Aurelia Meiqi Brook

Department: Physics

Advisor: Arka Majumdar

My research under Professor Arka Majumdar concerns the study of light-matter interactions, semiconductor-based photonics, and meta-optics. Meta-optics are optical lenses formed by collections of nanometer-scale pillars, which allow for selective transmission and reflection of light at desired wavelengths. They provide a lightweight, compact solution to any application where this kind of tunability confers an advantage. This is especially the case for clean energy applications. For example, in imaging, hot objects emit thermal radiation in the infrared wavelength range; analyzing the spectrum of light emanating from an object provides a precise measurement of its temperature. Therefore, meta-optics which absorb infrared photons can be used to accurately track temperature changes in aerial surveys of vast regions. This can potentially aid in the detection of pollutants. Meta-optics can also be used to improve the absorption of sunlight in photovoltaic cells. Typical solar-thermal collectors often rely on complicated systems to track the sun’s movement. By contrast, meta-lenses can effectively capture sunlight from a wide variety of incident angles, eliminating the need to constantly adjust the panels. If our world is to adopt clean energy, it is crucial to study the way light and matter interact, and engineer efficient structures to make this a reality.