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Eric Gansen
Professor
Physics
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Eric Gansen
Professor
Physics
Specialty area(s)
Semiconductor nanostructures and quantum optics.
Brief biography
Dr. Eric Gansen is currently a Professor of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He received the B.S. degree in physics and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1997, the M.S. degree in optics from the University of Rochester in 1998, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Iowa in 2004. From 2015-2017, he was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, CO. Dr. Gansen joined the physics faculty at UW-La Crosse in 2008. His current research is focused on the study and development of novel quantum-dot-based single-photon detectors and quantum-well-based optical switches.
Education
Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (2004)
Dissertation Title: “All-optical polarization switching techniques based on the coherent many-body interactions and the virtual excitation of spin-polarized carriers in semiconductor quantum wells.”
M.S., Optical Sciences – University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (1998)
B.S., Physics and Mathematics – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI (1997)
Career
Teaching history
PHY 103 Fundamental Physics I,
PHY 104 Fundamental Physics II,
PHY 203 General Physics I,
PHY 204 General Physics II,
PHY 250 Modern Physics,
PHY 302 Optics,
PHY 320 Statics,
PHY 332 Electrodynamics,
PHY 334 Circuits,
PHY 335 Electronics,
PHY 432 Advanced Electrodynamics,
PHY 476 Advanced Optics
Professional history
Professor – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI (2017-Present)
Associate Professor – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI (2012-2016)
Assistant Professor – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI (2008-2011)
Postdoctoral Researcher – National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO (2005-2008)
Researched novel semiconductor-quantum-dot-based single-photon detectors and charge storage devices. Work funded, in part, by the Disruptive Technologies Office.
Graduate Research Assistant – University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (1999-2004)
Researched ultrafast nonlinear phenomena in semiconductor materials and heterostructures and their applications to high-speed, all-optical, polarization switching. Work funded, in part, by the Office of Naval Research and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Internship – General Electric Lighting Division, Cleveland, OH (May-Aug. 1997)
Researched atomic barium emission from fluorescent lamp cathodes using laser-induced fluorescence and its application to nondestructive methods for predicting lamp-life.
Research and publishing
“Sources of 1/f Noise in QDOGFET Single-Photon Detectors,” E. J. Gansen, T. B. Nickel, J. M. Venner, and S. Ulik, Physica E 118, 113961 (2020).
Chapter 5: “Novel Semiconductor-Based Detectors”, J. Kim, K. S. McKay, P. G. Kwiat, K. Zielnicki, and E. J. Gansen, In “Single-Photon Generation and Detection”, Elsevier Publishing (2013).
“Temperature dependence of the single-photon sensitivity of a quantum dot, optically gated, field-effect transistor,” E. J. Gansen, M. A. Rowe, S. D. Harrington, J. M. Nehls, S. M. Etzel, S. W. Nam and R. P. Mirin, J. Appl. Phys. 114, 93103 (2013).
“Analysis of photoconductive gain as it applies to single-photon detection,” M. A. Rowe, G. M. Salley, E. J. Gansen, S. M. Etzel, S. W. Nam, and R. P. Mirin, J. Appl. Phys. 107, 63110 (2010).
“Submicrometer photoresponse mapping of nanowire superconducting single-photon detectors,”
R. H. Hadfield, P. A. Dalgarno, J. A. O’Connor, E. Ramsay, R. J. Warburton, E. J. Gansen, B. Baek,
M. J. Stevens, R. P. Mirin, and S. W. Nam, Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 241108 (2007).
“Photon-number-discriminating detection using a quantum dot, optically gated, field-effect transistor,”
E. J. Gansen, M. A. Rowe, M. B. Greene, D. Rosenberg, T. E. Harvey, M. Y. Su, R. H. Hadfield,
S. W. Nam, and R. P. Mirin, Nature Photonics 1, 585-588 (2007).
“Operational analysis of a quantum dot, optically gated, field-effect transistor as a single-photon detector,”
E. J. Gansen, M. A. Rowe, M. B. Greene, D. Rosenberg, T. E. Harvey, M. Y. Su, R. H. Hadfield, S. W. Nam, and R. P. Mirin, IEEE J. Sel. Topics Quantum Electron. 13, 967-977 (2007).
“Single-photon detection using a quantum dot, optically gated, field-effect transistor with high internal quantum
efficiency,” M. A. Rowe, E. J. Gansen, M. Greene, D. Rosenberg, R. H. Hadfield, T. E. Harvey, M. Y. Su,
S. W. Nam, and R. P. Mirin, Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 253505 (2006).
“A near-room-temperature all-optical polarization switch based on the excitation of spin-polarized ‘virtual’ carriers in quantum wells,” M. Yildirim, J. P. Prineas, E. J. Gansen, and A. L. Smirl, J. Appl. Phys. 98, 063506 (2005).
“Ultrafast polarization modulation induced by the ‘virtual excitation’ of spin-polarized excitons in quantum wells: Application to all-optical switching,” E. J. Gansen and A. L. Smirl, J. Appl. Phys. 95, 3907-3915 (2004).
“c(3) analysis of all-optical polarization switching in semiconductor quantum wells,” I. Rumyantsev, N. H. Kwong, R. Binder, E. J. Gansen and A. L. Smirl, Phys. Rev. B 69, 235329 (2004).
“Differential measurements of Raman coherence and two-exciton correlations in quantum wells,” S. A. Hawkins,
E. J. Gansen, M. J. Stevens, A. L. Smirl, I. Rumyantsev, R. Takayama, N. H. Kwong, R. Binder, and
D. G. Steel, Phys. Rev. B 68, 035313 (2003).
“Femtosecond all-optical polarization switching based on virtual excitation of spin-polarized excitons in quantum wells,” E. J. Gansen, K. Jarasiunas, and A. L. Smirl, Appl. Phys. Lett. 80, 971-973 (2002).
“Coherent all-optical polarization switching based on exciton-exciton interactions in quantum wells,” E. J. Gansen, K. Jarasiunas, S. A. Hawkins, M. J. Stevens, and A. L. Smirl, J. Appl. Phys. 90, 1077-1081 (2001).
“Far-Infrared Laser Stark Spectroscopy of PH3,” M. Jackson, G. R. Sudhakaran, and E. Gansen, J. of Moll. Spectrosc. 181, 446-451 (1997).
“Far-Infrared Laser Stark Spectroscopy of 13CD3OD,” M. Jackson, G. R. Sudhakaran, and E. Gansen, J. of Moll. Spectrosc. 176, 439-441 (1996).