Time & Location: 9:00 Nov. 21
Room 104 in the Physics Building(3-104)
Title: Epsilon Near Zero Materials vs. Slow Light and Other Resonance Phenomena: Anything New?
Abstract:We examine the characteristics of optical materials with near zero real part of permittivity (ENZ), and compare them with other materials relying on resonance where Re(ε)~0 (e.g. plasmonics) or Re(1/ε)~0 (e.g. slow light, microresonators, e.t.c.). Despite being seemingly very diverse phenomena all of the resonant effects share a key common characteristics – slow group velocity. Consequently, whether one operates near a zero or a pole in optical response, one is bound to gain the same very useful enhancement of some properties such as nonlinearity, and, regrettably, the commensurate increase of loss and reduction in bandwidth
Speaker Bio(s):
Jacob B. Khurgin graduated with an M.S. in optics from the Institute of Fine Mechanics and Optics in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1979. By 1980, he had emigrated to the U.S., where, to his great surprise, he almost immediately landed a job with Philips Laboratories in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. For eight years, he worked with varying degrees of success on miniature solid-state lasers, II-VI semiconductor lasers, various display and lighting fixtures, X-ray imaging, and small appliances such as electric shavers and coffeemakers (for which he holds three patents). He simultaneously pursued graduate studies at the Polytechnic Institute of New York, which is now known as the New York University School of Engineering, from which he received a Ph.D. in electrical engineering in January 1987. A year later, prompted by a promotion to department manager, Khurgin's industrial career came to an abrupt end. He joined the electrical and computer engineering department of Johns Hopkins University, where, despite ever-present reservations about the place, he has settled down and currently serves as a professor.
