Today, we covered a plethora of topics relating to pn junctions, imaging, and quantum wells. We learned about the different applications of forward, reverse, and neutral bias including how they are utilized in solar cells and photodetectors. Moreover, we went in depth about the imaging fundamentals, specifically about the applications in lenses and human eyes. Shortly after the lecture, we took a brief tour in the NANO3 labs and saw how chip research was conducted on campus. We learned about the proper lab attire to prevent particle contamination and the specific lighting to avoid damage to the chips. In the afternoon, we got the chance to create our own solar cells out of conduction glass panels, titanium dioxide, blackberry juice, and iodine electrolytes.

Our first lecture with Dr. Sahar! Today we explored the mathematics behind waves, specifically about how they are represented as a sinusoidal function of both space and time. We spent the remainder of the lecture reviewing math concepts (vector components & operations), going over wave variables (angular frequency, amplitude, etc), and examining simulations. This more math focused class was a great change of pace for many of us as it was much more interactive and allowed us to review past concepts.

Lab Day! In our morning session, we experimented with laser diodes to find current threshold and dispersion angle. We then revisited diffraction and experimented with different apertures/gratings. We used a CCD camera, a hair strand, and their resulting diffraction patterns to find pixel dimensions and the width of the hair strand. In the afternoon, Dr. Sahar led us through a quantum cryptography workshop where we used wave plates, lasers, and photodetectors to create a binary encryption key. We then used the key to encrypt/decrypt a hidden word.

This morning we held our last work session for the Ethics Essay as students finalized their drafts and engaged in peer review. In the afternoon, Dr. Peter led us through an optical fiber experiment where we used a laser to find the numerical aperture and number of modes in a fiber. Shortly after, the professors introduced the different projects which included quantum cryptography, fiber optics, and even an escape room! We listed our top two picks and were split into our respective groups.