Willie John Padilla

Dr. Paul Wang Distinguished Professor

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Dr. Paul Wang Distinguished Professor
  • Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Contact Information

Education

  • Ph.D. University of California, San Diego, 2004

Research Interests

Theoretical and experimental investigation of electromagnetic metamaterials and metasurfaces, and their application to imaging and sensing at microwave, terahertz, and infrared frequencies

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

  • Fellow. Optical Society of America. 2013
  • Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. President of the United States of America. 2009

Courses Taught

  • VMS 325L: Optics and Photonics
  • PHYSICS 621: Advanced Optics
  • PHYSICS 320L: Optics and Photonics
  • MSEG 591: Independent Study
  • ECE 899: Special Readings in Electrical Engineering
  • ECE 571: Electromagnetic Theory
  • ECE 541: Advanced Optics
  • ECE 370D: Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory
  • ECE 340L: Optics and Photonics
  • ECE 270L9: Fields and Waves: Fundamentals of Information Propagation (Lab)
  • ECE 270DL: Fields and Waves: Fundamentals of Information Propagation
  • BME 552: Advanced Optics

In the News

Representative Publications

  • Kang, G., K. Bae, M. Nam, D. H. Ko, K. Kim, and W. J. Padilla. “Broadband and ultrahigh optical haze thin films with self-aggregated alumina nanowire bundles for photovoltaic applications.” Energy and Environmental Science 8, no. 9 (September 1, 2015): 2650–56. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5ee01757b.
  • Adomanis, B. M., C. M. Watts, M. Koirala, X. Liu, T. Tyler, K. G. West, T. Starr, et al. “Bi-layer metamaterials as fully functional near-perfect infrared absorbers.” Applied Physics Letters 107, no. 2 (July 13, 2015). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4926416.
  • Fan, K., and W. J. Padilla. “Dynamic electromagnetic metamaterials.” Materials Today 18, no. 1 (January 1, 2015): 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2014.07.010.
  • Liu, L., W. C. Chen, D. A. Powell, W. J. Padilla, F. Karouta, H. T. Hattori, D. N. Neshev, and I. V. Shadrivov. “Post-processing approach for tuning multi-layered metamaterials.” Applied Physics Letters 105, no. 15 (October 13, 2014). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4897949.
  • Withayachumnankul, W., C. M. Shah, C. Fumeaux, B. S. Y. Ung, W. J. Padilla, M. Bhaskaran, D. Abbott, and S. Sriram. “Plasmonic Resonance toward Terahertz Perfect Absorbers.” ACS Photonics 1, no. 7 (July 16, 2014): 625–30. https://doi.org/10.1021/ph500110t.
  • Shemelya, C., D. Demeo, N. P. Latham, X. Wu, C. Bingham, W. Padilla, and T. E. Vandervelde. “Stable high temperature metamaterial emitters for thermophotovoltaic applications.” Applied Physics Letters 104, no. 20 (May 19, 2014). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4878849.
  • Savo, S., D. Shrekenhamer, and W. J. Padilla. “Liquid crystal metamaterial absorber spatial light modulator for THz applications.” Advanced Optical Materials 2, no. 3 (March 1, 2014): 275–79. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201300384.
  • Watts, C. M., D. Shrekenhamer, J. Montoya, G. Lipworth, J. Hunt, T. Sleasman, S. Krishna, D. R. Smith, and W. J. Padilla. “Coded and compressive THz imaging with metamaterials.” Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering 8985 (January 1, 2014). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2058082.
  • Watts, C. M., D. Shrekenhamer, J. Montoya, G. Lipworth, J. Hunt, T. Sleasman, S. Krishna, D. R. Smith, and W. J. Padilla. “Terahertz compressive imaging with metamaterial spatial light modulators.” Nature Photonics, 2014.
  • Watts, C. M., D. Shrekenhamer, J. Montoya, G. Lipworth, J. Hunt, T. Sleasman, S. Krishna, D. R. Smith, and W. J. Padilla. “Terahertz compressive imaging with metamaterial spatial light modulators.” Nature Photonics 8, no. 8 (January 1, 2014): 605–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2014.139.
  • Venkatesh, S., D. Shrekenhamer, W. Xu, S. Sonkusale, W. Padilla, and D. Schurig. “Interferometric direction finding with a metamaterial detector.” Applied Physics Letters 103, no. 25 (December 16, 2013). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4851936.
  • Shrekenhamer, D., J. Montoya, S. Krishna, and W. J. Padilla. “Four-color metamaterial absorber THz spatial light modulator.” Advanced Optical Materials 1, no. 12 (December 1, 2013): 905–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201300265.
  • Pilon, D. V., C. H. Lui, T. -. H. Han, D. Shrekenhamer, A. J. Frenzel, W. J. Padilla, Y. S. Lee, and N. Gedik. “Spin-induced optical conductivity in the spin-liquid candidate herbertsmithite.” Physical Review Letters 111, no. 12 (September 2013): 127401. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.111.127401.
  • Liu, X., and W. J. Padilla. “Dynamic Manipulation of Infrared Radiation with MEMS Metamaterials.” Advanced Optical Materials 1, no. 8 (August 1, 2013): 559–62. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201300163.
  • Shrekenhamer, D., C. M. Watts, J. Montoy, S. Krishna, and W. J. Padilla. “Metamaterial-based imaging for potential security applications.” In Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, Vol. 8632, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2013145.
  • Kang, Gumin, Haesung Park, Dongheok Shin, Seunghwa Baek, Minjung Choi, Dai-Hyuk Yu, Kyoungsik Kim, and Willie J. Padilla. “Broadband light-trapping enhancement in an ultrathin film a-Si absorber using whispering gallery modes and guided wave modes with dielectric surface-textured structures.” Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) 25, no. 18 (May 2013): 2617–23. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201204596.
  • Shrekenhamer, David, Claire M. Watts, and Willie J. Padilla. “Terahertz single pixel imaging with an optically controlled dynamic spatial light modulator.” Optics Express 21, no. 10 (May 2013): 12507–18. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.21.012507.
  • Shrekenhamer, David, Wen-Chen Chen, and Willie J. Padilla. “Liquid crystal tunable metamaterial absorber.” Physical Review Letters 110, no. 17 (April 2013): 177403. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.110.177403.
  • Chen, W. C., N. I. Landy, K. Kempa, and W. J. Padilla. “Optical Transmission: A Subwavelength Extraordinary-Optical-Transmission Channel in Babinet Metamaterials (Advanced Optical Materials 3/2013).” Advanced Optical Materials 1, no. 3 (March 1, 2013): 195–195. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201370017.
  • Chen, W. C., N. I. Landy, K. Kempa, and W. J. Padilla. “A Subwavelength Extraordinary-Optical-Transmission Channel in Babinet Metamaterials.” Advanced Optical Materials 1, no. 3 (March 1, 2013): 221–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201200016.