Prof. Aristide Dogariu

UCF Trustee Chair Pegasus
Professor, Optics and Photonics
Office: CREOL A111
Email: adogariu@creol.ucf.edu
Phone: 407-823-6839

Aristide Dogariu received his PhD from Hokkaido University and he is the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence Professor of Optics. His research interests include optical physics, waves propagation and scattering, electromagnetism, and random media characterization. Professor Dogariu is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, the Physical Society of America, and currently serves as the division editor of Applied Optics – Optical Technology.

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Google Scholar

Ernesto

Jimenez-Villar

Post Doctoral Scholar

Mahdi

Eshaghi

Post Doctoral Scholar

Shubham

Dawda

Optics Ph.D.

Sohila

Abdelhafiz

Physics Ph.D.

Mahshid

Zoghi

Optics Ph.D.

Kang-Min

Lee

Optics Ph.D.

Cristian Hernando

Acevedo Caceres

Optics M.S

Florian

Alushi

Biomedical Sciences B. S.

The Photonics Diagnostic of Random Media group periodically accepts undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral researchers with backgrounds in engineering and the physical sciences. The availability of open positions fluctuates, but all interested parties are encouraged to contact Prof. Aristide Dogariu regardless of the status of open positions or educational background. The following links may also prove helpful.

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Physical Address:
CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics
University of Central Florida
4304 Scorpius St
Orlando, FL 32816

Mailing Address:
CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics
P.O. Box 162700
Orlando, FL 32816

Phenomena at subwavelength scales are being actively studied to advance both fundamental knowledge and experimental capabilities. Understanding the statistical properties of optical radiation at subwavelength scales is of paramount importance in the design of miniaturized devices. Based on the coherence and polarization properties at these scales, new possibilities emerge for surface and subsurface diagnostics of complex media. Manipulating the properties of electromagnetic fields at nanoscales as suggested in our studies could lead to the development of novel sensing concepts with unprecedented resolution.

In extreme environments, electromagnetic fields couple strongly to matter. Recent advances in understanding the complex phenomenology of multiple scattering offer unique opportunities for retrieving structural information and for controlling the propagation of light. At photonic mesoscales, fascinating interaction and confinement phenomena occur across different temporal and spatial scales. For instance, an intriguing manifestation of extreme photonics at mesoscales is the emergence of active matter, a condition where the distinction between matter and radiation blurs. As opposed to passive matter, an active medium is out of thermodynamic equilibrium and displays unusual collective behaviors. Our optically-controlled active matter open avenues for creating synthetic materials that mimic properties of living matter.

The idea of mechanical action of light originates in the corpuscular theory of light. Photons carry momenta and conservation laws apply whenever atoms emit or absorb photons or whenever a beam of light changes its direction due to refraction or reflection. Adjusting the properties of electromagnetic fields has direct consequences for controlling the subwavelength behavior of optical forces and torques, which leads to remarkable functionalities. For instance, being able to pull or move aside small objects with light is both counterintuitive and fascinating. Our recent research has demonstrated a number of practical possibilities for efficient manipulation of particles in a non-conservative fashion. Optically-controlled transport of matter is sought after in diverse applications in biology, colloid physics, chemistry, condensed matter and others.

For a large class of practical situations, light interacts with material systems that are not well organized. A simple image of such optically inhomogeneous media, if left unprocessed, fails to provide any quantifiable information. The useful information is statistical in nature and can only be retrieved using concepts and procedures specific to statistical optics. The intricate characteristics of random electromagnetic fields including intensity, phase distribution, state of coherence and polarization depend on the conditions of light propagation and also on the interaction between light and complex material systems. Our research demonstrates that properties such as refractive index, structural morphology, shape, etc. can be determined based on measurable statistical properties of random electromagnetic fields.

Conventional microscopy of biological elements presents many optical challenges. We are developing novel procedures for studying biological media by taking advantage of multimodal photonics systems and modern image processing techniques and algorithms.

We are developing photonics-based technology for studying colloidal dynamics at high optical densities and over an extended domain of hydrodynamic regimes. The targeted applications include measurements of absorption, sedimentation, hydrodynamic interactions, particle aggregation, and dynamic properties of solvents.

Notorious deficiencies of current sensing technologies include the limited volume of interaction, reduced number of detectable photons, and difficulties in the development of minimally invasive techniques. We are developing fundamentally new sensing approaches based on the subtle interplay of light scattering, interference, and amplification. Flexible control of electromagnetic fields offers access to robust and statistically stable information about physical properties that vary randomly in time or space. Operating on principles of statistical optics, chip-based stochastic sensing microsystems can become alternatives for various cutting-edge microscopies which rely on isolating small volumes of analyte or require high-resolution scanning over minute dimensions of a sample.

Understanding the statistical properties of radiation and the radiative transfer over length scales smaller than the wavelength impacts the design of efficient coupling of light with novel nanostructured materials. Using concepts of near-field statistical optics, our research has suggested new possibilities for surface and subsurface diagnostics of inhomogeneous media. As technology relies more and more on the design and engineering of nanoscale structures, novel metrology tools are needed to characterize the optical fields at the relevant length scales. We have recently demonstrated a unique measurement approach based on detecting optically induced forces acting on scanning probes. This operation modality provides attractive new capabilities to standard near-field optical microscopy.

The ability to engineer materials with spatially varying optical properties is critical for manipulating electromagnetic fields. Our research demonstrated a new class of effectively anisotropic nanocomposite materials. The surface-induced optical anisotropy of inhomogeneous media can be practically controlled by adjusting the properties of metal-dielectric structures and the desired optical configuration. This opens up new possibilities to engineer spatial gradients of anisotropic properties in metamaterials operating in the optical regime.

When optical fields are randomized as a result of interaction with matter, they acquire non-universal properties. We have demonstrated that specific microscopic scales of interaction influence features of measurable properties such as the local density of electromagnetic states or the maximum anisotropy length. We are pursuing novel approaches to assess the scale-dependent morphology of complex scattering media.

At photonic mesoscales, fascinating interaction and confinement phenomena occur across different scales in both time and space. At such dimensions, photonic phenomena include scale-specific modifications of the structure in response to the light so that a passive linear interpretation of the reciprocal action is inadequate, and a nonlinear description including dynamics of the light-structure interaction is necessary. Our research demonstrates that the effective light-matter interaction can be conveniently tuned to emulate phenomenology impossible to probe at atomic scales.

The propagation of optical fields propagate is usually controlled by optical elements like mirrors, prisms, lenses, etc. that operate based on reflection, refraction or diffraction. Our research, however, demonstrates that efficient control of light propagation can also be achieved by directional scattering off all-dielectric heterogeneous structures. The structural design of wavelength-size spherical particles or large-scale photonic structures, allows controlling the scattering properties and permits implementing different photon transport regimes.

The interaction of light with heterogeneous materials produces significant fluctuations of optical fields. Their explicit characterization require statistical optics approaches that go beyond the common Gaussian approximations. We are developing tools for characterizing the coherence and polarization of both two- and three-dimensional electromagnetic fields. Our group examines and makes use of these concepts for sensing, optical metrology, diagnostics, and various applications of optical wave propagation in random media.

Light is a promising candidate for influencing biological phenomena in a noninvasive manner. Optical trapping and manipulation techniques are being used to control cellular elements at ever decreasing intensities, presenting very little adverse effects to the overall health of the cells. Since cell migration is the basis for many complex processes of cell biology, this research has a variety of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic uses.

Electromagnetic waves carry angular momenta. The associated conservation laws in both propagation and scattering provide insights into optical spin transfer and power flows. Such phenomena can be actively controlled leading to new paradigms for generating nondissipative mechanical forces and torques and for developing novel sensing approaches at nanoscales. We are designing means to manipulate the properties of electromagnetic fields with direct consequences for controlling different manifestations of optical forces.

Harnessing light at scales comparable with the wavelength offers distinctive possibilities not only for sensing material or radiation properties but also for regulating the mechanical action induced by light. In complex interacting systems, the strong coupling between light and matter leads to an interplay between conservative and nonconservative action which creates unique non-equilibrium dynamics. The continuous reconfiguration of the electromagnetic field in space and time provides exclusive capabilities for sensing, guiding, and controlling material systems.

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