Professional Experience

A PDF version of my CV can be obtained from here.

Education

Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Optics and Photonics), Georgia Institute of Technology, Jan 2015 - May 2019 (expected)
M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering (Chemistry), Georgia Institute of Technology, Aug 2013 - Dec 2014
B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering (Optoelectronics), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Aug 2009 - May 2013

Research Experience

Jan 2015 - present: Graduate Research Assistant, ECE, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Advisors: T. K. Gaylord and M. S. Bakir

• Project 1: Efficiency Optimization and Angular Misalignment Analysis of Interlayer Grating Couplers for 2.5D/3D Integrated Photonics
  · Proposed a new simulation method based on the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) to accurately calculate the coupling efficiency of interlayer grating couplers with various profiles and analyze the effects of angular misalignments
  · Demonstrated proficiency in optimization algorithm, Matlab/Python, FDTD (Lumerical and MEEP), FEM (Comsol), and ray tracing (Zemax) simulations as well as solid understanding of integrated photonics and diffractive optics
  

• Project 2: Design and Fabrication of Grating-Assisted-Cylindrical-Resonant-Cavities (GARC) Interlayer Couplers for 2.5D/3D Integrated Photonics
  · Invented a new type of interlayer optical coupler (GARC) based on cylindrical resonant cavities and circular gratings to achieve efficient and broadband interlayer coupling, which is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 62/557,240
  · Microfabricating the designed GARC couplers and grating couplers using Si/CMOS techniques, and measuring the coupling efficiency and the spectral response using IR tunable laser, polarizer, lock-in amplifier and photodetector
  

• Project 3: Design and Fabrication of Self-Aligned Fiber Alignment Fixture for Easier Integration and Assembly
  · Fabricating a novel multiple-use self-aligned fiber/fiber array alignment fixture to achieve easy vertical or butt coupling
  · Demonstrated strength in microfabrication, optical system integration/alignment, optical metrology, and data analysis
  

Aug 2013 - Dec 2014: Graduate Research Assistant, MSE, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Advisor: Z. Lin
• Project: Core-Shell Nanoparticle Synthesis Using Atomic Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP)
  · Constructed COMSOL model (FEM) of Au/TiO2 nanoparticles and performed surface plasma resonance analysis
  · Synthesized block-copolymer chains on star-like micro-initiators as bi-phased and spherical nanoparticle scaffords
  

Aug 2010 - May 2013: Undergraduate Research Assistant, MSE, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Advisor: J. A. Rogers
• Project: Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube (SW-CNT) Synthesis and Transistor Fabrication
  · Fabricated FeO catalyst lines by microfabrication techniques and produced CNTs by chemical vapor deposition
  · Integrated semiconducting CNTs as channels in transistors and tested I-V characteristics by the probe station
  

Jan 2013 - May 2013: Undergraduate Senior Design, MSE, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Advisor: M. Shim
• Project: Flexible/Wearable QLED Display Integration and Testing
  · Sandwiched self-assembled CdSe quantum dot monolayer between TFB (with PEDOT:PSS) hole transporting layer and ZnO nanoparticle electron transporting layer, which was then encapsulated by ITO coated parylene-epoxy and transfered to a flexible polyimide substrate
  · Measured the PL of the quantum dot layer and J-V-L, EL and EQE characteristics of the QLED
  

Internship Experience

May 2017 - Aug 2017: Research Intern, OFS Fitel LLC

• Advisor: D. Peckham
• Project: Dopant Diffusion Modeling and Fiber Testing
  · Developed dopant diffusion models for fiber D2 treatment and reaction-limited process using Python
  · Conducted microbending/macrobending test and OTDR test on single-mode fibers and SCUBA fibers
  · Improved fusion splicing recipes for single-mode fibers, submarine SCUBA fibers and terrestrial ULL fibers
  

May 2011 - Aug 2011: Research Intern, Institute of Microelectronics at Chinese Academy of Science

• Advisor: M. Liu
• Project: Fabrication and Testing of Resistive-Switching Nonvolatile Memory RRAM
  · Deposited TaOx thin films by reactive RF magnetron sputtering using a Ta target in oxygen ambient and controlled oxygen profile of TaOx by annealing in oxygen
  · Investigated the oxidation-reduction mechanism of RRAM’s conducting channel and measured channel resistances, I-V curves and set/reset currents
  

Technical Strengths

Software and Programming Skills:

• Matlab, Python, LabVIEW, COMSOL, Lumerical (FDTD, MODE, DEVICE, INTERCONNECT), MEEP FDTD, BeamPROP, Zemax, ANSYS, SAS JMP, GenISys BEAMER, Autocad, Solidworks, Latex, InDesign, PhotoShop, Illustrator, C and C++, Java
  

Electromagnetic/Optoelectronic Theory and Devices:

• Fourier optics, diffractive optics, geometric optics, integrated photonics, passive components (waveguide, fiber, grating, coupler, splitter, resonator, interferometer, etc.), active components (laser, photodetector, modulator, amplifier, multi- plexer, switch, etc.), gratings for AR glasses, spatial light modulator (MEMS, liquid crystal), imaging theory (Abbe’s and Hopkins’ method), full-wave simulation, finite-difference time domain (FDTD), finite element method (FEM), rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA), beam propagation method (BPM), coupled mode theory, coupled wave theory
  

Optical system integration and testing:

• passive alignment (flip-chip bonder), active alignment (6-degree rotation stage, laser, photodetector, etc.), time-of-flight measurement, frequency domain measurement, linewidth measurement, optical power measurement, digital communications analyzer (DCA), vector network analyzer (VNA), bit error ratio tester (BERT)
  

Microfabrication Techniques:

• UV lithography, laser lithography, e-beam lithography, mask alignment, e-beam evaporation, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, reactive ion etching, oxygen plasma treatment, sputtering, transfer printing
  

Microscopy Techniques:

• scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy
  

Solution-Based Chemical Synthesis and Analysis:

• distillation, rotary evaporation, precipitation, column chromatography, gel permeation chromatography, atom transfer radical polymerization, nuclear magnetic resonance testing
  

Peer-Review for Optics and Photonics

IEEE Photonics Technology Letters
Optics Letters
Optics Communications