Research Activities
As of 04/26/26, I have published 140 peer-reviewed journal articles, 2 book chapters, 12 conference proceedings, 9 peer-reviewed comments on journal articles, 4 technical reports, and 35 letters to journals. A complete list of my presentations is online: 83 conference talks, 21 conference posters, 54 seminars, and 17 job talks.
I have been developing high-power fiber lasers including construction of Q-switched pulsed MOPAs (Master Oscillator Power Amplifiers) and theoretical & experimental characterization of SBS (Stimulated Brillouin Scattering). I summarize chapter 9 of Agrawal's book on Nonlinear Fiber Optics. I also review computations from Boyd's book Nonlinear Optics on Brillouin amplification.
An ongoing large research project is the cooling of solids using laser light. I made some spectroscopic measurements of fluorescence upconversion of CdS quantum dots dispersed in PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate). I have also reviewed the prospects for laser cooling of semiconductors.
At USNA, theory and experiments have been developed for eddy-current braking of tumbling CubeSat satellites. I have worked with Prof. Jin Kang and the late CDR Bob Bruninga in Aerospace Engineering. Several midshipmen have been involved.
I have been interested in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). I have written a review of luminescence quantum efficiency measurements and a brief note about luminance cameras. You might also tease yourself with the following optics quiz.
I have investigated how rough surfaces scatter light into various directions and polarization states. I have written a long review of the literature on this topic, as well as a description of some measurements I have performed on lidar targets and building materials.
I have also done projects on energy transfer between solid-state impurities and on photoconductivity of thin films.
These involve students and colleagues at the Air Force Academy, Laboratory for Physical Sciences, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Army Research Lab, Naval Research Lab, University of West Florida, Los Alamos National Lab, Eglin Air Force Base, and University of Georgia.
" If you want something to be easy, work hard at it."