Michigan Technological University
Department of Physics

is pleased to announce the

Graduate Students Series Spring 2004

Xiaoyue Huang

Physics Graduate Student
Michigan Technological University
Advisor: Dr. Miguel Levy

Fabrication of Photonic Crystals Structure
on a Waveguide as a Novel
Magneto-Optical Integrated Device

Photonic crystals are artificial periodic structures that can control the
behavior of light. Fabrication of photonic crystals with certain defects on
an optical wave guide would enhance the polarization rotation (Faraday
rotation) of light. Like photonic crystals, magnetic photonic crystals are
structures that could generate photonic band gaps, that is, forbidden
regions for certain types of light. In this talk, I will introduce my
current work on the fabrication of magneto-optic rotator in magnetic garnet
films (YIG). An overview of the various experimental procedures such as
electron beam lithography, photolithography and ion implantation process
etc. will also be presented.

Bijunath Patla

Physics Graduate Student
Michigan Technological University
Advisor: Dr. Robert Nemiroff

Cosmological Higgs Field and Dark Energy

The WMAP results and Type Ia supernovae observations have confirmed that the
universe is accelerating. Dark Energy, which accounts for about 70% of the
observed energy density in the universe is the most likely candidate
responsible for this acceleration as opposed to Dark matter and ordinary
matter. Inflation is the only other accelerating phase in the history of the
universe which we know about. An attempt will be made to link Dark Energy
and Inflation with the Higgs Field, which is known to give mass to all the
elementary particles. Possible alternative form of potentials, motivated by
SUSY and M-Theory/Strings will also be examined.

Thursday, March 11, 2004

4:00 p.m., Fisher 139

Refreshments will be served

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