AU ECE - Nano-Optics, Photonics & MEMS Research Group (OPM-RG)

Nano-Optics, Photonics & MEMS

Research Group (OPM-RG)

The Nano-Optics, Photonics & MEMS Research Group (OPM-RG) explores characteristics and interactions of light with nanomaterials (materials with dimensions 1000x < a strand of hair).

Light, which is a spectrum of electromagnetic waves, governs the world around us by its interactions. OPM-RG develops new technologies by employing nanomaterials that can harness unique properties of light at the nanoscale. These unique properties of light have countless applications in sensing, communication, imaging, energy, agriculture, and health.

Nano-Optics & Photonics

The major areas of research in nano-optics and photonics include but are not limited to:

Color filtering and sensing. Devices that display RGB or CMY color primaries and therefore can detect changes in reflection and transmission.
Thin-film devices. Devices that employ a stack of thin films (do not require patterning from EBL).
Plasmonic devices. Devices that employ surface plasmons to achieve different optical phenomena.
Metamaterial and metasurface absorbers. Devices that can absorb broadband or a narrowband spectrum of electromagnetic waves depending on the desired application.
Photovoltaics and STPV systems. Devices that can increase solar energy extraction through PV cells with the help of absorbers and emitters.
Birefringence and chirality. Devices that display variation in refractive index depending on direction of incident EM wave or polarization of EM wave.
Imaging through metasurface lenses. Devices that can focus light. Further areas can be classified into: (i) hyperspectral lensing, (ii) chiral lensing, (iii) achromatic lensing.
Zero-index materials. These devices show zero-refractive index at particular wavelengths/frequencies.
Bio-sensing and bio-medical devices. Devices that are used to sense different biological specimens by employing metamaterials or metasurfaces.
2D materials and their corresponding devices. Devices made from 2D materials, e.g., graphene.
Disease detection through metasurfaces. Devices that employ principles like chirality to detect various diseases.
THz devices. Devices that operate in THz regime (0.1-10 THz).
Optoelectronic devices. Devices that employ electronic circuitry as well as optical elements.
Holography. Devices that store phase information of a 2D or a 3D picture and then display a hologram when illuminated with light.
Cloaking devices. Devices that can render a solid object invisible which they encapsulate.
Photonic crystals and Bragg gratings. Devices that can reflect particular wavelengths and transmit others.
Machine learning and AI in optics and photonics. This research area focuses on designing devices by employing ML and AI algorithms.

MEMS

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) refer to sensors and actuators manufactured based on semiconductor microfabrication technology, including pressure sensors, acceleration sensors, gyro sensors, microphones, bandpass filters, inkjet printer heads, image engines for projectors, and infrared rays. They are widely used around the world as sensors. MEMS are used as key devices in everyday devices such as smartphones, tablets, game machines, and automobiles. If LSI is the brain of a machine, MEMS can be said to be a sensory organ, etc., and a device that connects humans and machines.