Dr. Xinglin Zeng has joined Russell center for advanced lightwave science as a new group leader and principal investigator. He graduated from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications as PhD student and did one-year visiting PhD study in Boston University. He was postdoctoral fellows in the university of Hongkong and Max Planck institute for the science of light, and under supervision of Prof. Philip Russell and Birgit Stiller at the latter one. His research focuses on the multi-dimensional photonics and light-sound interactions in the optical waveguides, spanning from multimode nonlinear optics to optical communications and in different kinds of multimode microstructured fibres. More specifically, his research is more about the fundamental understandings of exotic Brillouin scattering effect in the chiral photonic crystal fibre (PCF), which shows novel chiral photon-phonon interplaying effect.

Understanding and utilising chiral Brillouin effect

The more twisted chiral PCF, the more it fascinates Dr. Zeng. Why chiral PCF is fundamentally important and how the light propagates inside? Do you know the light can travel like a tornado?  How does the tornado light interact with sound inside the chiral PCF? What kind of phonons or acoustic wave will be driven out during the SBS inside chiral PCF and how these phonons used in the applications? To approach these questions scientifically and advance fundamental research in the field of “light-sound interaction in multi-dimensional microstructured fibres”, Dr. Zeng will set up the various research projects in RCALS, with the aim is to gain new, profound insights into Brillouin scattering and to leverage these for communications, quantum and technological applications. To this end, the team will collaborate with partners inside and outside the RCALS.

Connecting both light and sound waves in optical fiber opens a surprisingly wide field of interesting applications. Dr. Zeng doesn’t want to be left alone with the joy of discovering a miracle. Anyone who is interested in exploring the exotic opticacoustic shows can contact him: xinglin.zeng@r-cals.com.