Faculty

Biography

Philippe M. Fauchet received a PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford University in 1984, an MS in Engineering from Brown University in 1980, and his Electrical Engineer's degree from Faculté Polytechnique de Mons, Belgium in 1978. He joined the Electrical Engineering faculty at the University of Rochester as an Associate Professor in 1990 and was promoted to the rank of Professor in 1993. Previously, he was on the faculty of Princeton and Stanford Universities. Dr. Fauchet has published in the fields of silicon photonics, photonic crystals, optical biosensors, optical interconnects, ultrafast laser physics and spectroscopy of semiconductors, optical diagnostics of semiconductor materials and devices, and laser-materials interactions. Fauchet was a Sloan Foundation Fellow (1988-1990). He was elected Fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA, 1998), Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS, 1998), and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE, 1999).

Research Overview

Professor Fauchet's research in Condensed Matter Physics is in the intersection of semiconductor materials and device physics, materials sciences, biomedical engineering, and optics.

Fauchet's group engineers nanoscale silicon structures for a wide variety of applications including optoelectronics (light-emitting diodes, waveguides), photovoltaics, electronics (single electron devices, non-volatile memories), and photonic bandgap structures. Also, manufacturing of various types of nanoscale Si objects, including quantum dots and electrochemically etched structures, optical interconnects, silicon quantum dot lasers, photonic bandgap structures, silicon-liquid crystal nanocomposites, and use of porous silicon in photovoltaics.

Research in biological and chemical sensors conducted in the Center for Future Health aims at inventing novel and inexpensive sensors that can be used by consumers worldwide. Research in the detection of the presence of specific pathogens or pollution agents; using porous silicon microcavity light emitters to recognize DNA, bacteria, and other biological objects as part of a smart bandage project; and work on electrical biosensors using porous silicon.

Other research includes ultrafast laser spectroscopy of semiconductors and the design of the smart home environment of the future.

Research Interests

• Condensed matter physics
• Semiconductor materials and device physics
• Materials sciences
• Biomedical engineering
• Optics
• Optoelectronics (light-emitting diodes, waveguides)
• Photovoltaics
• Electronics (single electron devices, non-volatile memories)
• Photonic bandgap structures
• Manufacturing of various types of nanoscale Si objects
• Electrical biosensors using porous silicon
• Using porous silicon microcavity light emitters to recognize DNA, bacteria, and other biological objects
• Detection of the presence of specific pathogens or pollution agents
• Ultrafast laser spectroscopy of semiconductors
• Design of the smart home environment of the future