Slow Light in Photonic Crystals

Michelle Povinelli is an assistant professor in the USC School of Engineering's Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering and holds the Women in Science and Engineering Jr. Gabilan Chair. Her research explores nano- and microphotonic device technology, which has applications in optical fiber communications, solar energy, and biomedicine. She holds three patents in the area of photonic crystals.

Povinelli and her team study the optical properties of nanostructure materials, such as photonic crystals, metamaterials, and microresonators, which are patterned on the submicron scale - 100 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. They fabricate the devices by etching tiny holes or lines in silicon, using the same technology that is used to make computer chips.

Povinelli and her team study and develop devices that can process information in optical fiber communication networks, which are used to transmit data over the Internet. Some of these devices are designed to slow down the speed at which light travels by trapping and releasing light pulses; others exploit the force of light to yield reconfigurable optical filters and switches. Provinelli and her team also study how nanostructured materials can be used to boost light absorption in next-generation solar cells. In their recent work, they are investigating the use of light forces to probe cell biomechanics and the self-assembly of complex materials.

Using HPCC resources, Povinelli's team performs detailed simulations of the flow of light through nanostructured materials. The simulations allow them to calculate and visualize electromagnetic fields, providing insight into optical physics and enabling optical device design. The large-scale, highly parallel architecture of HPCC resources is essential for performing her team's computationally intensive tasks of simulating realistic 3D structures and optimizing device designs.

Povinelli's research is funded by a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Center Development (CAREER) Award and an Army Research Office Young Investigator Award, both of which she received in 2009. She is also co-principal investigator on a Defense University Research Instrumentation Program award from the Office of Naval Research.