HPDLRG
High Power Laser Research Group
Welcome to HPDLRG
This site provides an overview of our current research and aims. Our group focuses on the fabrication of the highest-power, highest-efficiency, and highest-brightness semiconductor lasers possible.
We bond and package these devices for the purpose of characterization, of which we perform a full suite of industry standard tests.
Research
The High-Power Diode Laser Research Group (HPDLRG) at CREOL develops next-generation semiconductor lasers with the goal of achieving record levels of power, efficiency, brightness, and reliability.
Our research combines carefully designed experiments with simulation and modeling to understand the fundamental physical limits of diode laser performance and translate those insights into novel device designs.
We investigate a wide range of architectures, including edge-emitting and distributed-feedback lasers, vertical-cavity and photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers, semiconductor optical amplifiers, and other light-emitting semiconductor devices.
News
Latest news and updates coming soon. Please check back for announcements about new publications, group events, and recent experimental results.
Publications
Work in progress
People
Currently the HPDLRG is headed by Dr. Leisher and consists of Jason Ser, Jeremy Goodenough, Vivien Lui, Nicholas Raden, Jass (Joseph) Stanley, Scott Meadows, Finn Sendlenski, and Leah Groh. Contact information can be found below or by clicking the contact tab.
Prof. Paul Leisher
Phone: 812-264-3389
Email: paul.leisher@ucf.edu
Paul received his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois in 2007 and has gone on to author/coauthor 350 technical patents, journal articles, and conference presentations. His current research interests include thermoreflectance and laser characterization.
Jason Ser
Phone: 407-840-2340
Email: jason.ser@ucf.edu
Jason joined the group in May 2026. He graduated from UCF with the 2025 fall class receiving a B.S in Optics and Photonic Engineering. His work involves the research of thermal interface resistance for laser bonding.
Jeremy Goodenough (Graduate Student)
Phone: 253-985-5092
Email: jeremey.goodenough@ucf.edu
Jeremy joined the group in March of 2026. He will graduate with the summer class of 2026 at UCF and will receive a B.S in Optics and Photonics Engineering. His work involves the design of PERCSEL devices and InP Tapered lasers.
Vivien Liu (Graduate Student)
Phone: 413-437-6095
Email: vivien.liu@ucf.edu
Vivien joined the group in June of 2026. She graduated from Amherst College in 2026 with a degree in Physics. Currently she is involved with the development of a simulation for PCSELs under 3D coupled wave theory and tapered InP lasers.
Nicholas Raden (Graduate Student)
Phone: 414-308-0271
Email: nicholas.raden@ucf.edu
Nicholas joined the group in April 2026. He received a degree in physics from UW-La Crosse with the 2025 class. He is involved with the research spatially resolved gain of active lasers.
Jass (Joseph) Stanley (Graduate Student)
Phone: 805-559-5277
Email: joseph.stanley@ucf.edu
Jass joined the group in June 2026. He received a B.S in physics from CSUN in 2024 and a master's in physics from CSUN in 2026. Currently he is involved in researching thermal reflectance.
Finn Sendlenski (Undergraduate Student)
Phone: 813-614-4952
Email: finn.sendlenski@ucf.edu
Finn joined the group in May 2026. He will graduate with a B.S in Optics and Photonic Engineering in 2028.
Leah Groh (Undergraduate Student)
Gallery
Contact
CREOL-A237
University of Central Florida
4304 Scorpius St
Orlando, FL 32816
Phone: 407-823-0975
e-mail: paul.leisher@ucf.edu