Abstract

Looking back on twenty-five years of coherent interfering interactions

In the early 1990’s, we demonstrated the controlled interference between different optical interactions that drove an atomic transition, and showed that, by changing only the relative phase of one of the laser beams, we could promote or inhibit the ionization signal generated from those atoms.  Since then, we have applied the interference concept to several different interactions, including: for control of the direction in which electrons are emitted during a photoionization process; and most recently, in an on-going program, for measurement of extremely small moments of weak optical interactions in atoms. In this talk, we will review and reflect on our contributions to this field of coherent optical interfering interactions.

Biography

Professor Elliott has been on the faculty of Purdue University since 1984.  His current appointment is a joint appointment, as Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Professor of Physics and Astronomy.  While at Purdue, he has served as the ECE Graduate Coordinator (1998-2004), and the Director of Graduate Recruiting and Retention for the College of Engineering (2003-2005).  In 1992-1993, he spent a sabbatical year at JILA, University of Colorado and NIST, working with the groups of Jan Hall and Steve Smith.  Prior to joining the faculty at Purdue, he held post-doctoral research positions with Steve Smith at JILA, and with Herbert Walther at the University of Munich.  He studied with John Ward at the University of Michigan, completing his PhD in 1981.
 

Watch Dr. Elliot's Presentation