Description of current projects

Photophysics and photochemistry of organic semiconductors  (Winston Goldthwaite, Kevin Dimmitt, Michael Chase, Madalyn Gragg)

Collaborations: Prof. J. E. Anthony (Dept. of Chemistry, University of Kentucky), Prof. M. Graham (Dept. of Physics, Oregon State University)

This project involves exploring photophysics and photochemistry of various organic semiconductor molecules, spanning femtoseconds to seconds time-scales after photoexcitation. The goal of the project is to understand how molecular structure and energetics affect various properties and processes such as singlet fission, energy and charge transfer, and chemical reactions responsible for photodegradation.

Photophysics, photochemistry, and optoelectronics of polaritons  (Roshell Lamug, Winston Goldthwaite, Michael Chase, Matt O'Meara)

Collaborations: Prof. L. Cheng (Dept. of EECS, Oregon State University), Prof. J. E. Anthony (Dept. of Chemistry, University of Kentucky)
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This project involves exploring optical and optoelectronic properties of organic materials and organic-inorganic heterojunctions in optical microcavities and other resonant structures.The goal of this project is to understand how polariton formation affects exciton and charge carrier dynamics, as well as photochemical reactions responsible for photodegradation.  

Exciton, magnon, and polariton dynamics in 2D magnets   (Piper Aislinn, Claire Swartz)

Collaborations: Prof. P. Dhagat (Dept. of EECS, Oregon State University), Prof. T. Zuehlsdorff (Dept. of Chemistry, Oregon State University), Prof. C. Fang (Dept. of Chemistry, Oregon State University), Prof. A. Rodriguez (Dept. of Mathematics, Oregon State University),

In this project, we explore spin waves and how they can be controlled by polaritons in 2D magnets and their hybrids with organic molecules.  

Innate response of wild bees to visual stimulus   (Madalyn Gragg, Jason Culley, Aidan Bagshaw, Corey Cleveland, Kien Peter)

Collaborations: Prof. J. Rivers (Dept. of Wood Science and Engineering, Oregon State University), Prof. T. Warren (Dept. of Horticulture, Oregon State University), Mr. K. Clark (NativeBees.com)

In this project, we use response of native (wild) bees to visual stimuli to attract the bees to food sources. Field studies are combined with optical characterization of bee traps and theoretical modeling.