Dr. Alan D. Bristow

Contact Information

JILA, University of Colorado & NIST
440 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0440
United States of America

Tel: (+1) 303 492-7313 (Office: A501)
Tel: (+1) 303 492-4841 (Lab: S1B59)
Fax: (+1) 303 492-5235
E-mail:

PDF curriculum vitae (last updated in April. 2009).

Research Interests

The future of photonic, opto-electronic and quantum-electronic devices is contingent on investigating the ultrafast and nonlinear light-matter interactions in novel materials. Semiconductors, metals and composite materials can all be processed on a nanometer scale. These nano-structures can enhance light-matter interactions and lead to new physical phenomena, which can be explored and exploited.
Excitation of these novel optical materials with pulsed lasers provides 'snapshots' of light-matter interactions, hence recording the dynamics with ultrafast precision. Laser excitation can also be used to coherently pre-condition (or control) the electronic states of the materials. Therefore, the opto-electronic response of a nanostructure can be coherently tailored to select individual quantum processes in these often complicated solid-state systems.
My research interests include the use of ultrafast spectroscopic techniques to observe and control light-matter interactions in nanostructured photonic, plasmonic and quantum-electronic systems.

Current Projects [url]

  • Two-dimensional Fourier-transform spectropscopy of nanosctructured semiconductors
  • Second-harmonic generation from condensed matter interfaces

Recent Projects (University of Toronto) [url]

  • Optical parametric generation in two-dimensional GaAs photonic crystal waveguides
  • Linear and nonliear optical study of metallodielectric Bragg stacks
  • Exploring AlGaAs waveguide structures for on-chip all-optical delay lines
  • Transient current injection in semiconductors detected via emitted Terahertz radiation

Education

  • Ph.D. Obtained from the University of Sheffield, U.K. (2003) [url]
    Thesis: "Optical Investigation of AlGaAs Photonic Crystal Waveguides"
  • M.Sc. in Optoelectronics and Laser Physics, from the Heriot-Watt University
    & the University of St. Andrews, U.K. (1998)
  • B.Sc. (Hons) in Interdisciplinary Physics from the University of East Anglia, U.K. (1997)

Journal Publications and Conference Proceedings

  1. D. Karaiskaj, A. D. Bristow, L. Yang, X. Dai, R. P. Mirin, S. Mukamel, S. T. Cundiff, Many-body two-quantum coherences in semiconductor nanostructures, submitted to Physical Review Letters (June 2009). [arxiv.org]
  2. S. A. Yang, X. Q. Li, A. D. Bristow, J. E. Sipe, Second harmonic generation from tetragonal centrosymmetric crystals, submitted to Phys. Rev. B (May 2009).
  3. A. D. Bristow, D. Karaiskaj, X. Dai, T. Zhang, C. Carlsson, K. R. Hagen, R. Jimenez and S. T. Cundiff, A versatile ultra-stable platform for optical multidimensional Fourier-transform spectroscopy, accpeted by Review of Scientific Instruments (April 2009). [arxiv.org]
  4. S. T. Cundiff, T. Zhang, A. D. Bristow, D. Karaiskaj, X. Dai, Optical two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy of semiconductors, Accounts of Chemical Research, online (2009), DOI:10.1021/ar9000636.
  5. A. D. Bristow, D. Karaiskaj, X. Dai, R. P. Mirin, S. T. Cundiff, "Polarization dependence of semiconductor exciton and biexciton contributions to phase-resolved optical two-dimensional Fourier-transform spectra," Physics Review B 79, 161305(R) (2009).
  6. L. Yang, T. Zhang, A. D. Bristow, S. T. Cundiff, S. Mukamel, "Isolating excitonic Raman coherence in semiconductors using two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy," Journal of Chemical Physics 129, 234711 (2008).
  7. T. Zhang, I. Kuznetsova, L. Yang, A. D. Bristow, X. Dai, X. Li, T. Meier, P. Thomas, S. Mukamel, R. P. Mirin, S. T. Cundiff, “Ultrafast coherent interactions in semiconductor quantum wells studied by two‐dimensional Fourier‐transform spectroscopy,” Ultrafast Phenomena XVI (Springer Series in Chemical Physics, 2008).
  8. A. D. Bristow, D. Karaiskaj, X. Dai, S. T. Cundiff, "All-optical retrieval of the global phase for two-dimensional Fourier-transform spectroscopy," Optics Express, 16, 18017 (2008).*
  9. A. D. Bristow, T. Zhang, S. T. Cundiff, "Coherent optical processes of semiconductors studied via two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy," Proc. SPIE 6892, 68921Q (2008).
  10. M. Betz, L. Costa, M. Spasenović, A. D. Bristow, H. M. van Driel, "All-optical injection of ballistic electrical currents in unbiased silicon," Physica Status Solidi (c) 5, 340 (2008).
  11. L. Costa, M. Betz, M. Spasenović, A. D. Bristow, H. M. van Driel, "All-optical injection of ballistic electrical currents in unbiased silicon," Nature Physics 3, 632 (September 2007).**
  12. A. D. Bristow, N. Rotenberg, H. M. van Driel, "Two-photon absorption and Kerr coefficient of silicon for 850-2200 nm," Applied Physics Letters 90, 191104 (2007).**
  13. N. Rotenberg, A. D. Bristow, M. Pfeiffer, M. Betz, H. M. van Driel, "Nonlinear absorption in Au films: Role of thermal effects," Physical Review B 75, 155426 (2007).**
  14. A. D. Bristow, R. Iyer, J. S. Aitchison, H. M. van Driel, Arthur L. Smirl, "Switchable AlxGa1-xAs all-optical delay line at 1.55 mm," Applied Physics Letters 90, 101112 (2007).
  15. Z.S. Yang, P. Chak, A. D. Bristow, H. M. van Driel, R. Iyer, J. S. Aitchison, Arthur L. Smirl, J. E. Sipe, "Enhanced second harmonic generation using slow-light in AlGaAs microring resonantors," Optics Letters 32, 826 (2007).
  16. T. K. Lee, A. D. Bristow, J. Hübner, H. M. van Driel, "Linear and nonlinear optical properties of Au/PMMA metallodielectric Bragg stacks," Journal of Optical Society of America B 23, 2141 (2006).
  17. A. D. Bristow, D. O. Kundys, A. Z. García-Déniz, J.-P. R. Wells, A. M. Fox, M. S. Skolnick, D. M. Whittaker, A. Tahraoui, T. F. Krauss, J. S. Roberts, "Enhanced all-optical tuning of leaky-eigenmodes in photonic crystal waveguides," Optics Letters 31, 2284 (2006).*
  18. A. D. Bristow, J. P. Mondia, H. M. van Driel, "Sum and difference frequency generation as diagnostics for leaky eigenmodes in two-dimensional photonics crystal waveguides," Journal of Applied Physics 99, 023105 (2006).*,**
  19. A. D. Bristow, A. Z. García-Déniz, A. M. Fox, D. M. Whittaker, M. S. Skolnick, T. F. Krauss, M. Hopkinson, "Reflection and emission of Brillouin zone edge states for active photonic crystal waveguides," Journal of Optics A: Pure and Applied Optics 7, S270 (2005).
  20. A. D. Bristow, D. O. Kundys, A. Z. García-Déniz, J.-P. R. Wells, A. M. Fox, M. S. Skolnick, D. M. Whittaker, A. Tahraoui, T. F. Krauss, J. S. Roberts, "Ultrafast nonlinear tuning of the reflection properties of AlGaAs in photonic crystal waveguides by two-photon absorption," Journal of Applied Physics 96, 4729 (2004).*,**
  21. A. D. Bristow, J.-P. R. Wells, W. H. Fan, A. M. Fox, M. S. Skolnick, D. M. Whittaker, A. Tahraoui, T. F. Krauss, J. S. Roberts, "Ultrafast nonlinear modulation of reflectivity in AlGaAs photonic crystal waveguides," Applied Physics Letters 83, 851 (2003).*,**
  22. A. D. Bristow, V. N. Astratov, D. M. Whittaker, M. S. Skolnick, A. Tahraoui, T. F. Krauss, M. P. Croucher, G. A. Gehring, "Defect states and commensurability in dual-period AlGaAs photonic crystal waveguides," Physical Review B 68, 033303 (2003).*
  23. A. D. Bristow, V. N. Astratov, R. Shimada, I. S. Culshaw, D. M. Whittaker, M. S. Skolnick, A. Tahraoui, T. F. Krauss, "Polarisation conversion in reflectivity properties of photonic crystal waveguides," IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 38, 880 (2002).

Also reproduced in: * Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science and Technology
or ** Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science.

Publicity

JILA Light & Matter: "Meet the JILA MONSTRs"

The cover article of JILA's in-house magazine highlights the making and future prospects of the new JILA Mulitdimensional Optical Nonlinear SpecTRometers.

Nature Photonics: "Changing Paths"

This brief research highlight showcases the work on all-optical delay lines by Bristow et al.

@ECTI article on "Dumb Slow Light"

Published by the Emerging Communications Technology Institute at the University of Toronto. The Fall 2006 issue features an article on on-chip optical delay lines.

Topical Review: Nonlinear Photonic Crystal Waveguides

This review features material on ultrafast nonlinear switching of two-dimensional PCWs
by Bristow et al:

Recent Invited Seminars

  • The JILA-MONSTR: shedding new light on ultrafast coherent phenomena in semiconductor excitons, Physics seminar, Department of Physics, Grinnell College, Iowa (April 2009)
  • Coherent light-matter interactions: shedding a new light on semiconductors, Center for Controlled Quantum Systems Seminar, School of Physics and Engineering Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey (March 2009)
  • Two-dimensional Fourier-transform spectroscopy: coherent semiconductor phenomena in a new light, Walter-Schottky Institute Seminar, Walter-Schottky Institute, Technical University of Munich, Germany (June 2008)
  • Coherent electronic interactions in semiconductor nanostructures investigated by two-dimensional Fourier-transform spectroscopy, Quantum Optics Seminar, Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Canada, (March 2008)

Conference Presentations

  • CLEO / IQEC, May/June 2009 (Baltimore, MD, USA): Two-quantum Resonances Observed in Potassium Vapor by Two-Dimensional Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy, Xingcan Dai, Alan D. Bristow, Denis Karaiskaj, Shaul Mukamel, Steven T. Cundiff (Postdeadline talk)
  • CLEO / IQEC, May/June 2009 (Baltimore, MD, USA): Inhomogeneity and Binding Energy of Biexcitons in Quantum Wells Using 2-D Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy, Alan D. Bristow, Denis Karaiskaj, Xingcan Dai, Richard P. Mirin, Steven T. Cundiff (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO / IQEC, May/June 2009 (Baltimore, MD, USA): Many-Body Two-Quantum Coherences in 2-D Fourier-Transform Spectra of Semiconductors, Denis Karaiskaj, Alan D. Bristow, Xingcan Dai, Lijun Yang, Shaul Mukamel, Richard P. Mirin, Steven T. Cundiff (Contributed talk)
  • Frontiers In Optics, Oct 2008 (Rochester, NY): Biexciton lineshapes in semiconductor QWs are revealed by cross-polarized 2D Fourier-transform spectroscopy, Alan D. Bristow, Denis Karaiskaj, Xingcan Dai, Steven T. Cundiff* (Postdeadline talk)
  • Ultrafast Phenomena, June 2008 (Stresa, Italy): Ultrafast coherent interactions in semiconductor quantum wells studied by two-dimensional Fourier-transform spectroscopy, Tianhao Zhang, Irina Kuznetsova, Lijun Yang, Alan D. Bristow,* Xingcan Dai, Xiaoqin (Elaine) Li,Torsten Meier, Peter Thomas,Shaul Mukamel, Richard P. Mirin, Steven T. Cundiff (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO / QELS, May 2008 (San Jose, CA, USA): Exciton Raman Coherence Revealed in Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Spectroscopy of Semiconductors, Tianhao Zhang,* Lijun Yang, Alan D. Bristow, Shaul Mukamel, Steven T. Cundiff (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO / QELS, May 2008 (San Jose, CA, USA): Direct Determination of Exciton Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Linewidths in Semiconductor Quantum Wells with Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Spectroscopy, Tianhao Zhang, Alan D. Bristow,* Xingcan Dai, Irina Kuznetsova, Torsten Meier, Peter Thomas, Steven T. Cundiff (Contributed talk)
  • Photonics West (Ultrafast Phenomena in Semiconductors and Nanostructure Materials XII), Jan 2008 (San Jose, CA, USA): Coherent optical processes of Semiconductors studied via two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy, Alan D. Bristow,* Tianhao Zhang Steven T. Cundiff (Invited talk)
  • FOPS, July 2007 (Big Sky, MT, USA): Studies of exciton correlations with two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy, Xiaoqin (Elaine) Li,* Tianhao Zhang, Alan D. Bristow, Steven T. Cundiff, Richard P. Mirin (Invited talk)
  • FOPS, July 2007 (Big Sky, MT, USA): Polarization-dependent 2D Fourier transform spectroscopy of quantum wells, Tianhao Zhang, Xiaoqin (Elaine) Li, Alan D. Bristow, Steven T. Cundiff, Irina Kuznetsova, Torsten Meier, Peter Thomas, Richard P. Mirin (Contributed poster)
  • FOPS, July 2007 (Big Sky, MT, USA): Isolating excitonic Raman coherences using 2D Fourier transform spectroscopy, Tianhao Zhang, Alan D. Bristow, Steven T. Cundiff, Lijun Yang, Shaul Mukamel (Contributed poster)
  • FOPS, July 2007 (Big Sky, MT, USA): DC Electric Field Effects in Quantum Interference Control, Jared K. Wahlstrand, Ryan P. Smith, Jessica A. Pipis, Alan D. Bristow, Steven T. Cundiff (Contributed poster)
  • CLEO / QELS, May 2007 (Baltimore, MD, USA): Pulse width dependent nonlinear absorption in Au films,
    Nir Rotenberg,* Alan D. Bristow, Markus Pfeiffer, Markus Betz, Henry M. van Driel (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO / QELS, May 2007 (Baltimore, MD, USA): Quantum interference control of electrical currents in silicon, Louis Costa,* Marko Spasenović, Markus Betz, Alan D. Bristow, Henry M. van Driel (Contributed talk)
  • OFC 2007, March 2007 (Anaheim, CA, USA): On-chip, switchable,all-optical 188 ps delay line in AlGaAs, Rajiv Iyer, Alan D. Bristow, Zhenshan Yang, J. Stewart Aitchison, Henry M. van Driel, John E. Sipe and Arthur L. Smirl (Contributed poster)
  • OSA Topical Meeting on Fast and Slow Light, July 2006 (Washington, DC, USA): Enhanced SHG using slow light in AlGaAs microring resonantors, Zhenshan Yang, Rajiv Iyer, Alan D. Bristow,* J. Stewart Aitchison, Henry M. van Driel, John E. Sipe and Arthur L. Smirl (Contributed talk)
  • OSA Topical Meeting on Fast and Slow Light, July 2006 (Washington, DC, USA): All-optical switching of AlGaAs on-chip delay lines, Rajiv Iyer, Alan D. Bristow,* Zhenshan Yang, J. Stewart Aitchison, Henry M. van Driel, John E. Sipe and Arthur L. Smirl (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO / QELS, May 2006 (Long Beach, CA, USA): Linear and nonlinear optical properties of gold-polymer Bragg stacks, Tammy K. Lee, Alan D. Bristow,* Jens Hübner, Henry M. van Driel (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO / QELS, May 2005 (Baltimore, MD, USA): Enhanced parametric Processes in 2-D GaAs photonic crystal waveguides, Alan D. Bristow,* Jessica P. Mondia, Henry M. van Driel, Jeff F. Young (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO / IQEC, May 2004 (San Fransisco, CA, USA): Ultrafast nonlinear tuning of photonic coupling resonances in AlGaAs photonic crystal waveguides, Alan D. Bristow,* Dymtro O. Kundys, Jon-Paul R. Wells, A. Mark Fox, David M. Whittaker, Maurics S. Skolnick, Abbes Tahraoui, Thomas F. Krauss (Contributed talk)
  • PIERS, Oct 2003 (Honolulu, Hawaii, USA): Emission Properties of Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Microcavities, Ryoko Shimada,* Ian R. Sellers, Alan D. Bristow, Abbes Tahraoui, Thomas F. Krauss, Vasily N. Astratov, David M. Whittaker, Maurice S. Skolnick (Contributed talk)
  • PECS-IV, Oct 2003 (Los Angeles, CA, USA): Laser emission from two-dimensional photonic crystal microcavities, Ryoko Shimada,* Ian R. Sellers, Alan D. Bristow, Abbes Tahraoui, Thomas F. Krauss, Vasily N. Astratov, David M. Whittaker, Maurice S. Skolnick (Contributed talk)
  • CLEO/EQEC, June 2003 (Munich, Germany):Ultrafast resonant nonlinear response of AlGaAs photonic crystals, Alan D. Bristow, Jon-Paul R. Wells, A. Mark Fox,* Maurics S. Skolnick, Abbes Tahraoui, Thomas F. Krauss (Contributed talk)
  • IOP Optics Group Meeting, Feb 2003 (London, UK): Ultrafast nonlinear response of AlGaAs photonic crystal waveguides, Alan D. Bristow* (Contributed talk)
  • 26th ICPS, July 2002 (Edinburgh, UK): Emission Properties of Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Microcavities, Ryoko Shimada, Alan D. Bristow, Ian R. Sellers, Abbes Tahraoui, Thomas F. Krauss, Vasily N. Astratov, David M. Whittaker, Maurice S. Skolnick (Contributed poster)
  • 26th ICPS, July 2002 (Edinburgh, UK): Large polarization conversion in a semiconductor photonic crystal waveguide, Alan D. Bristow,* David M. Whittaker, Maurice S. Skolnick, Vasily N. Astratov, Ryoko Shimada, Abbes Tahraoui, Thomas F. Krauss (Contributed talk)
  • PECS-III, June 2001 (St. Andrews, UK): Reflection properties of 1D photonic crystal waveguides, Alan D. Bristow, Vasily N. Astratov, Ryoko Shimada, Maurice S. Skolnick, David M. Whittaker, Abbes Tahraoui, Thomas F. Krauss (Poster presentation)

( * = speaker for oral presentations)

Ph.D. Thesis

University of Sheffield, U.K. September 2003.

Other Publications

Last Updated: June 2009
© ADB 2006-2009