Optics and Photonics

People working within this area include:

Plasmonics

When light interacts with a conductive material, the electromagnetic field set the electrons near the surface into motion. In turns the electron motion produces and electromagnetic field, which influences the motion of the electrons and so on. Under appropriate conditions, this leads to a periodic combined oscillation of the electrons and the field, known as a plasmon. Plasmons allow electromagnetic fields to be confined in to small volumes, and can significantly enhance interactions between light and molecules.

THz imaging

THz waves have a frequency that sits in-between the microwaves and the infrared. Many materials are transparent in this frequency range, which makes THz uniquely suited to be used for non-invasive inspection.

Imaging in scattering media

Visible light scatter from most materials. On one hand this is good because it allows us to see what surrounds us, but on the other hand it makes most materials (including our own body) opaque and difficult to image. Learning more about light scattering helps us to develop techniques to image even through opaque or turbid media.

Investigating the optical and photonic properties of animals and plants across the natural world

This research is motivated by the goal of fundamentally understanding naturally evolved strategies at work in the manipulation of light by biological systems. Its principle aims comprise development of a critical knowledge base of biological strategies involved in natural photonic system processes and applying it both to improve existing technologies and to design innovative new optical devices.