Zbig Wasilewski

Zbig Wasilewski
Professor, Research Chair in Nanotechnology
Location: QNC 4606
Phone: 519-888-4567 x31742

Biography

Zbig Wasilewski is an Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor, cross-appointed to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo. He is internationally renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), quantum-dot and quantum-well photonic devices, and high-mobility 2D electron gas-based quantum structures and devices.

Professor Wasilewski’s research focuses on MBE and the nanofabrication of III-V semiconductor structures for applications in quantum optics, nano-photonics, nano-electronics, and quantum computing. Under his leadership, the MBE laboratory has achieved the highest operating temperatures worldwide for GaAs/AlGaAs-based THz Quantum Cascade Lasers—some of the most complex man-made quantum structures. Additionally, the laboratory pioneered the In-flush method, the premier technique for creating and fine-tuning MBE-grown InAs/GaAs quantum dot systems for photonic and quantum computing applications.

Professor Wasilewski has co-authored over 500 refereed journal articles and conference proceedings, amassing over 16,000 citations and an h-index of 64, placing him among the most cited researchers in his field. In 2012, he was awarded the lifetime title of Professor of Physics by the President of Poland in recognition of his exceptional research contributions and his role in developing GaN-based optoelectronics in Poland. In 2022, he was elevated to Fellow of the IEEE.

Research Interests

  • Sensors and devices, Nano-electronics, Nano-materials, Photonics, Molecular Beam Epitaxy, Nanofabrication, Nanotechnology, Self-assembled nanostructures, Quantum Cascade Lasers and related devices, Advanced Manufacturing

Education

  • 1986, Doctorate Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
  • 1979, Master of Science Physics, University of Warsaw, Poland
  • 1978, Bachelor of Science (BSc) Physics, University of Warsaw, Poland

Teaching*

  • NANO 701 - Fundamentals of Nanotechnology
    • Taught in 2020, 2021
  • NANO 702 - Nanotechnology Tools
    • Taught in 2020, 2021
  • NE 102 - Introduction to Nanomaterials Health Risk; Nanotechnology Engineering Practice
    • Taught in 2022
  • NE 201 - Nanotoxicology; Nanotechnology Engineering Practice
    • Taught in 2022
  • NE 202 - Nanomaterials and Environmental Impact; Nanotechnology Engineering Practice
    • Taught in 2022
  • NE 345 - Photonic Materials and Devices
    • Taught in 2023
  • NE 471 - Nano-electronics
    • Taught in 2019, 2020

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

Selected/Recent Publications

  • A. Khalatpour, M. C. Tam, S. J. Addamane, J. Reno, Z. Wasilewski, and Q. Hu, "Enhanced operating temperature in terahertz quantum cascade lasers based on direct phonon depopulation", Applied Physics Letters 122, 161101 (2023).
  • P. Goulain, C. Deimert, M. Jeannin, S. Pirotta, W. J. Pasek, Z. Wasilewski, R. Colombelli, and J.-M. Manceau, "THz Ultra-Strong Light–Matter Coupling up to 200 K with Continuously-Graded Parabolic Quantum Wells", Advanced Optical Materials n/a, 2202724 (2023).
  • E. A. Bergeron, F. Sfigakis, Y. Shi, G. Nichols, P. C. Klipstein, A. Elbaroudy, S. M. Walker, Z. R. Wasilewski, and J. Baugh, "Field effect two-dimensional electron gases in modulation-doped InSb surface quantum wells", Applied Physics Letters 122, 012103 (2023).
  • B. Tekcan, B. van Kasteren, S. V. Grayli, D. Shen, M. C. Tam, D. Ban, Z. Wasilewski, A. W. Tsen, and M. E. Reimer, "Semiconductor nanowire metamaterial for broadband near-unity absorption", Scientific Reports 12, 9663 (2022).
  • A. Shetty, F. Sfigakis, W. Y. Mak, K. Das Gupta, B. Buonacorsi, M. C. Tam, H. S. Kim, I. Farrer, A. F. Croxall, H. E. Beere, A. R. Hamilton, M. Pepper, D. G. Austing, S. A. Studenikin, A. Sachrajda, M. E. Reimer, Z. R. Wasilewski, D. A. Ritchie, and J. Baugh, "Effects of biased and unbiased illuminations on two-dimensional electron gases in dopant-free GaAs/AlGaAs", Physical Review B 105, 075302, 1-16 (2022).
  • I. Sadeghi, A. Pofelski, H. Farkhondeh, N. Fernández-Delgado, M. C. Tam, K. T. Leung, G. A. Botton, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Atomically Smooth Defect-Free III-As Heterostructures on InP(111) Substrate for Next-Generation Electronic Devices", ACS Applied Nano Materials (2022).
  • M. D. Rezeq, Y. Abbas, B. Wen, Z. Wasilewski, and D. Ban, "Direct detection of electronic states for individual indium arsenide (InAs) quantum dots grown by molecular beam epitaxy", Applied Surface Science 590, 153046 (2022).
  • W. J. Pasek, C. Deimert, P. Goulain, J.-M. Manceau, R. Colombelli, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Multisubband plasmons: Beyond the parabolicity in the semiclassical model", Physical Review B 106, 115303 (2022).
  • A. Khalatpour, A. K. Paulsen, S. J. Addamane, C. Deimert, J. L. Reno, Z. R. Wasilewski, and Q. Hu, "A Tunable Unidirectional Source for GUSTO’s Local Oscillator at 4.74 THz", IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology 12, 144-150 (2022).
  • A. Khalatpour, A. K. Paulsen, C. Deimert, Z. R. Wasilewski, and Q. Hu, "High-power portable terahertz laser systems", Nature Photonics 15, 16-20 (2021).
  • C. Deimert and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Precise control of time-varying effusion cell flux in molecular beam epitaxy", Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A 39, 043407 (2021).
  • B. Buonacorsi, F. Sfigakis, A. Shetty, M. C. Tam, H. S. Kim, S. R. Harrigan, F. Hohls, M. E. Reimer, Z. R. Wasilewski, and J. Baugh, "Non-adiabatic single-electron pumps in a dopant-free GaAs/AlGaAs 2DEG", Applied Physics Letters 119, 114001, 1-7 (2021).
  • M. N. Beattie, C. E. Valdivia, M. M. Wilkins, M. Zamiri, K. L. C. Kaller, M. C. Tam, H. S. Kim, J. J. Krich, Z. R. Wasilewski, and K. Hinzer, "High current density tunnel diodes for multi-junction photovoltaic devices on InP substrates", Applied Physics Letters 118, 062101 (2021).
  • B. Wen, C. Deimert, S. Wang, C. Xu, S. S. Rassel, Z. Wasilewski, and D. Ban, "Six-level hybrid extraction/injection scheme terahertz quantum cascade laser with suppressed thermally activated carrier leakage", Optics Express 28, 26508 (2020).
  • C. Deimert, P. Goulain, J. M. Manceau, W. Pasek, T. Yoon, A. Bousseksou, N. Y. Kim, R. Colombelli, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Realization of Harmonic Oscillator Arrays with Graded Semiconductor Quantum Wells", Physical Review Letters 125, 097403 (2020).
  • Y. Shi, E. Bergeron, F. Sfigakis, J. Baugh, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Hillock-free and atomically smooth InSb QWs grown on GaAs substrates by MBE", Journal of Crystal Growth 513, 15-19 (2019).
  • I. Sadeghi, M. C. Tam, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "On the optimum off-cut angle for the growth on InP(111)B substrates by molecular beam epitaxy", Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B 37, 031210 (2019).
  • Y. Hu, M. C. Tam, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Unintentional As incorporation into AlSb and interfacial layers within InAs/AlSb superlattices", Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B 37, 032902-1 032902-5 (2019).
  • C. Deimert and Z. R. Wasilewski, "MBE growth of continuously-graded parabolic quantum well arrays in AlGaAs", Journal of Crystal Growth 514, 103-108 (2019).
  • Y. Shi, D. Gosselink, V. Y. Umansky, J. L. Weyher, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Threading dislocations in MBE grown AlInSb metamorphic buffers: Revealed and counted", Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, 35, 02B112 (2017).
  • Y. Shi, D. Gosselink, K. Gharavi, J. Baugh, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Optimization of metamorphic buffers for MBE growth of high quality AlInSb/InSb quantum structures: Suppression of hillock formation", Journal of Crystal Growth 477, 7-11 (2017).
  • J. Tournet, D. Gosselink, G. X. Miao, M. Jaikissoon, D. Langenberg, T. G. McConkey, M. Mariantoni, and Z. R. Wasilewski, "Growth and characterization of epitaxial aluminum layers on gallium-arsenide substrates for superconducting quantum bits", Superconductor Science and Technology 29, 064004 (2016).

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Graduate studies