Diverse sponsored research activities, an attractive student-to-faculty ratio, and outstanding facilities combine to offer unique learning opportunities.
Research Areas
The CLA’s mission is to conduct research in the application of lasers and associated technology to bio/nanophotonics, materials science, laser materials interaction, energy/power and spectroscopy. These focus areas of specialization were selected to correspond to known areas of scientific and engineering challenges and to areas of development and regional and national needs.
Students or potential collaborators interested in a particular research topic are encouraged to contact our faculty to learn more about current and future opportunities.
Bio/Nanophotonics
- Devices for cellular chemotaxis
- Single-molecule detection, spectroscopy, and control; micro/nanofluids
- Contact: Brian Canfield
- Storage phosphor materials for mammography
- Contact: Jacqueline Johnson
- MEMS/NEMS, micro/nano fluidics
- Contact: Feng-Yuan Zhang
Laser Materials Interaction
- Laser cladding and femtosecond laser machining
- Femtosecond laser processing of diamonds and glass devices
- Laser-based heating of material samples for high-enthalpy flows
- Contact: Phillip Kreth
- Laser ablation dynamics and modeling of laser ablation for space propulsion
- Contact: Trevor Moeller
- Micro/nano manufacturing multifunctional materials
- Contact: Feng-Yuan Zhang
Materials Science
- Phase transformations, laser cladding and modeling of direct metal deposition
- Glasses and glass ceramics for radiographic imaging and dosimetry
- Contact: Lee Leonard
- Development of glass imaging material
- Contact: Jacqueline Johnson
Non-Equilibrium Fluid Physics
- Diagnostics development for hypersonic flows
- Contact: Phillip Kreth
- Plasma physics and combustion
- Contact: Trevor Moeller
- Laser-plasma physics, combustion and fluid phenomena and computational modeling
- Hypersonic flow and reaction
- Contact: Feng-Yuan Zhang
Spectroscopy
- Mössbauer spectroscopy
- Contact: Charles Johnson
- Tomography, Diode-laser absorption spectroscopy, thermography
- Contact: Feng-Yuan Zhang
Collaboration
CLA actively collaborates with the Center for Industrial Services to provide studies for Tennessee industries, with numerous national and international universities, and with the nearby Arnold Engineering Development Complex. CLA has also formed long-term research partnerships with regional and national industries.
Sponsorship
CLA research programs are sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, and other federal agencies.