Entrepreneurship Faculty

Tom Baer is the Executive Director of the Stanford Photonics Research Center at Stanford University and co-founder of Arcturus Bioscience, Inc. which he established in 1996. He served as the company's Chairman and CEO until January 2005. Prior to Arcturus, Dr. Baer was Vice President of Research at Biometric Imaging, where he led an interdisciplinary group developing instrumentation and reagents with applications in the areas of AIDS monitoring, bone marrow transplant therapy, and blood supply quality control.

Gary Bjorklund: Consulting Director

Small and large company experience. Broad perspective in applications of photonics to communications and information technology. Extensive experience with intellectual property stategy and development.

Robert L. Byer: The William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor

Professor Robert L. Byer has conducted research and taught classes in lasers and nonlinear optics at Stanford University since 1969. He has made numerous contributions to laser science and technology including the demonstration of the first tunable visible parametric oscillator, the development of the Q-switched unstable resonator Nd:YAG laser, remote sensing using tunable infrared sources and precision spectroscopy using Coherent Anti Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS). Current research includes the development of nonlinear optical materials and laser diode pumped solid state laser sources for applications to gravitational wave detection and to laser particle acceleration.

Martin Fejer: Senior Associate Dean for the Natural Sciences in the School of Humanities and Sciences and Professor of Applied Physics

Professor Fejer’s group focuses on nonlinear and guided-wave optics as well as novel nonlinear optical materials and their device applications. Particular areas of interest are the use of microstructured nonlinear optical materials to perform optical signal processing and efficient wavelength conversion for telecom applications. In collaboration with Professor Kahn’s group, Fejer’s group is developing wavelength converters for mid-IR optical communications.

Christopher Contag: Professor of Pediatrics

The Contag lab has developed microscope technology and molecular reagents for the noninvasive assessment of biological processes in vivo, and is applying these tools to the study of cellular and molecular changes associated with mammalian development, disease, and responses to therapy. Their technology allows the study of systems biology by measuring the complex physiologic events that are associated with disease states and normal developmental changes evaluated in the context of the living animals.

James Harris: Professor of Electrical Engineering

Professor Harris’s group does research on the growth, characterization, nanofabrication and device implementation of unique compound semiconductor materials. Harris’s group has pioneered the development of low bandgap GaInNAsSb materials for efficient long wavelength telecom lasers on GaAs substrates. His group also uses carefully controlled molecular beam epitaxy combined with nanolithography to prepare artificially structured materials with atomic layer control and enhanced performance. Recent achievements include new materials that extend the wavelength range that can be covered by VCSELs on GaAs substrates and, in collaboration with Miller’s group, new quantum well materials for high performance electro-absorption modulators that are compatible with Si substrates.

Joseph Kahn: Professor of Electrical Engineering

Professor Kahn’s group is focused on optical fiber communications, free-space optical communications and associated devices/subsystems. Of particular interest are advanced modulation, coding and detection for high spectral efficiency and enhanced tolerance to transmission impairments, as well as signal processing to compensate these impairments. In free-space systems, Kahn’s group is working with Prof. Fejer’s group on wavelength converters to enable mid-IR transmission, and on signal processing to compensate for atmospheric turbulence. Professor Kahn’s group also does research on high data rate transmission in multi-mode fibers. In collaboration with Dr. Fan’s group, Kahn’s group has used adaptive optics to mitigate modal dispersion to increase the distance over which signals can be transmitted at high bit rates and have demonstrated 10 Gbps transmission over more that 10 km of standard multi-mode fiber.

Olav Solgaard: Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering

Professor Solgaard’s group focuses on optical micromechanical devices and applications. Particular areas of interest are optical networks, optical switches, photonic crystals, optical MEMS and fabrication technology for microoptical devices and systems. In telecommunications, the Solgaard group develop wavelength selective switching networks, and collaborate with Professor Fan’s group on the design of tunable filters based on photonic bandgap crystals with MEMS actuators.

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The Stanford Photonics Research Center

Entrepreneurship Faculty

Research

Stanford Photonics Research Center