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At Arizona State University’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Professor Maxim Sukharev is pushing the boundaries of our understanding of how light interacts with matter and creating pathways for students to join that exploration. Through two new research grants from the U.S. Air Force and the Office of Naval Research, Sukharev’s team is developing advanced models that help scientists design the next generation of optical materials and nanotechnologies.

“This project develops new computer models to better understand and control how light interacts with extremely small materials — so small they are thinner than a human hair by thousands of times,” Sukharev said. “By advancing these models, we can design new optical technologies for faster computing, secure communications and ultra-sensitive sensors.”

Sukharev, who joined ASU in 2008, is a professor of physics in the School of Applied Sciences and Arts at the Polytechnic campus and an affiliated faculty member in ASU’s Department of Physics. His research combines computational nano-optics, coherent control and the study of light-matter interaction in strong and ultra-strong coupling regimes. In simpler terms, he studies how light and matter can be made to influence each other in powerful new ways, revealing how energy moves and behaves at the tiniest scales.

An additional project, funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, develops new numerical and theoretical methods to model how light behaves when it meets engineered nanostructures known as metasurfaces. These surfaces can bend, filter or amplify light in ways that traditional materials cannot. The research supports the design of future technologies in optical computing, secure communications and next-generation sensors.

“The work could translate into powerful tools for next-generation devices: ultra-fast chips that use light rather than electrical currents, secure information exchange systems and medical sensors that detect tiny chemical signals,” Sukharev said. “Industry applications span defense, health care and telecommunications.”

In a complementary Office of Naval Research project launched in December 2024, Sukharev and his collaborators are exploring molecular strong coupling — how placing molecules inside specially designed optical cavities can change the way chemical reactions happen, even without external light. Photonics, the science and technology of generating, controlling, and using light particles called photons, underpins many of these advances. By combining advanced electromagnetic simulations with quantum models, the team is uncovering how light-matter hybrid states, known as polaritons, could revolutionize energy-efficient chemistry and photonic technologies. This research could lead to practical innovations such as faster optical computers, more efficient solar cells, and new ways to control chemical reactions for cleaner energy production.

“Over the next three years, we will design and test new nanomaterials that change light’s properties, improve models that account for temperature and energy loss, and speed up the simulations with AI,” Sukharev said. Student involvement lies at the center of both projects.

“Graduate students are central to this work — one of them has recently transitioned to Air Force labs, creating a direct pipeline of trained experts,” he said.

Sukharev’s computational approach uses high-performance computing and is building tools that aim to simulate millions of interacting elements in real time. Students learn to build and run these simulations, developing skills in coding, quantum theory and photonics that translate directly to industry and academic research careers.

The College of Integrative Sciences and Arts continues to grow as a hub for interdisciplinary science; Sukharev’s research connects physics, chemistry and engineering through applied research that pairs theoretical insight with real-world outcomes. These projects demonstrate how the college fosters innovation across fields — giving undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students access to meaningful, hands-on research at the forefront of science and technology.

By advancing both scientific understanding and student opportunity, Sukharev’s federally funded research reflects the college’s mission to integrate discovery, learning and application — and to prepare the next generation of scientists to advance and leverage our understanding of light and matter.

If you are interested in joining Sukharev’s research efforts, contact him at [email protected] to learn more.