Undergraduate Research Projects

    A number of research projects are available for undergraduate students. Projects typically involve hands-on research in the cleanrooms and one on one mentorship with a graduate students. Many undergraduates stay on to become graduate students.

    If you are interested in what we do, please contact Prof. Coleman (jcoleman@illinois.edu) for more information.

Past Undergraduate Projects

Modeling of Ring Laser

    This project was completed by a junior in electrical engineering. Using a commercial finite element computer program, a ring laser fabrication process was simulated.

Single Lateral Mode Buried Heterostructure Laser

    Two seniors in electrical engineering designed, fabricated, and tested structures to create single lateral mode lasers.

Multi Device Testing Setup for Bar Broad Area Masks

    Two seniors in electrical engineering designed and set up a testing system which allowed independent device testing of lasers on a single substrate. This process included the design, fabrication, and testing of a new broad area mask using LASI. Comparisons between typically cleaved broad area lasers to the bar broad area lasers were done to ensure process independence. One undergraduate went on to become a graduate member of the lab.

Far Field Testing Setup

    A freshman in electrical engineering designed and set up a far field testing system for use in modal measurements. He went on to become a graduate member of the lab.

Monolithically Integrated LEDs and Photodetectors

    Two seniors in electrical engineering designed and fabricated working monolithically intergrated LED and photodiodes for use in CD recording subsystems, allowing for improved beam alignment and detection efficiencies benefiting from "system on a chip" technologies.