Research
Work in the lab moves across photonics, sensing, energy materials, and functional devices — often overlapping in the same project.
What we work on
A few of the areas where the group is active today, with recent examples from the literature.
Nanostructured films, metamaterials, and photonic architectures that generate, guide, trap, and convert light, from graded gratings and plasmonic resonators to dispersion-engineered coatings.
In 2024, Dixon et al. demonstrated dispersion-engineered plasmonic metasurfaces that support broadband SEIRA across the mid-infrared.
Nanophotonic and spectroscopic platforms for biomedical, agricultural, and environmental sensing, pairing optical enhancement with spectral analysis for high sensitivity in compact formats.
In 2023, Dixon et al. showed plasmonic bullseye nanocavities that localize light for multi-wavelength SERS, with strong on-resonance enhancement relative to off-structure controls.
Thin-film photovoltaics, solar fuels, photocatalysis, and hydrogen-related materials — including photonic crystal cells, photoreactors, and coatings that improve light harvesting and catalytic efficiency.
In 2021, Loh et al. reported persistent CO2 photocatalysis for solar fuels that continues in the dark after illumination, linking surface chemistry to sustained conversion.
Semiconductor thin films, memristors, and responsive materials, combining deposition, defect engineering, and device physics for switching, detection, and integrated systems.
In 2025, Loh et al. showed how residual stresses and micro-voids drive metal diffusion in filament-based memristors, clarifying pathways for controlled filament growth.
We welcome conversations with academic and industry partners about joint projects, facility access, and student co-supervision.