Daniel J. Gauthier, Professor of Physics and Biomedical Engineering and Chair  

Daniel J. Gauthier

Office Location: 137B and 187 Physics
Office Phone: 919-660-2511, 919-660-2512, 919-660-2505
Email Address: gauthier@phy.duke.edu
Web Page: http://www.phy.duke.edu/~gauthier/

Specialties:
Atomic, molecular, and optical physics

Education:
Optics, University of Rochester, 1989
Optics, University of Rochester, 1983
Optics, University of Rochester, 1982

Research Categories: Quantum Electronics, Quantum Optics, and Nonlinear Dynamics

Research Description:

Prof. Gauthier is interested in a broad range of topics in the fields of nonlinear and quantum optics, and nonlinear dynamical systems.

In the area of optical physics, his group is studying the fundamental characteristics of highly nonlinear light-matter interactions at both the classical and quantum levels and is using this understanding to develop practical devices.

At the quantum level, his group has three major efforts in the area of quantum communication and networking. In one project, they are investigating hybrid quantum memories where one type of memory is connected to another through the optical field (so-called flying qubits). In particular, they are exploring nonlinear optical methods for frequency converting and impedance matching photons emitted from one type of quantum memory (e.g., trapped ions) to another (e.g., quantum dots).

In another project, they are exploring methods for efficiently transmitting a large number of bits of information per photon. They are encoding information on the various photon degrees of freedom, such as the transverse modes, one photon at a time, and using efficient mode sorters to direct the photons to single-photon detectors. The experiments make use of multi-mode spontaneous down conversion in a nonlinear crystal to produce quantum correlated or entangled photon pairs.

Another recent interest is the development of the world's most sensitive all-optical switch. Currently, they have observed switching with an energy density as low as a few hundred yoctoJoules per atomic cross-section, indicating that the switch should be able to operate at the single-photon level. The experiments use a quasi-one-dimensional ultra-cold gas of rubidium atoms as the nonlinear material. They take advantage of a one-dimensional optical lattice to greatly increase the nonlinear light-matter interaction strength.

In the area of nonlinear dynamics, his group is interested in the control and synchronization of chaotic devices, especially optical and radio-frequency electronic systems.  They are developing new methods for private communication of information using chaotic carriers, using chaotic elements for distance sensing (e.g., low-probability-of-detection radar), using networks of chaotic elements for remote sensing, and using chaotic elements for generating truly random numbers at high data rates. Recently, the have observed 'Boolean chaos,' where complex behavior is observed in a small network of commercially-available free-running logic gates.

Typical Courses Taught:

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

  1. H. L. D. de S. Cavalcante, D. J. Gauthier, J. E. S. Socolar, and R. Zhang, On the Origin of Chaos in Autonomous Boolean Networks, Philos. Trans. Royal Soc. A, vol. 368 (January, 2010), pp. 495 [pdf]  [abs].
  2. R.W. Boyd, D.J. Gauthier, and P. Narum, Causality in superluminal pulse propagation, in an invited chapter in Time in Quantum Mechanics II, edited by G. Muga, A. Ruschhaupt, A. del Campo (2010), pp. 175-204, Springer .
  3. A.M.C. Dawes, D.J. Gauthier, S. Schumacher, N.H. Kwong, R. Binder and A.L. Smirl, Transverse optical patters for ultra-low-light-level all-optical switching, an invited article in Laser & Photonics Rev. (December, 2009) [pdf] .
  4. R.W. Boyd and D.J. Gauthier, Controlling the Velocity of Optical Pulses, Science, vol. 326 (November, 2009), pp. 1074 [pdf] .
  5. R. Zhang, H.L.D. de S. Cavalcante, Z. Gao, D.J. Gauthier, J.E.S. Socolar, M.M. Adams, and D.P. Lathrop, Boolean chaos, Phys. Rev. E, vol. 80 (October, 2009), pp. 045202(R) [pdf] .

Current Ph.D. Students   (Former Students)

Postdocs Mentored

  • Carolyn Berger (January 01, 2009 - August 30, 2008)  
  • Rui Zhang (February, 2008 - present)  
  • Hugo L Cavalcante (February, 2008 - present)  
  • Eduardo Granado-Cabrera (October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2008)  
  • Xiaopeng Zhang (May 01, 2005 - June 30, 2007)  
  • Zhaoming Zhu (September 01, 2004 - June 30, 2008)  
  • Lucas Illing (February 01, 2003 - June 30, 2007)  
  • Elena Tolkacheva (May 1, 2001 - June 30, 2004)  
  • John C. Swartz (January, 1999 - September, 1999)  
  • Olivier Pfister (1997 - 1999)  
  • Sonya Bahar (1997 - 1999)  
  • Jeff R. Gardner (1995 - 1997)  
Selected Invited Lectures

  1. Slow and stopped light in optical waveguides, August 29, 2008, DTU Fotonik Seminar, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, Bygning, Denmark    
  2. Slow and stopped light in optical waveguides, August 27, 2008, Keynote Lecture, PHOTON 08, Edinburg, UK    
  3. Chaos in simple high-speed logic-based devices, July 21, 2008, 25 Years of Nonlinear Dynamics at ONR (a celebration of Mike Shlesinger's 60th Birthday), Amelia Island, FL    
  4. Three lectures on the Physics and Application of Slow Light, June 25-27, 2008, Masters in Photonics Program (Photonics BCN), Barcelona, Spain    
  5. Boolean delay devices, April 17, 2008, U. Maryland, MURI Seminar, U. Maryland, College Park, MD    
  6. Evidence for an unfolded border-collision bifurcation in paced cardiac muscle, April 17, 2008, Nonlinear Dynamics Seminar, U. Maryland, College Park, MD    
  7. Observation of Stopped Light in an Optical Fiber via Stimulated Brillouin Scattering, January 07, 2008, 38th Winter Colloquium on the Physics of Quantum Electronics, PQE-2008, Snowbird, UT    
  8. Slow Light, Fast Light, Backward Light: What does it all mean?, November 30, 2007, Physics Department Colloquium, Bates College, Lewiston, ME    
  9. Progress on stopped light and large-delay slow light in optical fibers, July 11, 2007, OSA , Topical meeting on Slow and Fast Light, Salt Lake City, UT    
  10. Tutorial: Slow-light in room-temperature optical waveguides, June 18, 2007, International Quantum Electronics Conference (IQEC) 2007, Munich, Germany    
  11. Broadband chaos in time-delay photonic and electroic devices: Potential implications for sensor networks, May 23, 2007, Nonlinear Dynamics Seminar, University of Maryland, College Park, MD    
  12. Ultra-low-light-level all-optical switching, September 15, 2006, Physics Department Colloquium, Ohio University, Athens, OH    
  13. Discovery of a new type of bifurcation in paced cardiac muscle, July 14, 2006, Third Workshop Promotionskolleg, Helmholtz Center for Brain and Mind Dynamics, Liebenwalde, Germany    
  14. Using dissipative spatial structures to achieve ultra-low-light-level optical switching, July 26, 2005, XXV Dynamics Days Europe, Berlin, Germany    
  15. Characterizing and controlling cardiac dynamics, June 29, 2005, International Seminar and Workshop on Nonlinear Dynamics in Biophysics, Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany