Our group specializes in synthesizing lanthanide-doped nanocrystals of different compositions, sizes, and architectures. We use air-free, robust, and scalable colloid synthesis methods, such as heat-up or hot injection, to synthesize nanomaterials with the desired characteristics. By carefully optimizing reaction parameters, we make solution-processable nanocrystals with unique chemical and physical properties. We are passionate about discovering novel host materials for lanthanide dopants, controlling dopant distribution in nanocrystals, creating intricate heterostructures, and deepening our understanding of how materials structure and chemistry dictate lanthanide photophysics.

Our optical laboratory is built for, but not limited to, studying photoluminescence properties of lanthanide-doped nanocrystals. We are intrigued by these materials and the nonlinear phenomena they exhibit. Our goal is to understand and harness photon upconversion, avalanching, downconversion, and optical bistability, streamlining their applications.

The increasing demand for optical and quantum computing technologies directly responds to the data processing, transmission, and storage needs of AI and the information-driven world. Thus, the highly nonlinear and optically bistable nanocrystals developed in our group are studied as fundamental building blocks for optical computing and memory. We believe that nonlinear emitters, such as photon-avalanching nanoparticles, may exhibit the necessary properties to construct digital optical logic at the nanoscale, bringing us one step closer to general-purpose optical computing.