Stephen W. Teitsworth, Associate Professor  

Stephen W. Teitsworth

Office Location: 089 Physics Bldg, Durham, NC 27708
Email Address: stephen.teitsworth@duke.edu

Specialties:
Experimental condensed matter physics
Nonlinear dynamics and complex systems
Nanophysics

Education:
Ph.D., Harvard University, 1986
A.M., Harvard University, 1981
BS, Stanford University, 1979

Research Categories: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics

Research Description: Prof. Stephen W. Teitsworth's research centers on experimental, computational, and theoretical studies of deterministic and stochastic nonlinear electronic transport in nanoscale systems. Three particular areas of current interest are: 1) stochastic nonlinear electronic transport phenomena in semiconductor superlattices and tunnel diode arrays; 2) complex bifurcations associated with the deterministic dynamics of electronic transport in negative differential resistance systems; and 3) strategies for stabilizing negative differential resistance systems against the formation of space-charge waves.

Teaching (Spring 2026):

  • Physics 137s.01, Energy in the 21st century Synopsis
    Physics 047, TuTh 04:40 PM-05:55 PM

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

  1. Ryan, JM; Gorbaty, S; Kessler, TJ; Peaks, MG; Teitsworth, S; Noel, C, Experimental measurement of quantum-first-passage-time distributions, in arXiv (August, Preprint, 2025) .
  2. Neu, JC; Teitsworth, SW, Irreversible dynamics of a continuum driven by active matter., Physical review. E, vol. 110 no. 5-1 (November, 2024), pp. 054114 [doi]  [abs].
  3. Teitsworth, S; Neu, JC, Stochastic line integrals and stream functions as metrics of irreversibility and heat transfer., Physical review. E, vol. 106 no. 2-1 (August, 2022), pp. 024124, American Physical Society (APS) [doi]  [abs].
  4. Teitsworth, SW; Olson, ME; Bomze, Y, Scaling properties of noise-induced switching in a bistable tunnel diode circuit, European Physical Journal B, vol. 92 no. 4 (April, 2019) [doi]  [abs].
  5. Gonzalez, JP; Neu, JC; Teitsworth, SW, Experimental metrics for detection of detailed balance violation., Physical review. E, vol. 99 no. 2-1 (February, 2019), pp. 022143 [doi]  [abs].

Highlight:
Prof. Stephen Teitsworth's research centers on theoretical and experimental studies of noise-driven processes in far-from-equilibrium systems. Recent activity has centered around the development and implementation of novel metrics such as stochastic area which allow one to quantify how far from equilibrium a system is.  These concepts have been developed and applied to low dimensional systems such as mechanical mass-spring assemblies and coupled electronic circuits driven by out-of-equilibrium noise sources.  

Two problems of current interest are: 1) the extension of the stochastic area and related concepts to high-dimensional spatially continuous systems such as elastic filaments (e.g., strings or rods) embedded in viscoelastic media and driven by active noise sources; 2) studies of first-passage processes associated with heating of trapped ions in Paul traps (in collaboration with the group of Prof. Noel at Duke).

Current Ph.D. Students   (Former Students)

    Postdocs Mentored

    • Yuriy Bomze (2010 - 2011)  
    x