Ben Whitfield Email and Phone Number

• Built fundamental optical systems such as a Michelson interferometer to measure the wavelength of light and used a beam profiler, M2 tool, and wavefront sensor to determine Gaussian beam quality.• Characterized LEDs, PIN photodetectors, and laser diodes using basic electronics devices including a diode driver circuit, oscilloscope, and multimeter.• Trained in Zemax OpticStudio 15 to design and optimize systems such as a mirror galvanometer and optical cryostat in both sequential and… Show more • Built fundamental optical systems such as a Michelson interferometer to measure the wavelength of light and used a beam profiler, M2 tool, and wavefront sensor to determine Gaussian beam quality.• Characterized LEDs, PIN photodetectors, and laser diodes using basic electronics devices including a diode driver circuit, oscilloscope, and multimeter.• Trained in Zemax OpticStudio 15 to design and optimize systems such as a mirror galvanometer and optical cryostat in both sequential and non-sequential modes.• Constructed optical tweezers and quantified trap strength in advanced projects lab to progress the study of transient heat flow dependent on object topology. Show less

Instructed up to 27 students and graded work for undergraduate electromagnetism and mechanics labs. Worked one-on-one with students during lab time and emphasized learning abstract physics concepts by analyzing situations with experimental measurements and proportional reasoning.

Modeled light propagation in hyberbolic metamaterials from first principles to explore their use in improving absorption efficiency of luminescent solar concentrators.

Developed instrument which measured loss in light intensity transmission of luminescent solar concentrators to characterize their efficiencies and advance the development of cheap and reliable solar panels.

Investigated the effects of extremely high pressures on heptane using IR spectroscopy to explore its phase transitions and possible use as a pressure-indicating immersion medium in other high-pressure experiments.