Areas of Research:
Our research focuses on the science and technology of nonlinear optical materials.  The work straddles materials science, physics, and optical engineering. We have three areas of current interest:

1. Multiferroics: Multiferroics are an exciting class of materials that have co-existing ferroelectricity and magnetism.   To study the coupled dynamics of electrical and magnetic domains, we are performing real-time nonlinear optical probing with simultaneous measurement of coupled properties such as magnetoelectric effect, electro-optic and magneto-optic effects, hysteresis, and dielectric spectroscopy.  The nanoscale structure of single domain walls is studied using scanning probe techniques such as piezoelectric force-, magnetic force-, nonlinear dielectric-, electric force- , and near-field scanning optical microscopies. Modeling tools include Ginzburg-Landau phenomenology, finite element method, and electromagnetic simulations.
2. Nonlinear optical devices:  We are developing a new class of devices by integrating diverse optical functionalities, such as optical frequency conversion, beam steering, dynamic focusing, beam shaping and high-speed switching, on a single ferroelectric chip by microengineering ferroelectric domains into gratings, lenses, prisms, and other arbitrary shapes.
3. Hybrid semiconductor-metal-oxide nanostructures:  In a recent breakthrough with Badding group (Chemistry), we have demonstrated microstructured silica optical fibers which contain hundreds of extreme aspect ratio (~105) semiconductor and metal-filled nanowires in a highly periodic array.  We are currently characterizing light guiding and nonlinear optical responses of these hybrid fibers. 

 Experimental tools include ultrafast femtosecond lasers, electro-optics and fiber optics, scanning probe microscopies, dielectric and magnetic measurements, clean room, cryogenics, and simulations based on home-written MATLAB as well as commercial codes.