PERSONAL INFORMATION

Savaş Tay

College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721

Voice: (520) 626-3416

Email: savas.tay [at] optics.arizona.edu

Web:  www.optics.arizona.edu/savas

EDUCATION

1995, 60.Yil Anadolu Lisesi, Izmir, Turkey

2000, Marmara University, Ataturk Education Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey (BS in Physics and Education)

2005, University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences (MS in Optical Sciences)

2007, University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences (PhD in Optical Sciences)

EMPLOYMENT

2001-2002 Iowa State University, Department of Physics, Teaching Assistant

2002-2003 University of Arizona, Department of Physics, Teaching Assistant

2002-2007 University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, Research Assistant/Associate

2008 University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, Postdoctoral Associate

2008 Stanford University Department of Bioengineering and HHMI, Postdoctoral Associate

MEMBERSHIPS

Member, SPIE

Member, Optical Committee of Turkey

Member, OSA

RESEARCH INTERESTS

 

Nanotechnology and Nano-biotechnology

 

Photonics, Materials and Devices, Photonic Crystals, Plasmonics.

 

Organic Photonics (Photovoltaics, OLEDS)

 

Fiber and Semiconductor Lasers

 

Sensors.

 

Non-linear Optics, Quantum Optics, Control of light (i.e. Slow/Fast light, Spatial Solitons, EIT)

 

Inter-disciplinary, experimental research that brings together optics, photonics and biological systems. Investigation of how biological systems work using optical means.

 

Development of light sources, detectors and optical systems for the exploration of unused parts of electromagnetic spectrum such as mid-IR and Terahertz regimes.

 

Improvement of 3D updateable holographic displays. Finding new uses for this technology in medical, industrial and military imaging.

 

Free-space Optical Communication and Imaging.

 

Holography (Data Storage, Displays)

 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

 

Masters and Doctoral Research: College of Optical Sciences, The University of Arizona, 2002-present (Adviser: Prof. Nasser Peyghambarian)

 

Nonlinear Optics, Holography and 3D displays

 

Extended Organic Photorefractive Materials to the infra-red wavelengths

  • Demonstrated the first-time operation of a Photorefractive Polymer Composite at the optical communication wavelength (1550nm) using two-photon absorption sensitization.

  • Developed high efficiency (40% diffraction) and fast (35ms response time) Photorefractive Polymer Composites working at 1550nm.

  • Demonstrated of beam-clean up and thermal fixing of holograms at IR wavelengths using Photorefractive Polymer Composites.

  • Co-developed and characterized Photorefractive Polymers operating at 850 and 980 nm’s for free-space optical communication and injection locking of laser diodes.

Lead, as a graduate student, the project on the development of the first updateable 3D holographic display.

 

  • Identified and learned the scientific and technical information related to the development of 3D displays.  Helped writing a major equipment proposal in this entirely new and unfamiliar project, which was eventually granted.

 

  • Set up the 3D Holographic Display laboratory. Identified and acquired major equipment, set up the experimental apparatus. Maintained this laboratory.

 

  • Co-invented a novel technique that allows fast recording (sub-second) and long storage (hours) of reversible holograms in photorefractive polymers that made the development of updateable 3D holographic displays possible.

 

  • Developed the first 3D updateable holographic display that does not require special eyewear, which is a major breakthrough in the field of 3D imaging and displays.

 

  • Helped demonstrating very low voltage operation, high performance beam clean-up and single ns pulse operation of Photorefractive Polymers, which are critical for further improvements of updateable 3D holographic displays.   

 

Photonic Materials and Devices

 

Helped build a new research program at the College of Optical Sciences on fabrication/infiltration of Photonic Crystals and their applications and worked as the lead graduate student on this project.

 

  • Determined research directions and gathered scientific and technical information that did not previously exist in our group.

 

  • Initiated collaboration with other departments, universities and industry. As a result, two new research projects were started on “infiltration of 2D photonic crystal devices with organic non-linear materials”, and “photonic crystal terahertz emitters for IED detection”.

 

  • Single handedly wrote a white paper on “stand-off IED detection using Terahertz radiation imaging” and was listed as a co-investigator on this white paper, which is a first for a student in our group.

 

  • Currently writing an ARO SBIR proposal on stand-off EID detection.

 

  • Designed, fabricated and characterized thermally powered plasmonic photonic crystal IR (3-10 microns) emitters based on a novel material called diamond like nano-amorphous carbon.

 

  • Developed methods for micropatterning of diamond like nano-amorphous carbon films and used them for high-temperature, durable, narrow band tunable IR emitters.

 

  • Invented a method for efficient, low cost generation of Terahertz radiation using micro structured plasmonic structures (patent pending).

 

  • Developed a novel device concept for all-optically tunable photonic switches and routers based on 2D silicon photonic crystals and azobenzene doped non-linear polymers

 

  • Co-developed the melt-processing method for filling of the holes of photonic crystals.  Achieved complete (100%) filling of 80nm holes of 2D silicon photonic crystal devices with nonlinear polymers and nano-particles. Used melt processing to develop all optically tunable photonic crystal switches.

 

TECHNICAL SKILLS

 

Experimental techniques

 

  • Femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy

 

  • Four-wave mixing in the femtosecond regime

 

  • Holographic storage and display using pulsed and CW sources

 

  • Interferometry, Ellipsometry, Photoconductivity, Optical Phase Conjugation using CW and pulsed sources

 

  • Two-photon absorption sensitization

 

  • Harmonic generation (2nd and 3rd) using organic and inorganic materials

 

  • Optical Parametric Amplification, Sum and Difference frequency generation

 

  • Autocorrelation and other characterization of ultrafast pulses

 

  • GHZ direct current modulation of laser diodes, BER measurements, external cavity stabilization of laser diodes

 

  • Waveguide and optical fiber test and characterization

 

  • Thermal fixing of holograms

 

  • Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)

 

  • High-voltage experiments

 

  • High sensitivity photocurrent measurements

 

Fabrication and Materials

 

  • Cleanroom and  microfabrication: Photolithography, E-beam lithography, wet etching, dry etching (RIE) of semiconductors, metals and insulators (i.e. diamond like carbon)

 

  • Fabrication of 2D semiconductor photonic crystals and waveguides, plasmonic structures (metallic and semi-metallic)

 

  • Infiltration of nanostructures with non-linear polymers and nano-particles using melt processing, spin coating, dip coating and casting.

 

  • Photorefractive thin-film fabrication

 

  • SEM and AFM

 

Laser systems

 

Femtosecond Ti-Sapphire Lasers and Amplifiers, Optical Parametric Amplifiers, Solid State Lasers (CW and ns pulsed), Fiber Lasers (CW and Q-switched), Gas Lasers (Argon-Ion, He-Ne, CO2), Diode Lasers, External Cavity Diode Lasers.

 

Microscopy

 

Optical Microscopy, Confocal Microscopy, Two-photon Confocal Microscopy, SEM, AFM, Optical Coherence Tomography, Holographic OCT

 

COMPUTER SKILLS

 

Basic, Fortran, Matlab, Origin, modeling of photonic crystals (PBG calculations with plane-wave expansion), LabView

 

RELATED COURSEWORK

 

More than 60 graduate credits on Advanced Electromagnetism, EM Waves, Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Solid State Physics, Solid State Optics, Optoelectronics and Photonics, Quantum Optics, Physical Optics, Diffraction and Interferometry, Optical Design and Instrumentation, Remote Sensing, Statistical Optics and Noise Analysis, Biophotonics, Microfabrication, Computational Physics, Lasers

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

Teaching Assistant: University of Arizona, College of Optical Sciences, 2005

 

  • Helped teaching of the core graduate course Opti507 (Solid State Optics) taught by Prof. Nasser Peyghambarian

 

  • Taught the class in the absence of the main instructor. Prepared mid-term and final exam problems and solutions. Graded home works and exams.

 

Teaching Assistant: University of Arizona, Physics Department, 2003

  • Laboratory teaching of undergraduate course Phys141 (Classical Mechanics)

Teaching Assistant: Iowa State University, Physics Dept., 2002

 

  • Recitation, grading and laboratory teaching of undergraduate courses Phys203 (Classical Mechanics and Thermodynamics), Phys204 (Electricity and Magnetism)

 

PUBLICATIONS, CONFERENCES, TALKS AND PATENTS

 

Review Articles

 

[6] Refreshable holographic 3-D displays (invited) (Cover paper). OPN (Optics and Photonics News, OSA), June (2008)

 

        N. Peyghambarian, S. Tay, P. Blanche, R. Norwood, M. Yamamoto

 

[5] Photorefractive polymers and their applications for dynamic holography (invited)

 

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, P. A. Blanche, M. Yamamoto, N. Peyghambarian, Advances in Optics and Photonics (OSA), in preparation

 

[4] Updateable holographic 3D displays based on photorefractive polymers (invited). Information Display Magazine, 

 

        S. Tay, N. Peyghambarian, in print.

 

[3] An updateable holographic display for 3-D visualization. IEEE Journal of Display Technology (Medical Displays)

 

        P. Blanche, S. Tay, P. St Hilaire, R. Voorakaranam, J. Thomas, C. Christenson, R. Norwood, M. Yamamoto, N. Peyghambarian, in print.

 

[2] Photorefractive polymers and their applications in photonics (invited review article). Sigma 2005/4, Yildiz Technical University Press, Yildiz-Istanbul (2006).

 

        S. Tay and N. Peyghambarian.

 

[1] Photorefractive polymers with superior performance.  OPN (Optics and Photonics News, OSA), December (2005).

 

        J. Thomas, M. Eralp, S. Tay, M. Yamamoto, G. Li, R. Norwood, S. R. Marder, N. Peyghambarian.

 

 

Peer Reviewed Publications

 

[11] An updateable holographic three-dimensional display. Nature 451, 694 (2007). (pdf) (news&views) (Video 1) (Video 2)

        S. Tay, P. A. Blanche, R. Voorakaranam, A. V. Tunc, J. Thomas, S. Rokutanda, R. Flores, P. Wang, G. Li, W. Lin, T. Gu, P. St. Hilaire, R. A. Norwood, M. Yamamoto, P. Wang and N. Peyghambarian.

           3-D display paper was covered by BBC, NPR, Daily Telegraph, National Geographic, New Scientist, Discovery Channel, Physics World, Die Welt, Focus, Nikkei Newspaper, Materials World, Laser Focus World, IEEE Spectrum, Photonics Spectra, The Herald, MIT Technology Review, Science et Vie and many others. 2/10/08

[10] Infiltration of 2D photonic crystals with nanoparticle/polymer nanocomposites. Applied Physics Letters 91, 221109 (2007). (pdf)

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, B. Momeni, P. Hotchkiss, M. Askari, S. Jones, A. Adibi, S. R. Marder, R. A. Norwood and N. Peyghambarian.

          This article was also published in Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology, 16, 24 (2007).

[9] Nano-amorphous carbon based plasmonic narrow-band mid-IR emitters. to be submitted to Advanced Materials (2008)

        S. Tay, A. Kropachev, R. A. Norwood, T. Skotheim, N. Peyghambarian.

[8] Holographic injection locking of a broad area laser diode via a photorefractive thin-film device. Optics Express 15, 17587 (2007).

        P. D. van Voorst, M. R. de Wit, H. L. Offerhaus, S. Tay, J. Thomas, N. Peyghambarian, K. –J. Boller.

[7] Efficient photorefractive polymer operating in reflection geometry. Optics Express 15, 11622 (2007).

 

        M. Eralp, J. Thomas, S. Tay, G. Li, M. Yamamoto, A. Schulzgen,  R. Norwood, N. Peyghambarian.

 

[6] Photorefractive polymer device with video-rate response time operating at low voltages. Optics Letters 31, 1408 (2006).

 

        M. Eralp, J. Thomas, G. Li, S. Tay, A. Schülzgen, R. A. Norwood M. Yamamoto and N. Peyghambarian.

 

[5] Submillisecond response of a photorefractive polymer under single nanosecond pulse exposure. Applied Physics Letters 89, 114105 (2006).

 

        M. Eralp, J. Thomas, S. Tay, G. Li, A. Schülzgen, R. A. Norwood, M. Yamamoto, and N. Peyghambarian.

 

[4] High performance photorefractive polymer operating at 1550 nm with near video-rate response time. Applied Physics Letters 89, 114105 (2006). (pdf)

 

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, M. Eralp, G. Li, S. Marder, G. A. Walker, S. Barlow, M. Yamamoto, R. Norwood, A. Schülzgen and N. Peyghambarian.

 

[3] All-optical dynamic correction of communication signals using a photorefractive polymeric hologram. Applied Physics Letters 86, 161103 (2005).

 

        G. Li, M. Eralp, J. Thomas, S. Tay, S. R. Marder, A. Schülzgen,  R. A. Norwood and N. Peyghambarian.

 

[2] Photorefractive polymer composite operating at the optical communication wavelength of 1550 nm. Applied Physics Letters 85, 4561 (2004). (pdf)

 

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, M. Eralp, G. Li, B. Kippelen, S. R. Marder, G. Meredith, A. Schülzgen and N. Peyghambarian.

 

[1] High performance photorefractive polymer operating at 975 nm. Applied Physics Letters 85, 1095 (2004).

 

        M. Eralp, J. Thomas, S. Tay, G. Li, G. Meredith, A. Schülzgen, N. Peyghambarian, G. A. Walker, S. Barlow, and S. R. Marder.

 

Conferences

Post-deadline

[20] Narrow-band thermal mid-IR emitters based on microstructured nano-amorphous carbon (poster).

        S. Tay, A. Kropachev, R. A. Norwood, T. Skotheim, N. Peyghambarian. SPIE Symposium on Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, Photonics West, 19-24 January 2008, San Jose, CA.

[19] Infiltration of photonic crystals with organic materials.

        S. Tay, R. A. Norwood, H. Sumimura, A. Kropachev, J. Thomas, N. Peyghambarian, T. Skotheim, J. H. Moon, S. Yang, Frontiers in Optics, OSA Annual Meeting, 8-12 October 2006, Rochester, NY

[18] Photorefractive polymers sensitized at 1550 nm through two-photon absorption with non-destructive readout.

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, M. Eralp, G. Li, B. Kippelen, S. Marder, G. Meredith, A. Schülzgen and N. Peyghambarian, SPIE International Symposium, Optical Science and Technology, 3-8 August 2003, San Diego, CA

Invited

[17] An updateable holographic 3d display.

        S. Tay, M. Yamamoto, N. Peyghambarian. International Conference on Organic Electronics, 16 June 2008, Eindhoven, Netherlands

[16] An updateable holographic three-dimensional display based on photorefractive polymers.

        S. Tay, M. Yamamoto, N. Peyghambarian, SID International Symposium, 18 May 2008, Los Angeles, CA

[15] Efficient local fixing of photorefractive polymer holograms recorded with CW and pulsed beams.

 

        G. Li, M. Eralp, J. Thomas, S. Tay, R. A. Norwood, M. Yamamoto, N. N. Peyghambarian, SPIE Symposium on Optics & Photonics, 13 August 2006, San Diego, CA

[14] Photorefractive polymer operating at 1550 nm with 40% diffraction efficiency and 35 ms response time.

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, M. Eralp, G. Li, J. Winiarz, R. Norwood, A. Schülzgen, S. Marder and N. Peyghambarian, SPIE Symposium on Optics & Photonics, 31 July-4 August 2005, San Diego, CA

[13] Photorefractive polymer device operating at practical voltages.

        M. Eralp, J. Thomas, G. Li, J. Winiarz, S. Tay, A.  Schülzgen, R. Norwood and N. Peyghambarian, 89th OSA Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics, 2005, Tucson, AZ

Regular Conference papers

[12] Polymer nanocomposite infiltration of silicon photonic crystals.

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, B. Momeni, P. Hotchkiss, M. Askari, S. Jones, A. Adibi, S. R. Marder, R. A. Norwood and N. Peyghambarian, SPIE Symposium on Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, 19-24 January 2008, San Jose, CA.

[11] Injection locking of a broad area laser diode by holographic four-wave mixing in a photorefractive polymer.

 

        P. D. van Voorst, H. L. Offerhaus, S. Tay, J. Thomas, N. Peyghambarian, K. J. Boller,  CLEO/QELS 07, May 2007, Baltimore, ML.

 

[10] Photorefractive polymers with sub-millisecond response time.

 

        J. Thomas, M. Eralp, S. Tay, G. Li, M. Yamamoto, R. Norwood, A. Schülzgen, and N. Peyghambarian. SPIE Symposium on Optics & Photonics, 13 August 2006, San Diego, CA

 

[9] Photorefractive polymer in reflection geometry with large efficiency.

 

        M. Eralp, J. Thomas, S. Tay, G. Li, R. A. Norwood, N.N. Peyghambarian, SPIE Symposium on Optics & Photonics, 13 August 2006, San Diego, CA

 

[8] High-performance 532-nm sensitive photorefractive polymeric composites.

 

        P. Wang, M. Yamamoto, J. Thomas, M. Eralp, S. Tay, G. Li, R. A. Norwood, N. N. Peyghambarian, SPIE Symposium on Optics & Photonics, 13 August 2006, San Diego, CA

 

[7] New organic infiltrants for 2-D and 3-D photonic crystals.

 

        R. A. Norwood, H. Sumimura, S. Tay, K. Yamnitsky, A. Kropachev, J. Thomas,  N. Peyghambarian, J. H. Moon, S. Yang, T. Skotheim. SPIE Symposium on Optics & Photonics, 13 August 2006, San Diego, CA

[6] Photorefractive adaptive optics for dynamic correction of atmospheric-like wavefront aberrations.

        G. Li, M. Eralp, J. Thomas, S. Tay, J. Winiarz, A. Schülzgen, R. Norwood, and N. Peyghambarian, SPIE Symposium on Optics & Photonics, 50th Annual Meeting, 31 July-4 August 2005, San Diego, CA

[5] Recent advances in two-photon photorefractive polymers.

        J. Thomas, S. Tay, J. Winiarz, M. Eralp, G. Li, S. R. Marder, R. A. Norwood, A. Schülzgen and N. Peyghambarian, OSA Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics, 2005, Tucson, AZ

[4] Novel infra-red sensitive photorefractive polymer composite.

        S. Tay, J. Thomas, M. Eralp, G. Li, B. Kippelen, S. Marder, G. Meredith, A. Schülzgen and N. Peyghambarian. CLEO/IQEC, 2004, San Francisco, CA

[3] Near Infrared photorefractive polymer composites with high diffraction efficiency and fast response time.

        J. Thomas, M. Eralp, S. Tay, G. Li, S. R. Marder, G. Meredith, A. Schülzgen, and N. Peyghambarian, SPIE International Symposium, Optical Science and Technology 2-6 August 2004, Denver, CO

[2] Photorefractivity with non-destructive readout at near-infrared wavelengths. 

        M. Eralp, S. Tay, J. Thomas S. Marder, G. Meredith, A. Schülzgen and N. Peyghambarian. OSA Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics, 2003, Tucson, AZ

[1] Narrow-band mid-IR thermal emitters based on surface plasmons in microstructured nano-amorphous carbon (poster).

        S. Tay, A. Kropachev, R. A. Norwood, T. Skotheim, N. Peyghambarian. International Conference on Molecular Photonics: Interaction of Light with Nanostructured Materials. Aug 28-31, 2007, Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA.

Patents

 

[3] Narrow-band, tunable terahertz emitters based on a perforated conducting interface. (filed with the US Patent Office).

[2] Technique for enhancing the writing speed and lengthening the persistence time of photorefractive polymers (filed with the US Patent Office)

[1] A New Technique for Polymer Infiltration of Photonic Crystals (University of Arizona disclosure, pending)

Invited Talks and Seminars

 

[12] Harvard University, Engineering and Applied Sciences, March 2008

 

[11] University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Electrical Engineering, March 2008

 

[10] Stanford University, Dept. of Bioengineering, December 2007

 

[9] California Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, March 2008

[8] Los Alamos National Laboratory, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos, December 2007.

[7] Cornell University, Department of Applied Physics, Ithaca, December 2007.

[6] Princeton University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton, December 2007.

[5] Bilkent University, Department of Physics, Ankara, December 2006.

[4] TUBITAK Marmara Research Center, Materials Institute, Gebze, January 2006.

[3] Izmir Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Izmir, December 2005.

[2] Izmir Institute of Technology, Faculty of Science, Izmir, January 2004.

[1] Koc University, Department of Physics, Istanbul, December 2003.

 

 

 

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