusual Discoveries that Greatly Benefit Society
These scientific breakthroughs led to the development of a bladeless LASIK procedure, paper microscopes, and the discovery of a non-opioid pain reliever hidden in the venom of cone snailsU-M discovery leading to LASIK is a Golden Goose
The AAAS Golden Goose awards highlight federally funded breakthroughs that go on to bring important benefits to the lives of regular people.September 15, 2022
University’s new laser will be America’s most powerful: 3,000 times stronger than power grid
The Washington Times interviews Prof. Louise Willingale about Michigan’s Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System (ZEUS), the most powerful laser in America.Associated Press: September 15, 2022
Univ. of Michigan’s ZEUS will be most powerful laser in US
ZEUS is a 3 petawatt laser. And “3 petawatts is 3,000 times more powerful than the U.S. power grid,” said Louise Willingale, Assoc. Director of the laser facility.First light soon at the most powerful laser in the US
The ZEUS laser at the University of Michigan has begun its commissioning experimentsSeptember 14, 2022
Scientists fire up the most powerful laser in the US
New Atlas features the activation of Michigan’s ZEUS, the most powerful laser in the U.S.Phys.org: September 2, 2022
New photodetector design inspired by plant photosynthesis
Phys.org features Prof. Stephen Forrest’s research on a new type of high-efficiency photodetector inspired by the photosynthetic complexes plants use to turn sunlight into energy.ZEUS Joins International Community of Extreme Light Virtuosos
As a member of the X-lites program, ZEUS joins an international community of extreme light labs working together to advance laser science for the benefit of societyLauren Cooper awarded Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship from SPIE
Cooper, an ECE PhD student, works to advance fiber lasers, which could help provide the bursts for next-generation particle accelerators and advance attosecond science.Emulating impossible “unipolar” laser pulses paves the way for processing quantum information
Quantum materials emit light as though it were only a positive pulse, rather than a positive-negative oscillation.Amy Brooks awarded Staff Excellence Award for extraordinary efforts in difficult times
In addition to stepping up in remarkable ways during the past two years, Brooks has been known for her collaborative initiative, technical competence, and empathy to those in need.Louise Willingale named Kavli Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences
Willingale was a featured speaker at the 2022 Kavli Frontiers of Science U.S. Symposium, where she presented on high intensity lasers, including ZEUS.December 17, 2021
Most Read Featured Articles from 2020-2021
The article “Monolayer GaN excitonic deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes,” co-authored by Profs. Zetian Mi, Mack Kira, and Manos Kioupakis (MSE) was among the most downloaded articles published in Applied Physics Letters from 2020-2021, with 3,364 downloads.December 14, 2021
Fiber Lasers Poised to Advance Berkeley Lab’s Development of Practical Laser-Plasma Accelerators
Prof. Almantas Galvanauskas is collaborating on a project led by former student and alumnus, Dr. Tong Zhou, to develop practical laser-plasma particle accelerators.Scientific American: December 11, 2021
In a First, Physicists Glimpse a Quantum Ghost
Mackillo Kira explains the significance of reconstructing a quantum wave function. Kira is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science.Dr. Donnell Walton honored with the 2021 ECE Willie Hobbs Moore Distinguished Lectureship
Walton spoke about his career path and his current role as the director of the Corning Technology Center Silicon Valley.Lauren Cooper awarded Department of Energy Fellowship for her work on ultra-short pulse fiber lasers
Cooper’s research is focused on nonlinear coherent pulse stacking, a method of generating pulses with energies and pulse durations suitable for particle accelerators and attosecond science.Herbert Winful receives University Diversity and Social Transformation Professorship
Winful is recognized for promoting the university’s goals around diversity, equity and inclusion.
$1.8M to develop room temperature, controllable quantum nanomaterials
The project could pave the way for compact quantum computing and communications as well as efficient UV lamps for sterilization and air purification.Educating a quantum workforce with QuSTEAM while opening doors to a broad and diverse range of students
Michigan is part of a multi-institution effort to create new flexible courses for undergraduate students interested in being part of the second quantum revolutionSolar cells with 30-year lifetimes for power-generating windows
High-efficiency but fragile molecules for converting light to electricity thrive with a little protection.Most powerful laser in the U.S. to begin operations soon, supported by $18.5M from the NSF
With first light anticipated in 2022, the NSF will provide five years of operations funding, ramping up as the ZEUS user facility progresses to full capacity.July 2, 2021
Revamped OLED Electrodes Could Cut Power Consumption
Optics & Photonics News covers research by L. Jay Guo and his efficient organic LED (OLED) that emits more light with the same amount of power.Herbert Winful awarded the 2021 Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award
Winful is recognized for his decades of outstanding leadership and commitment to developing a culturally and ethnically diverse University of Michigan community.
New textbook introduces students to the field of Quantum Nanotechnology
The textbook helps prepare upper level undergraduate students and graduate students to join the quantum revolution
DBusiness Magazine: April 24, 2021
U-M Researchers Develop 3-D Motion Tracking for Autonomous Tech
Researchers have developed a 3-D motion tracking system that could one day replace LiDAR and cameras in autonomous technologies.3D motion tracking system could streamline vision for autonomous tech
Transparent optical sensor arrays combine with a specialized neural network in new University of Michigan prototype
Anatoly Maksimchuk recognized for his achievements in high-intensity lasers and laser-plasma interaction
Building on decades of groundbreaking research, Maksimchuk is a key member of the team building the $20M laser facility known as ZEUSNew “Women in ECE” organization provides professional development and community
WECE is a student-run, diversity-focused organization dedicated to the personal and professional growth of those committed to innovation and excellence in electrical and computer engineering fields.
$6.25 million to develop new semiconductors for artificial photosynthesis
An interdisciplinary team from four universities are developing a new class of semiconductors for novel artificial photosynthesis and the production of clean chemicals and fuels using sunlight, as part of a DoD MURI
DYNAMO achieves first observation of the “charge separation effect”
Research led by Prof. Stephen Rand, Director of the Center for Dynamic Magneto-optics (DYNAMO), has important potential for energy conversion, ultrafast switching, nanophotonics, and nonlinear optics.
Mapping quantum structures with light to unlock their capabilities
Rather than installing new “2D” semiconductors in devices to see what they can do, this new method puts them through their paces with lasers and light detectors.
Burn after reading
A self-erasing chip for security and anti-counterfeit tech.
Mirror-like photovoltaics get more electricity out of heat
By reflecting nearly all the light they can’t turn into electricity, they help pave the way for storing renewable energy as heat.
The Future of Lasers
A research profile of Prof. Gérard Mourou and other ECE scientists talks about the future of lasers, from transmuting nuclear waste to shooting space junk.PhD student Laura Andre is awarded Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship from SPIE
Andre was chosen for her outstanding research and commitment to outreach activities.
Improved neural probe can pose precise questions without losing parts of the answers
It will now be possible to study brain activity when timing is important, such as the consolidation of memory.
Herbert Winful named Joseph E. and Anne P. Rowe Professor of Electrical Engineering
Winful has made fundamental contributions to nonlinear optics and the physics of tunneling, while also championing an inclusive department.
Alum Adrienne Stiff-Roberts honored with the Willie Hobbs Moore Distinguished Lectureship
The Duke University Professor delivered a virtual talk on enabling hybrid thin films for optoelectronics and shared her memories of Michigan.
Optics Society wins Elaine Harden Award from College of Engineering
From outreach programs for local kids to events that bring the U-M Engineering community together, the Optics Society exemplifies leadership and service.
Freethink: March 3, 2020
New lasers see into the brain to detect concussions
University of Michigan Engineering researchers’ work to detect distressed cells in the brain is detailed by Freethink.
Russel Lecture: Fighting climate change with organic electronics
The researcher-entrepreneur who helped bring OLED displays to the masses envisions a future of efficient lighting and next-gen solar power.
Physics World: February 5, 2020
Transparent graphene photodetectors make advanced 3D camera
Physics World covers the work done by a team led by professors Zhaohui Zhong, Jeffrey Fessler, and Theodore Norris where they developed a new 3D camera that enables safer autonomy and advanced biomedical imaging.John Nees wins Research Scientist Award from the College of Engineering
Nees is honored for his excellence in research and scholarship, as well as his distinguished career as a key member of the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science.
Toward a portable concussion detector that relies on an infrared laser
By looking at tissue oxygen and cell metabolism at the same time, doctors could have a fast and noninvasive way to monitor the health of brain cells.
A 3D camera for safer autonomy and advanced biomedical imaging
Researchers demonstrated the use of stacked, transparent graphene photodetectors combined with image processing algorithms to produce 3D images and range detection.
Nobel Prize winners talk research, Nobel ceremony, and are remembered by U-M colleagues
From rubbing elbows with royalty to finding yourself a casual seatmate to a member of U2, Professor Emeritus Gérard Mourou, Prof. Donna Strickland, and their former U-M colleagues shared their experiences and reflections on the 2018 Nobel Prize ceremony.
U-M to become Mount Olympus with ZEUS, the most powerful laser to be built in the U.S.
The three-petawatt system could unlock secrets of the universe, advance cancer treatments, improve security screenings for nuclear threats, and much more.
Two members of ECE will represent U-M at the 2019 Rising Stars in EECS Workshop
The intensive workshop brings together outstanding women who are graduate students or postdocs interested in pursuing academic careers in electrical engineering and computer science.
Most powerful laser in the US to be built at Michigan
Using extreme light to explore quantum dynamics, advance medicine and more.The new quantum spurs action by the Michigan Quantum Science & Technology Working Group
The new working group showcased Michigan’s strength in Quantum Science at a workshop attended by researchers throughout the University of Michigan.
Beyond Apollo 11: U-M ECE’s role in advancing space exploration
For the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, U-M ECE takes a look back – and a look forward – to how our professors, students, and alums have made their mark on the field.
Kim Winick retires, leaving a legacy that empowers students to seek life and learning outside of the lab
For the past 31 years, Prof. Winick has helped define undergraduate courses and curriculum both at U-M and abroad while inspiring all to engineer their future by understanding the past.
Kirigami can spin terahertz rays in real time to peer into biological tissue
The rays used by airport scanners might have a future in medical imaging.
Louise Willingale creates extreme plasma conditions using high-intensity laser pulses
Prof. Willingale’s research in plasma physics advances many research areas from spectacular astrophysical phenomena to cancer treatment to fusion power.
Stephen Forrest named Henry Russel Lecturer for 2020
Stephen R. Forrest has been selected as U-M’s 2020 Henry Russel Lecturer, the university’s highest honor for senior faculty members.
Two U-M students receive scholarships from the International Society for Optics and Photonics
Hanzhang Pei (ECE) and Darwin F. Cordovilla Leon (Applied Physics) were selected for their potential contributions to the field of optics, photonics or related field.
Nooshin M. Estakhri receives the Helen Wu Award
Estakhri is a PhD student studying quantum optics and its potential to impact communication and biomedical imaging.
A Spotlight on Optics
The Optics Society at U-M hosted an Industry Spotlight event, which brought academia, industry, and community together to celebrate all things optics and photonics.
Laura Andre brings the engineering community together
EECS-ECE PhD student Laura Andre is recognized by the College of Engineering with the Distinguished Leadership Award for her outstanding contributions to the college, university, and community.
2018 Nobel Prize Laureate Gérard Mourou talks high-intensity optics
Gérard Mourou, Professor Emeritus of EECS, returned to campus to discuss winning the Nobel Prize and his work in high-intensity optics.
Extreme light: Nobel laureate discusses the past & future of lasers
Lasers of tomorrow might neutralize nuclear waste, clean up space junk and advance proton therapy to treat cancer, says Gerard Mourou.
Michigan.gov: February 28, 2019
Whitmer recognizes Mourou’s Nobel Prize
Governor Whitmer recognized Prof. Gérard Mourou’s Nobel Prize in Physics by naming February 28, 2019m, “Chirped Pulse Amplification Day.”A new $1.6M energy project to develop low cost manufacturing of white organic lighting
Prof. Stephen Forrest is developing an automated high-yield roll-to-roll process to manufacture organic LEDs for lighting.
ECE student Brandon Russell explores space phenomena in a lab
PhD student Brandon Russell is awarded the Rackham International Student Fellowship for his research on magnetic fields in high-energy plasmas, which could help advance the development of clean energy and our understanding of energetic astrophysical phenomena.
A world-shaking discovery 100 years in the making
Prof. Nergis Mavalvala detailed the history and science behind the discovery of gravitational waves as the inaugural recipient of the M. Alten Gilleo Distinguished Lectureship
Pallab Bhattacharya to receive 2019 IEEE Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal
Bhattacharya honored for the development and commercialization of quantum dot lasers.
$6.8M initiative to enable American laser renaissance
After Europe and Asia surpassed U.S. in high intensity laser research in the early 2000s, the Department of Energy is funding new collaborative research network to make the U.S. more competitive.
Mackillo Kira Elected OSA Fellow for contributions to quantum optics
Prof. Kira was recognized for his pioneering contributions to the theory of semiconductor quantum optics.
Nobel Prize for ‘the most powerful laser pulses known to humanity’
At U-M, Gérard Mourou advanced ‘chirped pulse amplification,’ leading to more precise LASIK eye surgery and pushing the limits of optical science.
It takes two photonic qubits to make quantum computing possible
Professors Ku and Steel are applying their expertise to take key next steps toward practical quantum computing
How to color-code nearly invisible nanoparticles
With a bit of metal, nanoparticles shine in colors based on size.
Light could make semiconductor computers a million times faster or even go quantum
Electron states in a semiconductor, set and changed with pulses of light, could be the 0 and 1 of future “lightwave” electronics or room-temperature quantum computers.
2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 was awarded “for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics,” with one half to Arthur Ashkin “for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems,” and the other half jointly to Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland “for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses.”Duncan Steel is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Encyclopedia of Modern Optics, 2nd edition
Encyclopedia covers optics through light-emitting diodes.
Louise Willingale advancing scientific knowledge of plasmas
Using some of the best lasers in the world, Willingale is shedding light on the impact of solar events on Earth.
A shoe-box-sized chemical detector
Powered by a broadband infrared laser, the device can zero in on the ‘spectral fingerprint region’.
Deep UV LEDs lead to two best poster awards at ISSLED 2017
New techniques to construct deep UV LEDs prove prize-worthy.
Laser cooling with Laura Andre
Laura Andre says she “ended up just falling in love with optics.”
Cooling off with lasers
Lasers are typically thought of as hot. What if they were able to cool?
Precise pulses explore light’s magnetism
A new laser will investigate an unusual magnetic effect that may lead to efficient solar energy harvesting.Doubling the power of the world’s most intense laser
It could enable tabletop particle and X-ray sources as well as the investigation of astrophysics and quantum dynamics.
John Nees elected OSA Fellow
Nees recognized for work with ultrafast lasers
Almantas Galvanauskas elected OSA Fellow
Prof. Galvanauskas was recognized for his pioneering work with fiber lasers.
Seeing through materials
By developing a fast algorithm to map out the paths light takes through yogurt, researchers aim to someday see through skin.
U-M Optics researchers sponsor Optics and Photonics Industry Snapshot
The Optics and Photonics event showed a thriving industry in SE Michigan
The Lurie Nanofabrication Facility
It Takes the Best to Serve the Best.Ultrashort light pulses for fast “lightwave” computers
Extremely short, configurable “femtosecond” pulses of light demonstrated by an international team could lead to future computers that run up to 100,000 times faster than today’s electronics.
Herb Winful – professor of optics, friend of the arts
Winful discusses life in education
Zetian Mi elected SPIE Fellow for contributions to photonic devices and artificial photosynthesis
Prof. Mi conducts research in the area of semiconductor optoelectronics, specifically in the areas of III-nitride semiconductors, low dimensional nanostructures, LEDs, lasers, Si photonics, artificial photosynthesis and solar fuels.
CUOS: Pushing the limits of optical science
This national center, established in 1990, confirmed Michigan’s leadership in the field.
2017 EECS Outstanding Achievement Awards
Congratulations!
Parag Deotare receives AFOSR Award for research in Nanoscale Exciton-Mechanical Systems (NEXMS)
Prof. Deotare’s work will deepen our understanding of the underlying physics of exciton-mechanics interactions and help engineer novel devices for energy harvesting and up-conversion.
Steve Rand: expanding technical education in India
“India’s progress toward becoming a global economic power-player has generated an unprecedented need for a larger, highly trained workforce of engineers, scientists and technicians,” Rand said.
A better 3D camera with clear, graphene light detectors
While 3D films are currently made using multiple cameras to reconstruct each frame, this new type of camera could record in 3D on its own.
Gift launches M. Alten Gilleo distinguished lecture series in optical sciences and optoelectronics
Star Wars tech: How far are we? Chewie gets answers
Chewie talks to experts about spacecraft thrusters, light sabers, droids, carbonite and holograms.
Layered graphene beats the heat
An international team of researchers, led by faculty at the University of Michigan, have found that a layered form of graphene can expel heat efficiently, which is an important feature for its potential applications in building small and powerful electronics.
Glucose Monitoring with Lasers
Professor Islam is leading the reconstruction of super continuum lasers he designed to aid the military into a non-invasive tool to measure glucose in the blood system.
Michigan Light Project: Shining a light on optics
The MLP seeks to provide outreach and education about the world of optics in general, and the optics industry in Michigan specifically.
Next generation laser plasma accelerator
One of the most promising avenues for achieving new target levels of high peak intensity and high average power in an ultrafast laser system is to turn to fiber lasers.
Stephen Forrest named Peter A. Franken Distinguished University Professor
Prof. Forrest is internationally-renowned and easily one of the most prolific inventors in academia today.
ECE’s ideas worth spreading – TEDxUofM
Profs. Shai Revzen and Herbert Winful spoke about their passion for their work at the sixth annual conference, themed “Constructive Interference”.
Stephen Forrest receives 2015 Distinguished University Innovator Award
Prof. Forrest is widely acknowledged as one of the most successful academic inventors and entrepreneurs today.
Cheng Zhang awarded Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship for research on nanophotonic materials and devices
Cheng works with Prof. L. Jay Guo on research projects in the field of micro/nano-scale optical device physics and fabrication.
The future of solar: $1.3M to advance organic photovoltaics
The grant is aimed at advancing organic photovoltaics, a carbon-based version of solar technology that promises to change the way the sun’s energy is collected.
Ted Norris receives Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award
Prof. Norris is an internationally recognized expert in the field of ultrafast optics.
ECE welcomes four new faculty for 2014-15 academic year
These faculty deepen ECE’s areas of expertise in computer vision, communications and information theory, environmental remote sensing, and laser-plasma interactions.
Celebrating Gérard Mourou: From ultrafast to extreme light
Mourou put the University on the map in ultrafast optics when he established the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science in 1991.
New research program to investigate optical energy conversion
The fundamental objective of the research initiative is to uncover, explain, and exploit dynamic magneto-optical processes and materials for new technological capabilities.
A new way to make laser-like beams using 250x less power
With precarious particles called polaritons that straddle the worlds of light and matter, University of Michigan researchers have demonstrated a new, practical and potentially more efficient way to make a coherent laser-like beam.
T-ray converts light to sound for weapons detection, medical imaging
U-M researchers demonstrated a unique terahertz detector and imaging system that could bridge the terahertz gap.
Six ECE Faculty Selected for 2013-14 College of Engineering Awards
Congratulations to the following ECE Faculty recipients of 2013-14 College of Engineering Awards:Student Spotlight: Elizabeth Dreyer – Ambassador for Optics
Elizabeth’s research is to understand how a new interaction between light and matter can generate electricity.
New tech could lead to night vision contact lenses
The detector developed by University of Michigan engineering researchers doesn’t need bulky cooling equipment to work.
What are quantum computers going to do for us?
Michigan Engineering professor Duncan Steel explains how quantum computing works, using quantum bits that take on superpositions of 0 and 1 simultaneously.
Jun-Chieh Wang receives Best Oral Paper Award for plasma research
Wang’s research studies the glow-like atmospheric pressure microdischarges created under specialized conditions in laser printers.
Anatoly Maksimchuk elected Fellow of APS
Dr. Maksimchuk is a world leader in the field of high intensity laser plasma interactions.
MCubed A Year Later: A record of fostering innovative research
Several of the cubes enabled research to progress to the point that faculty are applying for larger grants to continue the work.
New algorithms and theory for shining light through non-transparent media
Their technique utilizes backscatter analysis to construct “perfectly transmitting” wavefronts.
Kyu Hyun Kim receives Emil Wolf Outstanding Student Paper Award at Frontiers in Optics Meeting
Mr. Kim was the first to demonstrate that both light and vibration could be used simultaneously in sensing.
New laser shows what substances are made of; could be new eyes for military
By shining the laser on a target and analyzing the reflected light, researchers can tell the chemical composition of the target.
A new laser paradigm: An electrically injected polariton laser
“It is no longer a scientific curiosity. It’s a real device.”
Using HERCULES to probe the interior of dense plasmas
Thanks to HERCULES, scientists are now able to study very dense plasmas — a crucial step in nuclear fusion and astrophysical research.
Super-fine sound beam could one day be an invisible scalpel
“We believe this could be used as an invisible knife for noninvasive surgery,” Guo said. “Nothing pokes into your body, just the ultrasound beam.”
Ted Norris named Gérard A. Mourou Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
In the tradition of our best faculty at Michigan, Ted is a phenomenal teacher and mentor as well as researcher. Congratulations!
A new way to cool materials with light
The work advances the scientific understanding of laser cooling technologies currently being pursued to explore the boundary between classical and quantum physics.
Four EECS Faculty recognized with College of Engineering Awards
Congratulations to these outstanding faculty members!
A smarter way to make ultraviolet light beams
The researchers have optimized an optical resonator to take an infrared signal from relatively cheap telecommunication-compatible lasers and boost it to an ultraviolet beam.
Celebrating the birth of a new science
The discovery of nonlinear optics was just one of several Michigan “firsts” that occurred about fifty years ago, and underscores the importance of involving undergrads in research.
Heather Ferguson awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Heather is studying Optical Sciences here at the University and will continue her research in this field – congratulations!
New NSF Center for Photonic and Multiscale Nanomaterials
“Advances in photonics depend critically on new materials, and this new center brings together top minds to focus on two of the most exciting new directions in materials for nanophotonics.”
New laser could treat acne with telecom technology
The laser could treat acne by targeting the oil-producing sebaceous glands, which are known to be involved in the development of the skin disease.
Nonlinear Optics at 50: A Symposium
As the birthplace of nonlinear optics, the University of Michigan is proud to host a symposium which will bring together some of the pioneers in the field.
Solar power without solar cells: A hidden magnetic effect of light could make it possible
This new technique could make solar power cheaper and, with improved materials, more efficient.
Ted Norris honored with Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award
Norris was praised by students and faculty alike for his abilities as a mentor, researcher, and educator.
HERCULES laser rivals a synchrotron for short pulse x-ray beams
By using the wiggling motion of electrons in a plasma bubble generated by the ultrashort laser pulse, researchers produced X-rays comparable to that produced in a synchrotron facility.
New work resolves long-standing questions about short pulses in quantum cascade lasers
Can the laser’s pulse propagate in such a way that it does not change its energy, and leaves the system in the excited state? Does the pulse speed up during propagation?
Organic laser breakthrough
The team is working toward building organic lasers that, like many inorganic lasers today, can be excited with electricity rather than light.
WIMS and CUOS among 60 Years of Sensational Research by NSF
The WIMS has impacted health care, environmental monitoring, the national infrastructure while CUOS specializes in ultrafast lasers.
Duncan Steel Honored with Graduate Student Mentor Award
Steel is honored for his efforts as advisor, teacher, advocate, sponsor, and role model to doctoral students.Tal Carmon receives Young Investigator Award for research in lasers and optics
The award will support Professor Carmon in three years of basic research on continuous on-chip extreme UV emitters.
Duncan Steel will advance quantum information processes in new MURI
Steel will concentrate his efforts on solid state systems, specifically with epitaxially grown InAs/lGaAs semiconductor quantum dots.
Duncan Steel awarded 2010 APS Frank Isakson Prize
Steel was chosen for contributions to nonlinear optical spectroscopy and coherent control of semiconductor heterostructures.
2009 College of Engineering Awards
UARTS 250 (Creative Process): One of the universitys most intriguing classes
The new course brings together faculty from Art, Architecture, Engineering, and Music — all found on North Campus.
Ted Norris and CUOS: Reaching new frontiers in ultrafast optical science
Comprised of electrical engineers, astrophysicists, physicists, materials scientists, biomedical engineers, and doctors, CUOS explore ultrafast laser applications.
In tunneling physics, a decades-old paradox is resolved
Professor Winful sheds light on one of the most perplexing mysteries of quantum tunneling.
Eric Tkacyk receives Best Paper Award for research in biomedical optics
Tkaczyk hopes that his technique will be used to further the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Congratulations!
Gérard A. Mourou: In pursuit of new directions in science
“The future of CUOS is bright,” said Mourou. “Nothing will stop the flow of discoveries.”