Information for Prospective Group Members

As a student in our group, you will learn to use lasers to study the optical and spin properties of semiconductors. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in spintronics, or devices that use electron spins for information processing. We use pulsed lasers to measure the time evolution of spin packets in semiconductors with sub-picosecond resolution, using a technique that is similar to using a strobe light in high-speed photography.

We are also interested in semiconductor nanostructures, such as quantum dots and quantum wires, where quantum confinement has dramatic effects on the optical properties of the material, which has applications for novel light sources and solar cells.

Another way to manipulate the optical property of a material is to design and make a photonic crystal. In these nanostructured materials, it is possible to make small optical cavities that localize photons at length scales that are smaller than the wavelength. We design these cavities using computer simulations and will make the devices using electron-beam lithography and etching in the Michigan Nanofabrication Facility (cleanroom) on North Campus.

In addition to learning a lot about optics, semiconductor physics, and materials science, you will also be introduced to a valuable set of research techniques, from designing and setting up an experiment to working with lasers and cryostats, from writing programs to interface with equipment to making and characterizing semiconductor devices.

If you're interested in joining the group or have any questions, feel free to contact me!

Vanessa Sih