PEOPLE · FACULTY

FACULTY

Stephen D. Jacobs
Professor, Senior Scientist LLE
Ph.D. 1975, University of Rochester

250 E. River Rd, LLE
(585)275-4837
sjac@lle.rochester.edu

Website

http://www.opticsexcellence.org/SJ_TeamSite/index.html

Courses

ChE 447: Liquid Crystals for ChE (alternating spring semesters)

Research Topics: Optical materials for laser applications, liquid crystal optics, electro-optic devices, optics manufacturing processes, magnetorheological finishing, polishing abrasives and slurries, optical glass

Research Overview: We are interested in developing new optical materials, devices, and manufacturing processes for optical and laser applications. Our research group is very interdisciplinary, consisting of a ceramic scientist, a chemical engineer, a liquid crystal chemist, several physicists, and students in Optics and Materials Science. We carry out our research in a number of laboratories on the University's South Campus under the auspices of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) and the Center for Optics Manufacturing (COM).

In the early '80's we started to explore applications of liquid crystals in high peak power lasers. We were the first to develop and utilize large aperture, laser damage resistant, low molecular weight liquid crystal devices as circular polarizers and waveplates. Over 300 liquid crystal optics to 200 mm in diameter are used for polarization control in the OMEGA Nd:glass laser system at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. This system is currently the largest, high peak power laser for fusion research in the world. Electro-optic devices such as variable apodizers and shutter/choppers have been subjects of study by our group, and we have recently been investigating the electro-optic effects obtained by a new form of pigment called liquid crystal flakes.

In the mid'90's the group began to concentrate some of its efforts on the science of the optical glass polishing. By replacing the conventional aqueous based cerium oxide slurry with a magnetic fluid, the group co-invented and helped to commercialize a process called magnetorheological finishing (MRF). The subjects of magnetic fluid chemistry, rheology, and the interactions of polishing abrasives with various optical glasses, water soluble crystals, and semiconductors are being aggressively explored with instrumentation like laser particle size analyzers, magnetorheometers, optical white light interferometers, nanoindenters, and atomic force microscopes.