Arto Nurmikko
Professor:
Engineering
Phone: +1 401 863 2869
Phone 2: +1 401 863 1386
Arto_Nurmikko@brown.edu
Professor Nurmikko carries out research in experimental laser sciences, nanophotonics, active electronic nanomaterials, and neuroenginering/neurotechnology. Topics of interest range from basic semiconductor physics, to the development and application of new optoelectronic devices (such as ultraviolet semiconductor sources, and development of new approaches to neural signal detection from the brain and neural stimulation.
Interests
Professor Nurmikko carries out research in experimental laser sciences, optoelectronics, condensed matter physics, and neuroengineering. Topics range from basic condensed matter physics to the development new optoelectronic devices, to methods of recording brain signals. In his basic research, one example includes the use of ultrashort pulse laser techniques (to femtosecond timescale) for study of the dynamics of nanostructured electronic materials such as semiconductor quantum dots. He also studies means to manipulate states of magnetization in very thin ferromagnetic films by laser light at exceptionally high speeds, that might be of interest to the magnetic information technologies. A new recent direction developing new probes of neuronal activity of the brain, aiming at interfacing biological information processors (neurons) with microelectronic and optoelectronic implantable microsystems.
Nurmikko's device research includes advancing semiconductor light sources into the ultraviolet. These highly compact light sources will significantly impact future high density optical storage systems and fluorescent-based chemical and biological analytical instrumentation. The research issues involve the synthesis and characterization of wide bandgap semiconductors and the understanding of the physical processes which enhance photon emission in microcavity resonators. Another research component involves the development of very high speed chipscale all-optical switches. The students in Professor Nurmikko's group develop expertise in design and fabrication of these cutting edge devices by using the advanced microelectronic facilities and other sophisticated equipment at Brown.
Awards
Fellow of the American Physical Society, Fellow of the Optical Society of America, and Fellow of the IEEE. Simon Guggenheim Fellow. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Affiliations
American Physical Society
IEEE
Optical Society of America
Society for Neuroscience
Web Links
- Professor Nurmikko's Group
- Grant aimed at speeding up electrons (GSJ of March 3, 2000)
- A 'smoke alarm' for anthrax (GSJ of June 21, 2002)
- Nurmikko at the helm of project to develop advanced materials for federal government's energy plan
