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
Biological physics

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

Research Categories: Quantum Electronics, Biophysics, and Nonlinear Dynamics

Research Description:

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

In the area of optical physics, his group is studying the fundamental characteristics of highly nonlinear light-matter interactions and is using this understanding to develop practical devices. Recently, they have been interested in tailoring the group velocity of laser-driven materials to achieve group velocities that are much greater than or much less than the speed of light in vacuum (so-called fast and slow light). They are measuring the speed at which information travels through fast- and slow-light media to test our understanding of the special theory of relativity, and they are transitioning the slow-light technology to telecommunications applications such as all-optical signal regeneration and processing. 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.

In the area of biophysics, his group is investigating the electrical activity of the heart from a nonlinear dynamics perspective. It is a multi-disciplinary effort consisting of faculty and students from the departments of Biomedical Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics. They are developing techniques for controlling cardiac dynamics using real-time closed-loop feedback, with the long-term goal of realizing an implantable ultra-low-energy cardiac defibrillator for people at high risk of sudden cardiac death. They are also developing new experimental methods for characterizing the nonlinear response of cardiac tissue and using the resulting data to guide the development of mathematical models for describing the generation and propagation of electrical waves in the heart.

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.

Typical Courses Taught:

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

  1. L. Illing, D. J. Gauthier, and J. N. Blakely, Controlling fast chaos in opto-electronic delay dynamical systems, in Handbook of Chaos Control, 2nd Ed., edited by E. Schöll, H. G. Schuster (2008), pp. 407-425, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim, Germany [pdf] .
  2. J. A. Greenberg, M. Oria, A. M. C. Dawes, D. J. Gauthier, Absorption-Induced Trapping in an Anisotropic Magneto-optical Trap, Opt. Express, vol. 15 (December, 2007), pp. 17699 [pdf] .
  3. Z. Zhu, D.J. Gauthier, and R.W. Boyd, Stored light in an optical fiber via Stimulated Brillouin Scattering, Science, vol. 318 (December, 2007), pp. 1748 [pdf]  [abs].
  4. C.M. Berger, J.W. Cain, J.E.S. Socolar, and D.J. Gauthier, Control of Electrical Alternans in Paced Myocardium Using Extended Time-Delay Autosynchronization, Phys. Rev. E, vol. 76 (Fall, 2007), pp. 041917 (Selected to appear in the Virtual Journal of Biological Physics, Volume 14, Issue 9, November 1, 2007.) [pdf] .
  5. R. Pant, M.D. Stenner, M.A. Neifeld, Z. Shi, R.W. Boyd, and D.J. Gauthier, Maximizing the opening of eye diagrams for slow-light systems, Appl. Opt., vol. 46 (September, 2007), pp. 6513 [pdf] .

Current Ph.D. Students   (Former Students)

  • Zheng Gao  
  • Kristine Callan  
  • Joel A Greenberg  
  • Carolyn M. Berger  
  • Andrew M. Dawes  
  • Hana M. Dobrovolny  
Postdocs Mentored

  • Eduardo G. Cabrera (October 1, 2007 - present)  
  • Xiaopeng Zhang (May 01, 2005 - June 30, 2007)  
  • Zhaoming Zhu (September 01, 2004 - present)  
  • 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 Light, Fast Light, Backward Light: What does it all mean?, November 30, 2007, Physics Department Colloquium, Bates College, Lewiston, ME    
  2. 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    
  3. Tutorial: Slow-light in room-temperature optical waveguides, June 18, 2007, International Quantum Electronics Conference (IQEC) 2007, Munich, Germany    
  4. 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    
  5. Ultra-low-light-level all-optical switching, September 15, 2006, Physics Department Colloquium, Ohio University, Athens, OH    
  6. 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    
  7. Using dissipative spatial structures to achieve ultra-low-light-level optical switching, January 05, 2006, Dynamics Days 2006, Bethesda, MD    
  8. Using dissipative spatial structures to achieve ultra-low-light-level optical switching, September 06, 2005, University of Maryland AMO Seminar, College Park, MD    
  9. 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    
  10. Tutorial on: Fast and Slow Light, October 12, 2004, 2004 Optical Society of America Annual Meeting, Rochester, NY