{"id":15,"date":"2023-09-05T18:15:41","date_gmt":"2023-09-05T18:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/?page_id=15"},"modified":"2026-09-09T22:42:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T22:42:42","slug":"research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/research\/","title":{"rendered":"Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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We design the photons and the electrons to work together — then grow, fabricate and characterize the materials and devices that prove they do.<\/p>\n

“Full-stack” Optoelectronics: Design to Growth to Nanofabrication to Characterization to Analysis, then iterate<\/title>The lab owns five consecutive stages -- design, growth, nanofabrication, characterization and analysis -- and what is measured at the end feeds back into the next design.<\/desc>“Full-stack” Optoelectronics<\/text>Design<\/text>Growth<\/text>Nanofabrication<\/text>Characterization<\/text>Analysis<\/text>iterate<\/text><\/svg>“Full-stack” Optoelectronics: Design to Growth to Nanofabrication to Characterization to Analysis, then iterate<\/title>The lab owns five consecutive stages -- design, growth, nanofabrication, characterization and analysis -- and what is measured at the end feeds back into the next design.<\/desc>“Full-stack”<\/text>Optoelectronics<\/text>Design<\/text>Growth<\/text>Nanofabrication<\/text>Characterization<\/text>Analysis<\/text>iterate<\/text><\/svg>
We own every stage: design, growth, nanofabrication, characterization and analysis — then feed what we measure back into the next design.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n
\n
\"Integrated
The integrated design approach: photonic and electronic paradigms tuned together rather than in sequence.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Epitaxial Nanophotonics & Integrated Design<\/h2>\n

The design philosophy underneath everything else in the lab.<\/p>\n

Optoelectronic device design usually privileges the electron over the photon. The\nAPD Lab’s core belief is that epitaxial nanophotonics, coupled with an integrated design\napproach<\/strong>, is pivotal to advancing next-generation optoelectronic devices.<\/p>\n

That means working in two paradigms at once. In the photonic<\/em> paradigm we manipulate\nmaterial geometry and permittivity to strengthen light–matter interaction. In the\nelectronic<\/em> paradigm we tune band structure to amplify functionality or serve the photonic\ndesign. Holding both together demands a comprehensive understanding of the electronic, photonic,\nand atomic attributes of semiconductor materials.<\/p>\n

The payoff has been a broad family of enhanced devices across many materials, wavelengths, and\napplications — brighter luminescence, improved device response, lower noise, and\nsubstantially higher detector operating temperatures.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\"Trade-space
The trade-space of current SPD technologies. Notably, no single technology possesses all necessary characteristics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Quantum-limit Devices<\/h2>\n

Nanophotonic avalanche photodiodes chasing single-photon sensitivity.<\/p>\n

Epitaxial nanophotonic avalanche photodiodes (APDs) hold significant promise for\nquantum-limit single-photon detectors (SPDs). No single SPD technology today possesses every\nnecessary characteristic at once, and that gap is the opening we work in. Our emphasis is on the\ndesign, growth, fabrication, and thorough characterization of nanophotonic SPDs.<\/p>\n

The reach extends well past quantum information science. APDs underpin medical imaging —\nfluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, positron emission tomography, Cherenkov detection\n— as well as LIDAR and other consumer sensing.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\"Band
Alx<\/sub>Ga1-x<\/sub>N digital alloys: a short-period superlattice replaces a random alloy, decoupling composition from strain relief.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

UVC Laser Diodes<\/h2>\n

Pseudomorphic digital alloys for a laser diode that has resisted the field for decades.<\/p>\n

A practical, electrically injected laser diode in the ultraviolet-C remains one of\nthe outstanding challenges in compound semiconductor optoelectronics. We approach it through\npseudomorphic digital alloys<\/strong> — short-period AlN\/GaN superlattices grown\nstrain-matched to the underlying template — which decouple the composition needed for\ndeep-UV gain from the dislocation generation that ordinarily accompanies it.<\/p>\n

This work runs on Pomelo<\/em>, the lab’s nitride MBE system, with its nitrogen plasma\nsource, scandium cell, and custom photo-enhanced growth capability.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n
\"High-index
Nanophotonic structures supporting modes exclusive to high-index systems.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

High-index Nanophotonics<\/h2>\n

Exotic modes that only exist once the refractive index is high enough.<\/p>\n

Some optical modes are simply unavailable at low index contrast. We identify and\nexplore nanophotonic structures supporting modes exclusive to high-index systems<\/strong>\n— guided mode resonances, bound states in the continuum, and Mie-type photonic modes\n— then put them to work in real detectors and emitters.<\/p>\n

Hybridizing these resonances is how we push infrared detector performance and operating\ntemperature past what a conventional absorber-limited design allows.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n

\n

Projects and funding<\/h2>\n

5 active awards support the work above.<\/p>\n

\n
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Pseudomorphic Digital Alloys for Resilient UVC Laser Diodes<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Army Research Office<\/strong>
Early Career Program (ECP)<\/div>
Co-I: Leo Schowalter<\/div><\/div>\n
Oct 2024 – Sep 2029<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

Digital-alloy AlGaN heterostructures grown pseudomorphically to push ultraviolet-C laser diodes toward practical, radiation-resilient operation. Supports the group's nitride MBE effort on “Pomelo.”<\/p>

Part of UVC Laser Diodes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n

\n
\n

Nanophotonic Mid-wave Infrared Avalanche Photodiodes<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Air Force Office of Scientific Research<\/strong>
Young Investigator Program (YIP)<\/div><\/div>\n
Aug 2025 – Aug 2028<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

Pairing epitaxial nanophotonic resonances with avalanche gain to approach quantum-limit single-photon detection in the mid-wave infrared. Selected from a pool of more than 150 proposals.<\/p>

Part of Quantum-limit Devices<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n

\n
\n

High-index Hybrid-mode Nanophotonic Infrared Detectors<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Sandia National Laboratories<\/strong><\/div>\n
Oct 2024 – Sep 2027<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

Exploiting hybridized guided-mode and Mie-type resonances available only in high-refractive-index systems to raise infrared detector performance and operating temperature.<\/p>

Part of High-index Nanophotonics<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n

\n
\n

High Power Adaptive Wavefront Control<\/h3>\n Co-PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Army Research Office<\/strong>
PI: Guifang Li<\/div><\/div>\n
Jul 2026 – Nov 2026<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

Materials and device work supporting adaptive wavefront control at high optical power.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n

\n
\n

Electrically Switchable Reflective Amplitude Modulator in the MWIR<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Apex Microdevices LLC (AFRL)<\/strong>
Co-PI: C. Kyle Renshaw<\/div><\/div>\n
Jul 2026 – Nov 2026<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

A reflective, electrically switchable amplitude modulator for the mid-wave infrared, built on the group's epitaxial nanophotonics platform.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n

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Completed awards & user programs<\/h2>\n

Including Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) user proposals, which provide facility access rather than direct funding.<\/p>\n

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Exploring the Ultimate Limits of Non-degenerate two-photon absorption<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Sandia National Laboratories<\/strong>
Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) user proposal<\/div><\/div>\n
Jan 2026 – Jun 2026<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

Part of Quantum-limit Devices<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n

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Pulsed Laser-Assisted Synthesis of Materials for American-made semiconductors (PLASMAs)<\/h3>\n Co-PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
UCF Equipment Funding Program<\/strong>
PI: Piotr Kulik<\/div><\/div>\n
May 2025 – May 2026<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n<\/article>\n
\n
\n

Heteroepitaxial light emitting diodes for infrared scene projection applications<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Air Force Research Laboratory<\/strong><\/div>\n
Apr 2024 – Apr 2026<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n<\/article>\n
\n
\n

Epitaxial Heterojunction Lead-Selenide Photovoltaic Detectors for High-density Focal Plane Arrays<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Physical Sciences Incorporated (AFRL)<\/strong><\/div>\n
Jul 2025 – Nov 2025<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n<\/article>\n
\n
\n

Roadside Fog Detection Sensor Aging Studies of Camera Sensing Material Platform<\/h3>\n Co-PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Florida Department of Transportation<\/strong>
PI: Sudipta Seal<\/div><\/div>\n
Jan 2025 – Aug 2025<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n<\/article>\n
\n
\n

Nanophotonic short-wave infrared single-photon avalanche photodiodes<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Sandia National Laboratories<\/strong>
Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) user proposal<\/div><\/div>\n
Jan 2024 – Jun 2025<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n<\/article>\n
\n
\n

Advancing Light-Matter Interaction through High-Index Nanophotonics in the Mid-Infrared Range<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Sandia National Laboratories<\/strong>
Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) user proposal<\/div><\/div>\n
Jan 2024 – Jun 2025<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n<\/article>\n
\n
\n

Advancing Light-Matter Interaction through High-Index Nanophotonics in the Mid-Infrared Range<\/h3>\n PI<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
Sandia National Laboratories<\/strong>
CINT “Rapid Access” user proposal<\/div><\/div>\n
Oct 2023 – Feb 2024<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n
\n

Acknowledgment<\/h2>\n

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Army Research Office, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Department of Defense, Sandia National Laboratories, or the University of Central Florida.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

Related pages<\/h2>

Facilities<\/a> · Publications<\/a> · Join the lab<\/a><\/p><\/section>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RESEARCH IN THE APD LAB Core focus: “full-stack” optoelectronic device research, from engineering photon\u2013electron interactions and growing materials to fabricating devices and measuring their performance. Epitaxial Nanophotonics & Integrated Design The method underneath everything else in the lab. We own every stage: design, growth, nanofabrication, characterization and analysis — then feed what we measure back…","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullscreen.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-15","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":881,"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15\/revisions\/881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/creol.ucf.edu\/apd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}