The Applied Physics faculty members are leaders in the fields of plasma physics and controlled fusion; solid-state physics; and optical and laser physics

Plasma Physics Faculty

Allen H. Boozer: Plasma theory, theory of magnetic confinement for fusion energy, nonlinear dynamics

Michael E. Mauel: Controlling high-temperature matter in the laboratory and studying the behavior of magnetized plasma to predict space weather and to achieve cost-effective fusion energy

Gerald A. Navratil: Plasma physics, plasma diagnostics, fusion energy science

Elizabeth Paul: Plasma physics; theory of the magnetic confinement of plasmas; fusion energy science; PDE-constrained optimization; shape optimization

Carlos Paz-Soldan: Plasma physics, magnetically confined plasmas, plasma stability and control, fusion energy technologies

Solid State & Optical Physics Faculty

William Bailey: nanoscale magnetic films and heterostructures, materials issues in spin-polarized transport, materials engineering of magnetic dynamics

Simon J. L. Billinge: Amorphous and nanostructured pharmaceuticals and molecular materials, methods for solving the nanostructure problem, nanoscale fluctuations in exotic electronic materials, nanostructured materials for energy and environmental remediation, software for complex modeling and nanostructure determination

Aravind Devarakonda (starting Jan '24): quantum materials synthesis, nanodevice fabrication, low-temperature physics; superconductivity, strongly-correlated matter, topologically ordered phases

Alexander L. Gaeta: Ultrafast nonlinear optics, nanophotonics, nonlinear propagation in fibers and bulk media, photonic crystal fibers, coherent interactions of laser light with matter, the generation of non-classical light fields, stimulated scattering processes

Irving P. Herman: Nanocrystals, optical spectroscopy of nanostructured materials, laser diagnostics of thin film processing, mechanical properties of nanomaterials

Chris A. Marianetti: Predicting materials properties from first-principles computations; materials with energy related applications; density-functional theory; dynamical mean-field theory; transition-metal oxides; actinides, energy storage and conversion materials

Latha Venkataraman: Single molecule electronics and mechanics, scanning tunneling microscopy & spectroscopy, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy

Wen Wang: Quantum and heterostructure optoelectronics, materials and devices, molecular beam epitaxy

Nanfang Yu: Mid-infrared and far-infrared optics and optoelectronic devices, active plasmonics and metamaterials with gain media, reconfigurable metainterfaces based on phased optical antenna arrays, biophotonics, and biologically inspired flat optics

Cross-Cutting Research

Our faculty's cross-cutting research addresses key and emerging areas in society, such as energy, environment, and health