Laboratory for Nonlinear Optical Studies of Macromolecular Photonic Materials

Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)

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Please visit our Wiki page to learn more about each of our current research projects.

Group Members

L. Michael Hayden, Director (410-455-3199, hayden@umbc.edu)
Colin McLaughlin, Graduate research assistant, cmclaug1@umbc.edu
Paul Cunningham, Graduate research assistant, pcunni1@umbc.edu, Paul's personal webpage
Nestor Valdes, Graduate research assistant, nestor1@umbc.edu
JD Dulny, Undergraduate research assistant
Ian Nolen, Undergraduate research assistant

Former post-doctoral researchers

Dr. Won-Kook Kim, Post-doctoral Research Associate, Molecular modeling of nonlinear optical polymers (1998-2000)
Dr. Xuemei Zheng, Post-doctoral Research Associate, Electro-optic polymers in THz systems (2004-2007)

Former PhD students and dissertations

Shane C. Brower
“Activation Volumes Associated with Chromophore Reorientation in Corona Poled Polymers: Their Physical Significance and Relationship to Stability” (1996) (Chair, Department of Physics, Grove City College)

Shane J. Strutz
“Dopant Mobility and the Performance of Nonlinear Optical Polymers” (1999) (Section Head, Naval Research Lab, Washington, DC)

Alex M. Sinyukov
“Electro-optic Polymers for Terahertz Applications”, (2005) (Post-doctoral associate NJIT)

Megan Leahy
“Terahertz Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling of Nonlinear Optical Polymers” (2006) (Staff scientist, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab)

Mark Stephen
“Remote Detection of Atmospheric Pressure Using a Fiber-Based Laser Transmitter and Laser Spectroscopy of the Oxygen A-Band” (2008) (Staff Scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center)

Colin McLaughlin
Electro-optic polymers for THz devices (expected in 2009)

Paul Cunningham
Optical pump-THz probe studies of organic photoconductors (expected in 2009)

Undergraduate Research Projects

Dan Kokron
Measured the electro-optic coefficients of a new accordion nonlinear optical polymer (1992-93).

Najeeb Mokal
(EE student) Measured the thermal stability of the second order nonlinear optical susceptibility in a new accordion polymer (1993).

Ellen Talbot
Measured the thickness and index of various polymers using the prism waveguide technique (1993).

Todd Sprecher
Constructed computer controlled second harmonic generation experiment to study thermal relaxation in polymers (1994).

Kennita Johnson
Automated existing optical experiments and constructed a new computer controlled experiment to measure the effects of crosslinking on the stability of nonlinear optical polymers (1995).

Kennita Johnson
Studied the effect of cross-linking density on the stability of a new nonlinear optical polymer synthesized by collaborators at Utah State University (1996).

Lance Chilcoat
(Woodlawn High School student) Wrote computer programs to automate dielectric relaxation experiments (1996).

Michael Nilles
(Chemistry student) Measured the electro-optic effect and four wave mixing diffraction efficiency in photorefractive polymers (1996-1997).

Drew Kowalevicz
Studied the effect of poling nonlinear optical polymers under hydrostatic pressure. Measured the complex dielectric function of those polymers under applied pressure (1996-1998).

Reni Ayachitula
Studied the photochromic and photorefractive effect in dual use chromophores. (1999-2000).

Peter Lindahl
(Summer student from Syracuse University) Studied electro-optic effects in polymers. (2000)

Kristi Harris
Studied effects and applications of electrooptic and photorefractive polymers (1998-2001).

Anthony Hoffman
Studied nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymeric photonic materials. (2001-2004).

Joseph French
Developed computer program to analyze guided wave parameters for optical thin films. Developed computer program to automate THz experiments. Studied nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymeric photonic materials. Used molecular modeling to study the poling efficiency in electro-optic dendrimers (2001-2005).

Peter Lindahl
(Summer student from Penn State University) Studied electro-optic effects in polymers. (2002-2003)

Eric Montgomery
Studied nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymeric photonic materials. (2003)

Devon Jackson
Studied nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymeric photonic materials. (2003-2004)

Andrea Abler
Studied nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymeric photonic materials. Developed an automated EO experiment. Learned to operate a femtosecond, amplified Ti:Sapphire laser system. (2003-2005)

Ryan Dorrill
Studied nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymeric photonic materials. (2005)

Sam Hedemann
Built interferometer to measure electro-optic coefficients in poled polymer thin films (2006).

Chris Najmi
Built interferometer to measure electro-optic coefficients in poled polymer thin films (2006).

Justin Sigley
Built new temperature controlled electric field poling apparatus for poling EO polymer films (2007).

Joseph Dulny
Investigating guest-host cooperativity in poled electro-optic polymers (2008-2009).

Ian Nolen
Built multiple-angle electro-optic experiment (2008-2009).

Lab Tour

Typical student work spaces in the labs:

406C lab

406D lab

This is the THz lab:

Femtosecond lab