Quantum Optics and Photonics
Research in quantum optics and photonics investigates the interaction of light and matter, advancing our understanding of fundamental physics while enabling applications in sensing, imaging, communication, and emerging quantum technologies.
Dr. Hamidreza Ramezani
Dr. Ramezani’s research lies at the intersection of photonics, quantum optics, wave physics, and nonlinear dynamics. His group studies how structured optical systems can be designed to manipulate the flow, localization, and interaction of light in ways that are not possible in conventional materials.
Current research includes topological and non-Hermitian photonics, nonlinear optical systems, fiber-optic sensing, and reconfigurable photonic platforms. The group combines theory, numerical modeling, and experiment, with applications spanning optical sensing, communications, adaptive photonic devices, and emerging quantum technologies.
Undergraduate students participate in both experimental and computational projects and gain experience with optical instrumentation, fiber systems, simulations, data acquisition, and scientific analysis.
Current Projects:
High-Field Photonic Control and Protection in Semiconductor Systems
Conventional optical limiters rely on strong absorption, which leads to thermal damage at high intensities. In contrast, photonic structures supporting localized modes enable energy redistribution, allowing a transition from transmission to reflection without dissipation. Intensity-dependent defect modes in photonic bandgap structures can be suppressed under strong excitation, leading to broadband reflection and enabling a fundamentally new approach to optical protection.
Reconfigurable Topological Photonics
Topological photonic systems can support localized optical states that are unusually robust to structural variations and disorder. Our research explores how non-Hermitian interactions can be used to actively control where these states appear within a photonic structure. By tuning local gain, loss, or coupling conditions, localized modes can be shifted between different regions of a resonator array without physically rebuilding the system. This provides a route toward dynamically reconfigurable photonic devices in which the spatial distribution of light can be controlled on demand, with potential applications in optical routing, sensing, and adaptive photonic technologies.
Dr. Christopher Marble
Dr. Chris Marble’s research focuses on developing optical tools to probe and control the interaction of light with matter. His interests include laser spectroscopy, ultrafast optics, quantum materials, and nonlinear light-matter interactions. By combining lasers, photonics, and quantum measurement techniques, his group studies problems ranging from biomedical sensing and environmental monitoring to the development of emerging quantum technologies.
Current research includes quantum-enhanced Raman microscopy using squeezed light, Raman and fluorescence imaging of biological and environmental samples, optical studies of quantum dots and other quantum materials, and studies of ultrafast laser interactions with semiconductor materials.
Students in the research group gain experience building optical instrumentation, performing spectroscopy measurements, analyzing experimental data, and communicating scientific results. Research projects are designed to expose students to the full research process, from developing an idea and building an experiment to presenting results at conferences and contributing to publications
Current Projects:
Spectroscopy for Environmental and Biomedical Analysis
Dr. Marble’s group develops Raman and fluorescence imaging techniques for applications in environmental monitoring and biomedical analysis. Current efforts focus on microplastic detection, testing new spectroscopy techniques, and chemical identification in complex samples.
Quantum-Enhanced Raman Microscopy
Dr. Marble is collaborating with researchers at Texas A&M University to explore how squeezed light can improve Raman microscopy. The goal is to increase measurement sensitivity while reducing optical power requirements for light-sensitive biological media.
Quantum Materials and Quantum Light Sources
The group, in collaboration with Dr. Hyun Suk Kang’s (Tarleton, Chemistry) group studies quantum dots and related nanomaterials to better understand how nanoscale structure influences optical properties. New projects are directed at studying perovskite quantum dots and carbon nanotubes for applications in sensing, communications, solar cell design, and quantum photonics.
Nonlinear Optics and Ultrafast Laser Interactions in Semiconductors
This research, in collaboration with the University of Alabama, Huntsville and the U.S. Army, examines how intense, ultrafast laser pulses interact with semiconductor materials, including high harmonic generation, strong field effects, and laser-induced material modification. These studies support advances in spectroscopy, material science, and laser safety.
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Astronomy and Astrophysics explores the origin, structure, evolution, and behavior of objects throughout the universe, from planets and stars to galaxies and the large-scale cosmos. Through observations, data analysis, and theoretical modeling, researchers seek to better understand the physical processes that govern celestial phenomena and shape the universe. This field combines physics, mathematics, and modern computational techniques to address some of the most fundamental questions in science.
Dr. Shaukat Goderya
Dr. Shaukat Goderya leads a dynamic research program in observational astronomy at Tarleton State University, where he and his students explore the hidden properties of stars and distant planets beyond our solar system. Utilizing a state-of-the-art 32-inch remote-controlled telescope and advanced imaging technology, his work investigates phenomena such as variable stars, eclipsing binaries, and exoplanet transits—subtle dips in starlight that reveal the existence of worlds orbiting other stars. Dr. Goderya, a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Award, has experience building research capacity and educational infrastructure in astronomy both in the U.S. and abroad. By involving undergraduate students in every phase of the scientific process—from telescope observations and data analysis to the presentation and publication of discoveries—his program not only advances scientific knowledge but also prepares the next generation of astronomers and STEM professionals. His research contributions are published in peer-reviewed journals, and he is known for his commitment to innovative teaching, supportive mentorship, and expanding access to hands-on research experiences.
Accelerator Physics and Materials Characterization
Accelerator-based physics and materials characterization research uses ion beams and advanced analytical techniques to investigate the composition and properties of materials. These methods support research in physics, engineering, electronics, environmental science, and industry by providing detailed information about the structure and behavior of materials at microscopic scales.
Dr. Daniel Marble
Particle accelerators are outstanding teaching tools for training physics students in research techniques, as well as an exciting way to conduct a wide range of instructional labs, including measuring the rest energy of an electron, proving Einstein’s equation E=MC2, and measuring the size of the nucleus. The TSU accelerator facility is an undergraduate teaching and research facility and one of only 5 undergraduate tandem facilities in the U.S. Past undergraduate research assistants have gone to graduate school at MIT, Stanford, Rice, UT, and many other fine schools, as well as being selected for summer REU programs at CALTECH, UNT, TCU, etc.
The TSU accelerator group performs a wide range of research, including basic ion-atom collision studies and the use of nuclear techniques for materials analysis for electronics and environmental engineering studies. Some of the techniques available include Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Channeling; Forward Recoil Spectrometry (FRS), which is also known as ERD; Nuclear Reaction Analysis (NRA); and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). The laboratory has a wide range of detectors, including a large NaI well detector, a 40% efficiency HpGe gamma ray detector with an environmental shield, and an ultra-thin x-ray detector capable of detecting elements down to Be.