Squirt Sunset

Last semester, in Waves and Optics, we discussed Rayleigh scattering. I described some simple examples, including the famous blue sky, and orange sunset. Earlier in the semester, I had coincidentally noticed that Squirt soda in a clear glass tends to be a little blue in hue, and not surprisingly, looks orange if held in front [...]

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Opinion Paper

I was recently invited to contribute an opinion on a paper by Stefan Schumacher et al. that extends some of my research on pattern-based all-optical switches to semiconductor systems. The paper appears in the January issue of Physica Status Solidi and should be available online now.
Download a PDF copy: A.M.C. Dawes, Towards a single-photon all-optical [...]

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Officially employed

I am excited to announce that I will be joining the faculty at Pacific University this fall. I have accepted an offer for a tenure-track position that is a joint appointment between the Department of Physics and the School of Optometry. I am looking forward to teaching physics in a liberal arts setting, and also [...]

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NOVA | Absolute Zero | PBS

Part II of a very cool NOVA series airs on PBS stations tonight. Pun absolutely intended. Second pun not as intended, but still amusing.
Many all-star players from the Atomic, Molecular and Optical physics world, several of which are Nobel Laureates, make appearances on this second part of the program. The first part aired last week [...]

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Fimo fractals and fancy fiber

Evilmadscientist has a well-documented project on drawing (stretching, not sketching) fimo into fractal patterns. You can start with a set of four triangular rods, stacked together into one larger triangle, strech them out to make them skinny, stack them in with four other similar assemblies, and iterate to make fractals. Aside from the fractal part, [...]

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