Charles M. Falco

Chair of Condensed Matter Physics
Professor of Optical Sciences
Professor of Physics

Contact Information

Education

  • Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, 1974

  • M.S., University of California, Irvine, 1971

  • B.S., University of California, Irvine, 1970

Employment

  • The University of Arizona: Chair of Condensed Matter Physics,1983–present; Laboratory of X-ray Optics, Director, 1987–present; Department of Optical Sciences, Professor, 1982–present; Department of Physics, Professor, Professor, 1982–present; Arizona Research Laboratories Surface Science Division, Director, 1983–2003; Arizona Research Laboratories, Research Professor, 1982–1997
  • Universite de Paris-Sud: Professeur invite, Orsay, France, May–June 1986, Maitre de Recherche, Orsay, France, May–July 1979

  • Argonne National Laboratory: Physicist, Solid State Science Division, Argonne, Illinois, 1977–1982; Group Leader, Superconductive and Novel Materials Group, 1978–1982, Assistant Physicist, Solid State Science Division, 1974–1977

Professional Affiliations

  • American Physical Society, Fellow

  • IEEE, Fellow

  • The Optical Society (OSA), Fellow

  • SPIE, Fellow

Recent Professional Activities

 

  • Member, International Advisory Committee for the 7th International Symposium on Metallic Multilayers, Berkeley, Calif., 2008–2010
  • Member, Nominations Committee, Division of Materials Physics, American Physical Society, 2008–2009
  • Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Optics, 2008–present
  • Advisor, Hamptons International Film Festival, 2008
  • Member, Editorial Board, Research Letters in Optics. 2008–present
  • Member, International Advisory Committee for the 6th International Symposium on Metallic Multilayers, Perth, Australia,  Oct. 15–19, 2007
  • Member, Advisory Committee for the International Conference on Information Sciences, Signal Processing and Its Applications, 2007–present
  • Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Modern Physics, 2004–present
  • Member, Editorial Board, Modern Physics Letters B, 2004–present
  • Member, International Advisory Committee for the 5th International Symposium on Metallic Multilayers, Boulder, Colo., June 7–11, 2004
  • Member, National Science Foundation Program Review Panel for the Division of Electrical and Communications Systems, Washington D.C., Jan. 15–16, 2004
  • Member, Department of Education Site Visit Committee for the Materials and Engineering Physics Research Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Dec. 8–11, 2003
  • Member, National Science Foundation Program Review Panel for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory at California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif., June 11–13, 2003

Awards and Honors

  • Walker-Ames Memorial Lecture, University of Washington, Feb. 2010
  • Bodo von Borries Memorial Lecture, Universität Tübingen, Germany, May 2009
  • The University of Arizona Leading Edge Researcher Award, March 2009
  • Ziegfeld Lecture Award, National Art Education Association, March 2008

  • Distinguished Lecture in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va., May 2006

  • Sir Neville Mott Memorial Lecture, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla., Jan. 2006

  • Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Visitors Lecture. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. April 2004

  • School of Engineering and Applied Science and School of Art Sesquicentennial Assembly Series Lecture, Washington University in St. Louis, Feb. 2004

  • Laredo Taft Lecture, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Jan. 2004

  • Louis Clark Vanuxem Lectures, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., May 2002

  • 31st Annual George C. Benson Memorial Lecture, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, April 6, 1999

  • Association Internationale des Critiques d'Art, U.S. Chapter, Best Design Exhibition, The Art of the Motorcycle, Second Place Award, Co-recipient, 1998

  • Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Senior Distinguished U.S. Scientist Award, 1989

  • Technology 100 Award, 1981

  • Industrial Research 100 Award, 1977

  • National Science Foundation Traineeship, 1970–1974

Research

  • Metallic superlattices; X-ray optics; magnetism; magneto-optics; far-IR detector materials; superconductivity; and nucleation and epitaxy of metal and semiconductor thin films
  • Computerized image analysis
  • Preparation, characterization and study of the physical properties of multilayered materials and superlattices consisting of individual layers in the 0.2—–1500 nm range
  • Studies of the X-ray optical, ultraviolet, infrared, magnetic, structural and superconductive properties of thin films: Samples are prepared using our three MBE machines and two multitarget sputtering machines. Characterization is accomplished using our X-ray diffraction, electron and tunneling microscopy, and surface science probes, including RHEED, LEED, XPS, Auger, ISS, TEM, SEM, STM and AFM.