Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

About the Lab

Iowa State University’s Plasmonics and Microphotonics Laboratory is operated by Assistant Professor Jaeyoun Kim.

Researchers in this lab aim to combine the utilization of optical technologies in nano- to micron-scales. They currently are pursing two major topics in the lab:

• Utilize surface plasmon-polaritons (SPPs) to enhance the interaction between material and optical waves. SPPs are hybrids of optical waves and oscillations of electron density in metal and couple to external optical waves resonantly when certain conditions were met. We are striving to realize more efficient photovoltaic devices and more sensitive biosensors by utilizing the strong resonance, which can significantly enhance the strength of electric field.
• Miniaturization of existing or new optical systems using microfabrication technology. Recent advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfluidics have enabled many new concepts previously unattainable in conventional optics. We are keen on maximally utilizing these new concepts to implement dynamically tunable, miniaturized optical sensors for future medicine.
  

Lab Equipment

• Inverted optica microscope (Leica)
• Optical spectrometer with cooled CCD (Princeton Instruments)
• Oxygen plasma asher (Diener Electronics)
• Polymer spinner (Laurell Tech)
• Various lasers
• Optomechanical stages
• Optical power meters
  

Current Students

Jiwon Lee - ECpE, Ph.D.
Yifen Liu - ECpE, Ph.D.
Yu Liu - ECpE, Ph.D.
Yafang Tan - ECpE, M.S.

Current Collaborators

Kyoung Jin Yoon - Vet Med Sci

Primary External Collaborators

Ki-Hun Jeong, KAIST, Korea