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Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Chih-Chun Chien Chih-Chun Chien
Associate Professor, Physics

Theoretical atomic and molecular physics.

cchien5@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-2224
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Jay E. Sharping Jay E. Sharping
Professor, Physics

Professor Sharping's research involves building a fundamental understanding of -  and developing technology and applications for -  ultrafast laser technology. These lasers have the potential to capture extremely short snapshots in time, as well as measure frequencies with unprecedented precision and accuracy. The applications are numerous in the areas of environmental science, biotechnology and national security. The research his group pursues will result in transferable technological advances (e.g., new optical sources), which will have a broad impact in:

  • Physics -  e.g., studies of atomic- and molecular-optical interactions
  • Chemistry -  e.g., ultra-sensitive spectroscopy
  • Biology -  e.g., time-resolved studies of biological processes
jsharping@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-4049
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Jing Xu Jing Xu
Associate Professor, Physics
  • Experimental biophysics
  • Quantitative biology
  • Optical trapping
  • Single-molecule and small-ensemble experiments
  • Molecular motors
jxu8@ucmerced.edu
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Kevin Mitchell Kevin Mitchell
Professor, Physics
  • Nonlinear dynamics and classical/quantum chaos, with applications to atomic and molecular physics
  • Semi-classical phase-space techniques
  • Topological and geometric methods for low-dimensional systems
  • Geometric/Berry phase and gauge theory
kmitchell@ucmerced.edu
(209) 201-3471
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Lin Tian Lin Tian
Professor, Physics

Quantum optics and quantum coherent effects in condensed matter systems

  • Quantum information
  • Quantum simulation
ltian@ucmerced.edu
(209) 386-3196
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Michael Scheibner Michael Scheibner
Associate Professor, Physics
  • Light-matter interactions
  • Nanostructured materials
  • Coupled quantum systems
  • Quantum information
mscheibner@ucmerced.edu
(209) 230-5509
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Raymond Chiao Raymond Chiao
Professor Emeritus, Physics

Raymond Chiao is a professor jointly in the UC Merced schools of Natural Sciences and Engineering. Previously, he was a professor for 38 years at UC Berkeley, where he earned international acclaim (including the Willis E. Lamb Medal and the Einstein Prize for Laser Science) studying nonlinear and quantum optics. At UC Merced, is pursuing a new line of groundbreaking research on gravitational radiation.

rchiao@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-8662
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Roland Winston Roland Winston
Professor, Physics
  • Solar power and renewable energy
  • Elementary particle physics
  • Non-imaging optics
rwinston@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-4346
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Sayantani Ghosh Sayantani Ghosh
Professor, Physics

Professor Ghosh's research interests span traditional topics in condensed matter physics such as correlated magnetic phases and coupled quantum systems, as well as emerging multi-disciplinary themes such as hybrid solar cells and plasmonics-based opto-electronic devices. Her group focuses on the physics of new materials and using ultra-fast time resolved spectroscopy, develops techniques and protocols to manipulate their properties for applications in energy storage and information processing devices.
The current research topics in her group include:

  • Cooperative energy transfer dynamics in self-assembled nanostructured materials
  • Directed assembly of metallic, magnetic and semiconducting nanostructures using liquid crystal based electro-optically active matrices
  • Hybrid photovoltaic devices including solar cells and luminescent solar concentrators
  • Exotic magnetic phases originating from geometric frustration in doped and undoped systems

In addition, Professor Ghosh is also the founding faculty and advisor of UC Merced Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE@UCM).

sghosh@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-4055
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