Welcome to Photonics Laboratory @ UCLA
The Photonics Laboratory at UCLA performs multi-disciplinary research and development in the fields of silicon photonics, microwave photonics, and biophotonics for biomedical and defense applications. The Lab has two complementary missions. The first is to solve critical problems faced by defense, commercial industries, and medicine through innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in devices or systems. The second and equally important mission is to produce creative and highly skilled scientists and engineers who will be the driving force for technological innovation in the 21st century. The Lab enjoys the strong support of the US Department of Defence and private companies.
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Serial time-encoded amplified microscopy (STEAM) is a new type of imaging modality for continuous real-time observation of fast dynamical phenomena in physics, chemistry, and biology. With a built-in optical image amplifier, STEAM overcomes the fundamental trade-off between sensitivity and frame rate in optical imaging. As a result, STEAM achieves ~10 MHz frame rate and ~100 ps shutter speed. K. Goda, K. K. Tsia, and B. Jalali, Nature 458, 1145 (2009) |
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We have discovered a new phenomenon known as optical rogue waves, counterparts of the freak ocean waves thought to be responsible for destroying ships on the open sea. Optical rogue waves arise in supercontinuum generation, a nonlinear process in which broadband radiation is generated from a narrowband light. By actively controlling the process, a more stable and coherent white light source can be produced. D. R. Solli, C. Ropers, P. Koonath, and B. Jalali, Nature 450, 1054 (2007) |
Recent Press Coverage

Nature News
- World's fastest camera
BBC News
- Debut for world's fastest camera
Wired Magazine
- Fastest camera ever built uses ..
Discover Magazine
- World's fastest camera snaps ..
PhysicsWorld
- New camera 1000 times faster ..
guradian.co.uk
- Meet the world's fastest camera
PhysOrg
- World's fastest camera relies ..
Click here for a complete list of press coverages.
Open Positions
Exciting projects are available for postdocs, graduate, and undergraduate students. Postdocs and students with fellowships will be given priority. Interested candidates should send a brief e-mail together with a CV to goda@ee.ucla.edu.

