Dr Maria Ana Cataluna

Telephone: +44 (0) 1382 386514 [ext. 86514] Fax: +44 (0) 1382 388313

Room: Harris Building, Room 1.5

Research group(s): Ultrafast Photonics Group

Profile

Dr. Maria Ana Cataluna is a Senior Lecturer and a Royal Academy of Engineering/EPSRC Research Fellow at the University of Dundee, where she leads the Ultrafast Photonics Group.

Dr. Cataluna has been committed to ultrafast laser physics and technology since her time as an undergraduate, having previously worked at the Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisbon, Portugal) and at the University of St. Andrews (UK), where she obtained a PhD in Physics under the supervision of Prof. Wilson Sibbett.

Overall, her research work has resulted in over 70 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, including a paper in Nature Photonics and several invited talks in international conferences. She has also authored a number of invited book chapters and the first book on ultrafast quantum-dot lasers, recently published by Wiley (check Recent Publications, for more information).

Dr. Cataluna has played a leading role in the management and research of FAST-DOT - a four-year European Project with the aim of developing new ultrafast quantum-dot lasers for biomedical applications (consortium with 18 partners). As a Co-Investigator and Work Package Leader, she has substantially contributed to the project's research programme right from its inception, and has coordinated the scientific activities of 9 academic and industrial partners across Europe, on the investigation of "Mode-locked quantum-dot edge-emitting lasers and amplifiers" - one of FAST-DOT's main research directions.

As a principal- and co-investigator, Dr. Cataluna has secured around £2M of research funding for the University of Dundee, through the Royal Academy of Engineering, EPSRC, Royal Society, and FP7 programme (Integrated Project FAST-DOT, and IIF Marie Curie Fellowship NiNTENDU-PULSE).

Personal Awards

Philip Leverhulme Prize (2011).
Royal Academy of Engineering/EPSRC Research Fellowship (2009 - 2014).
D'Arcy Thompson Prize for Excellence in Public Engagement, University of Dundee (2009).
IEEE Photonics Society Graduate Student Fellowship (2007).
Ph. D. International Studentship, awarded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), from the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Higher Education (2003 - 2007).
FCT scholarship for graduate research assistants (2002).
FCT scholarship for junior researchers (2001).

Biography

Education

Ph. D. in Physics from the University of St Andrews, UK (2007). Thesis title: Ultrashort-pulse generation from quantum-dot semiconductor laser diodes, supervised by Prof. Wilson Sibbett.
Doctoral Taught Programme in Physics, Instituto Superior Técnico(IST), Lisbon, Portugal (2003).
Physics Engineering Degree, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Lisbon, Portugal (2001). Degree thesis title: Non linear mode coupling in a Ti:Sapphire laser, supervised by Prof. Tito Mendonça and Dr. Helder Crespo.

Professional Experience

Senior Lecturer and Royal Academy of Engineering/EPSRC Research Fellow, University of Dundee, Scotland (2012 - present).
Lecturer and Royal Academy of Engineering/EPSRC Research Fellow, University of Dundee, Scotland (2009 - 2012).
Post-Doctoral Researcher, University of Dundee, UK (2007 - 2009).
Postgraduate Researcher, University of St. Andrews, UK (2003 - 2007).
Research Assistant, Instituto Superior Instituto Superior Técnico(IST), Lisbon, Portugal (2002).
Visiting Researcher, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France (Nov. 2001).
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Instituto Superior Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Lisbon, Portugal (2000-2001).

Research Interests

Physics and technology of semiconductor ultrafast lasers.
Quantum-dot based photonic devices.
Applications of ultrafast lasers.

Publications

Recent Publications

Book:

Ultrafast Lasers Based on Quantum-dot Structures: Physics and Devices E.U. Rafailov, M.A. Cataluna, E. Avrutin WILEY-VCH Verlag (2011).

Book Chapters:

Mode-Locked quantum-dot lasers M.A. Cataluna and E.U. Rafailov Handbook of Nanophysics, CRC (2011).
Novel quantum-dot devices for ultrafast optoelectronics M. A. Cataluna, W. Sibbett , and E. U. Rafailov Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 2nd edition (in press).

Recent Journal Papers:

High-power versatile picosecond pulse generation from mode-locked quantum-dot laser diodes (invited) M. A. Cataluna, Y. Ding, D. I. Nikitichev, K. A. Fedorova and E. U. Rafailov IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 17, 5, 1302 (2011).
Broad repetition rate continuously tunable quantum-dot external-cavity passively mode-locked laser with extremely narrow RF linewidth Y. Ding, M. A. Cataluna, D. I. Nikitichev, I. Krestnikov, D. Livshits, and E. U. Rafailov Applied Physics Express, 4, issue 6, 062703 (2011).
Terahertz emission from InAs/GaAs quantum dot based photoconductive devices N. S. Daghestani, M. A. Cataluna, G. Berry, G. Ross, and M. J. Rose Applied Physics Letters 98, 181107 (2011). This paper was also selected to be published on: Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 10, issue 6 (2011).
THz generation from a nanocrystalline silicon based photoconductive device N. S. Daghestani, S. Persheyev, M. A. Cataluna, G. Ross, M. J. Rose Semiconductor Science and Technology, 26, 075015 (2011).
Compact Dual-Wavelength InAs/GaAs Quantum-Dot External-Cavity Laser Stabilized by a Single Volume Bragg Grating N. S. Daghestani, M. A. Cataluna, G. Ross, and M. J. Rose IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 23, 176 (2011).
Orange light generation from a PPKTP waveguide end-pumped by a quantum-dot tuneable laser K. A. Fedorova, M. A. Cataluna, P. R. Battle, C. M. Kaleva, I. L. Krestnikov, D. A. Livshits and E. U. Rafailov Applied Physics B, 103, Issue 1, 41 (2011).
High-power passively mode-locked tapered InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers D. I. Nikitichev, Y. Ding, M. Ruiz, M. Calligaro, N. Michel, M. Krakowski, I. Krestnikov, D. Livshits, M. A. Cataluna and E. U. Rafailov Applied Physics B, 103, Issue 3, 609 (2010).
Quantum-dot external-cavity passively mode-locked laser with high peak power and pulse energy Y. Ding, D. I. Nikitichev, I. Krestnikov, D. Livshits, M. A. Cataluna and E. U. Rafailov Electronics Letters 46, 1516 (2010).
Temperature dependence of electroabsorption dynamics in an InAs quantum-dot saturable absorber at 1.3 �m and its impact on mode-locked quantum-dot lasers M. A. Cataluna, D. B. Malins, A. Gomez-Iglesias, W. Sibbett, A. Miller and E. U. Rafailov Applied Physics Letters 97, 121110 (2010). This paper was also selected to be published on: Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 9, issue 10 (2010).
Broadly-Tunable High-Power InAs/GaAs Quantum-Dot External-Cavity Diode Lasers K. A. Fedorova, M. A. Cataluna, I. Krestnikov, D. Livshits and E. U. Rafailov Optics Express 18, 19438 (2010).
Broadly Tunable InGaAsP/InP Strained Multiquantum Well External Cavity Diode Laser K. A. Fedorova, M. A. Cataluna, I. Kudryashov, V. Khalfin, and Edik U. Rafailov IEEE Photonics Technology Letters 22 (16), 1205(2010).
Dual-wavelength mode-locked quantum-dot laser, via ground and excited state transitions: experimental and theoretical investigation M. A. Cataluna, D. Nikitichev, S. Mikroulis, H. Simos, C. Simos, C. Mesaritakis, D. Syvridis, I. Krestnikov, D. Livshits, and E. U. Rafailov Optics Express 18, 12832 (2010). This paper was also selected to be published on: Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 9, issue 8 (2010).
Mode-locked quantum-dot lasers E. U. Rafailov, M. A. Cataluna, and W. Sibbett Nature Photonics, 1, 395 (2007)
High power all-quantum-dot-based external cavity mode-locked laser A. D. Mcrobbie, M.A. Cataluna, S. A. Zolotovskaya, D. A. Livshits, W. Sibbett, and E. U. Rafailov Electronics Letters, 43, 812 (2007).
Dynamics of a two-state quantum dot laser with saturable absorber E. A. Viktorov, M. A. Cataluna, L. O'Faolain, T. F. Krauss, W. Sibbett, E.U.Rafailov, and P. Mandel Applied Physics Letters, 90, 121113 (2007). This paper was also selected to be published in: Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology, 15, issue 13 (2007).
Temperature dependence of pulse duration in a mode-locked quantum-dot laser M. A. Cataluna, E. A. Viktorov, P. Mandel, W. Sibbett, D. A.Livshits, A.R.Kovsh, and E.U.Rafailov Applied Physics Letters, 90, 101102 (2007). This paper was also selected to be published in: Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology, 15, issue 11 (2007).
Anomalous dynamic characteristics of semiconductor quantum-dot lasers generating on two quantum states G. S. Sokolovskii, M. A. Cataluna, A. G. Deryagin, V. I. Kuchinskii, I. I. Novikov, M. V. Maksimov, A. E. Zhukov, V. M. Ustinov, W. Sibbett, and E. U. Rafailov Technical Physics Letters, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 47 (2007).
Stable mode locking via ground or excited-state transitions in a two-section quantum-dot laser M. A. Cataluna, W. Sibbett, D. A. Livshits, J. Weimert, A. R. Kovsh, and E. U. Rafailov Applied Physics Letters, 89, 081124 (2006). This paper was also selected to be published in: Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology, 14, issue 11 (2006) and Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 5, issue 9 (2006).
Stable mode-locked operation up to 80oC from an InGaAs quantum-dot laser M. A. Cataluna, E. U. Rafailov, A. D. McRobbie, W. Sibbett, D. A. Livshits, and A. R. Kovsh IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 18 (13-16), 1500 (2006).
Reduced surface sidewall recombination and diffusion in quantum dot lasers S. Moore , L. O'Faolain, M. A. Cataluna, M. B. Flynn, M. V. Kotlyar, and T. F. Krauss IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 18 (17-20), 1861 (2006).
Investigation of transition dynamics in a quantum-dot laser optically pumped by femtosecond pulses E. U. Rafailov, A. D. McRobbie, M. A. Cataluna, L. O'Faolain, W. Sibbett, and D. A. Livshits Applied Physics Letters, 88, 041101 (2006). (Paper featured on the front cover). This paper was also selected to be published in: Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology, 13, issue 5 (2006) and Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 5, issue 2 (2006).
High-power picosecond and femtosecond pulse generation from two-section modelocked quantum-dot laser E. U. Rafailov, M. A. Cataluna, W. Sibbett, N. D. Il'inskaya, Y. M. Zadiranov, A. E. Zhukov, V.M.Ustinov, D. A. Livshits, A. R. Kovsh, and N. N. Ledentsov Applied Physics Letters, 87, 081107 (2005). This paper was also selected to be published on: Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology, 12, issue 9 (2005) and Virtual Journal of Ultrafast Science, 4, issue 9 (2005).
Compact laser-diode-based femtosecond sources (invited review) C. T. A. Brown, M. A. Cataluna, A. A. Lagatsky, E. U. Rafailov, M. B. Agate, C. G. Leburn, and W. Sibbett New Journal of Physics, special issue Focus on Ultrafast Optics, 6, 175 (2004).

Contributions to peer-reviewed conferences:

Dynamics of a two-state quantum dot laser with saturable absorber E. A. Viktorov, M. A. Cataluna, L. O'Faolain, T. F. Krauss, W. Sibbett, E.U.Rafailov, and P. Mandel CLEO/Europe-IQEC 2007, Munich, Germany, IG-2-MON (2007).
Temperature dependence of electroabsorption dynamics in an InAs quantum dot saturable absorber at 1.3 μm D. B. Malins, A. Gomez-Iglesias, M. A. Cataluna, E. U. Rafailov, W. Sibbett, and A. Miller CLEO/Europe-IQEC 2007, Munich, Germany, CF-6-MON (2007).
Self-sustained pulsations and signal peaking in the oxide-confined VCSELs based on submonolayer InGaAs quantum dots G. S. Sokolovskii, N. A. Maleev, A. G. Kuzmenkov, S. A. Blokhin, A. D. McRobbie, M. A. Cataluna, A. G. Deryagin, S. V. Chumak, A. S. Shulenkov, S. S. Mikhrin, A. R. Kovsh, V. I. Kuchinskii, V. M. Ustinov, W. Sibbett, and E. U. Rafailov CLEO/Europe-IQEC 2007, Munich, Germany, CB7-6-WED (2007).
Temperature dependence of pulse duration in a mode-locked quantum-dot laser: experiment and theory M. A. Cataluna, E. A. Viktorov, P. Mandel, W. Sibbett, D. A.Livshits, A.R.Kovsh, and E.U.Rafailov LEOS 2006, Montreal, Canada, ThJ5 (2006).
High power all-quantum-dot based external cavity mode-locked laser A. D. McRobbie, M. A. Cataluna, D. A. Livshits, W. Sibbett, and E. U. Rafailov LEOS 2006, Montreal, Canada, ThJ4 (2006).
Anomalous dynamics of two-state lasing quantum-dot laser diodes G. S. Sokolovskii, I. I. Novikov, M. V. Maximov, A. E. Zhukov, A. G. Deryagin, V. I. Kuchinskii, V.M.Ustinov, M. A. Cataluna, W. Sibbett, and E. U. Rafailov. 14th International Symposium NANOSTRUCTURES: Physics and Technology, St Petersburg, Russia (2006).
New mode-locking regime in a quantum-dot laser: enhancement by simultaneous cw excited-state emission M. A. Cataluna, A. D. McRobbie, W. Sibbett, D. A. Livshits, A. R. Kovsh, and E. U. Rafailov CLEO 2006, Paper CThH3, Long Beach, USA (2006).
Compact and efficient femtosecond lasers C. T. A Brown, A. Lagatsky, C. G. Leburn, A. McWilliam, A. Sarmani, M. A. Cataluna, B. Agate, K. Dholakia, D. Stevenson, W. Sibbett, Y. Chai, P. Jiang, K. Tan, R. Penty, I. White, E. U. Rafailov, and N. V. Kuleshov. Solid State Lasers and Amplifiers II, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 6190 (2006).
Ground and excited-state modelocking in a two-section quantum-dot laser M. A. Cataluna, E. U. Rafailov, A. D. McRobbie, W. Sibbett, D. A. Livshits, and A. R. Kovsh LEOS 2005, Sydney, Australia, ThS2 (2005).
Investigation of transition dynamics in a quantum-dot laser optically pumped by femtosecond pulses E. U. Rafailov, A. D. McRobbie, M. A. Cataluna, L. O'Faolain, W. Sibbett, and D. A. Livshits LEOS 2005, Sydney, Australia, ThN4 (2005).
Quantum-dot based saturable absorber for mode locking of fibre lasers R. Herda, G. Okhotnikov, E. U. Rafailov, M. A. Cataluna, W. Sibbett, P. Crittenden, and A. Starodumov LEOS 2005, Sydney, Australia, ThN5 (2005).
Stable modelocked operation from a quantum-dot laser in a broad temperature range E. U. Rafailov, M. A. Cataluna, W. Sibbett, D. A. Livshits, A. R. Kovsh, and N. N. Ledentsov CLEO 2005, Baltimore, U.S.A., CTuV4 (2005).
Diode-based ultrafast lasers A. A. Lagatsky, A. R. Sarmani, C. G. Leburn, E. U. Rafailov, M. A. Cataluna, B. Agate, C. T. A. Brown, and W. Sibbett Advanced Solid State Photonics 2005, Proceedings Vol. 98, pp. 640-645 (2005).
High power ultrashort pulses output from a modelocked two section quantum dot laser E. U. Rafailov, M. A. Cataluna, W. Sibbett, N. D. Il'inskaya, Y. M. Zadiranov, A. E. Zhukov, V. M. Ustinov, D. A. Livshits, A. R. Kovsh, and N. N. Ledentsov CLEO 2004, San Francisco, U.S.A., Post-deadline paper CPDB5 (2004)
Generation of ultra-smooth broadband spectra by gain-assisted self-phase modulation in a Ti:Sapphire laser H. Crespo, M. V. Tognetti, M. A. Cataluna, J. T. Mendonça and A. Dos Santos Ultrafast Optics V, Nara, Japan, W1-3 (2005).
High-order self dispersion compensation in a Ti:Sapphire laser oscillator H. Crespo, M. A. Cataluna, A. Guerreiro and J. T. Mendonça Ultrafast Phenomena XIII, R.D. Miller, M. M. Murnane, N. F. Scherer, A. M. Weiner, eds., pp. 161-163, Springer-Verlag (2003).
Nonlinear mode coupling in a CW operating Ti:Sapphire laser oscillator M. A. Cataluna, H. Crespo, A. Guerreiro and J. T. Mendonça Proceedings of the International Topical Conference on Plasma Physics: New Plasma Horizons, Physica Scripta T98, pp. 134-136 (2001).

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