Alexander Potts
Ahlers Research Fellow at UC Santa Barbara
Advancing Technology from its Scientific Roots
I am an experimental physics Ph.D. student the University of California, Santa Barbara.  My research interests dominantly lie in quantum transport and terahertz/mm-wave excitations of 2D quantum materials, primarily graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides. My unique and extensive academic and industrial background in electrical engineering, microwave and terahertz electromagnetics, and solid state electronic devices allows to me push the capabilities of modern measurements into the next age. 

I am also a development engineer at Lake Shore Cryotronics. I seek to develop and use new techniques and technologies to both simplify and further scientific endeavors at the global scale. I am interested in mixing raw physics and engineering with modern electronic instruments to turn standalone tools into platforms for probing cutting-edge physics. 

My personal website: http://web.physics.ucsb.edu/~ampotts/
UC Santa Barbara
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ucsantabarbara
Advisor: Andrea Young
I study graphene and 2D transition metal dichalcogenide physics at the picosecond time scale using custom, state-of-the-art terahertz and mm wave instrumentation. My interests are in..

(1) Quantum transport, incl. strongly-interacting systems, fractional quantum Hall and fractional Chern insulating states in graphene, and terahertz carrier dynamics in hydrodynamics graphene
(2) Twisted bilayer graphene physics
(3) THz and mm wave scale physics and instrumentation
(4) Topologically non-trivial physics
Santa Barbara, California Area
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Ahlers Research Fellow
Lake Shore Cryotronics
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lake-shore-cryotronics
As an analog/RF engineer, I work to develop microwave and analog measurement technologies for the purpose of characterizing novel solid state devices. Project work includes...

(1) Quasi-analytic and numerical broadband microwave and mm-wave design
(2) Wideband semiconductor (GaN and Ga2O3) device characterization
(3) Research of novel thermometric techniques and technologies
Columbus, OH
https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E0BAQFbo5ButuD2Ag/company-logo_100_100/0/1642702725399?e=1655942400&v=beta&t=z6VL63jjQN3127YDstoikMMuH2rKYyHmK8yscMiiBoY
Development Engineer
Lake Shore Cryotronics
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lake-shore-cryotronics
Columbus, OH
https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E0BAQFbo5ButuD2Ag/company-logo_100_100/0/1642702725399?e=1655942400&v=beta&t=z6VL63jjQN3127YDstoikMMuH2rKYyHmK8yscMiiBoY
Applications Engineering Intern
The Ohio State University
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ohio-state-university
Columbus, OH
https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E0BAQEw433uw5btkQ/company-logo_100_100/0/1519856416206?e=1655942400&v=beta&t=5_Zp6Buewk3EnEAee3La568ZjqysYb7Wv_iXUXm2KzI
Research Assistant
The Ohio State University
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ohio-state-university
Columbus, OH
https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E0BAQEw433uw5btkQ/company-logo_100_100/0/1519856416206?e=1655942400&v=beta&t=5_Zp6Buewk3EnEAee3La568ZjqysYb7Wv_iXUXm2KzI
Undergraduate Research Assistant
ViaSat Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/viasat
Cleveland, OH
https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C4D0BAQFPl6ySOS2Z8Q/company-logo_100_100/0/1534885395845?e=1655942400&v=beta&t=oq4SNqjbw47ZwG-oYX5AwQFsTyjzAHtTAtvIlWWwdDo
Hardware Engineering Intern
Annual Westerville Tennis Camp
Westerville South High School
Assistant Tennis Coach
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
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UC Santa Barbara
https://www.linkedin.com/school/ucsantabarbara/
Master’s Degree
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The Ohio State University
https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-ohio-state-university/
Bachelor’s Degree
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The Ohio State University
https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-ohio-state-university/
Bachelor's Degree
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The Ohio State University
https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-ohio-state-university/
We designed, assembled, and tested a 20-section approximate microstrip Klopfenstein taper on RT Duroid 5580 substrate. A Klopfenstein taper, the limit of an infinite-order Chebyshev transformer, was designed to be the optimal broadband matching circuit element for 1.5 - 2.0 GHz. The taper was designed by hand, simulated in ADS, fabricated, and tested. Our analysis extended beyond basic microwave measurements to residual error calculation and accurate measurements of the load impedance. Such analysis accurately predicted the load impedance within 2 mOhms, via three independent measurements.
2 GHz Klopfenstein Taper
Planar Inverted-F Antennas (PIFAs), commonly used in cell phones, can be adapted to work at two bands by careful geometric consideration. A PIFA from literature was modified, modeled, and simulated in FEKO using the method of moments. We produce 3 dB bandwidths of 613 MHz and 892 MHz around center frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz respectively and show that the design may be adapted to a smartphone-sized ground plane.
Dual-Band PIFA Design
We design and measure an unconditionally stable 2 GHz pHEMT amplifier with microstrip transmission lines on an RT Duriod 5880 substrate. The amplifier was simulated in ADS, both with simple lumped circuit and finite element analysis. Simple microwave measurements reveal a gain of 17.7 dB and input reflection coefficient of -11.6 dB, surpassing our goals.
Narrowband Max Gain 2GHz pHEMT Amplifier
Pairing magnetic hysteresis First Order Reversal Curves (FORCs) and the Preisach Model of hysteresis can be used to determine a sample's "magnetic signature" and study magnetic structure at the domain level. Processing a data to create a FORC diagram is numerically complicated and can be done in any number of styles. I developed FORC software in Python with previously undeveloped curve-fitting capabilities and verified its operation for a number of samples.
Magnetic FORC Analysis Software
Patch antennas represent one solution to the demand for transmitters for mobile communications. We analyze and optimize the geometry of a patch produce a maximum gain, maximum bandwidth, and minimum VSWR at 1800 MHz. Hand calculations and simulation show our optimized parameters produce a gain of 9.86 dB, bandwidth of 49 MHz, and VSWR of 1.07 at the resonant frequency.
Patch Antenna Design and Optimization
We engineered, built, and rigorously tested an RF disc golf tracking system as a senior capstone project. Our final product: a smartphone-controlled, lightweight (17g) module that fits under common disc golf discs that allows users to track lost discs at distances up to 65 feet in open fields. The device minimally perturbs the disc's flight path and can survive impacts of 60 mph with no decrease in performance.
RF Disc Golf Tracker
We analyze the effects of atmospheric ducts on wave propagation over the sea. Atmospheric ducts greatly extend the radio horizon in parts of the X and S bands. Propagation through over-sea ducts depends strongly on chosen wave polarization, the atmosphere's humidity gradient, and sea roughness (among other parameters). Atmospheric ducts allow for useful ship-ship communications, but may present hazards to covert ship-satellite communications.
Analysis of Ducting Effects in Ship-Based Radar
I analyze the metrological revolution spurred by the Quantum Hall Effect. The Classical Hall Effect describes the development of an electrical potential in a direction orthogonal to both applied electric and magnetic fields. Landau quantization and the formation of Landau levels leads to the quantum mechanical analogue: the (integer) Quantum Hall Effect. Quantized conductivity allows for metrologists to define conductivity (resitivity) in terms of fundamental units. The Quantum Hall Effect completes the metrological triangle, giving rise to "perfectly invariant" electrical standards.
Electrical Metrological Standard of the Quantum Hall Effect
My responsibilities included controlling the operation of a high-speed RF modem, preparing a GUI for automated testing, and validating hardware functionality.
ASIC Validation
FEH (Ohio State's honors 1st year engineering track) prepared a list of tasks to completed by an autonomous robot in two minutes. Engineering teams were given a microcontroller, machine shop access, and 10 weeks to deliver a functioning autonomous robotic device. I was responsible for writing and validating software, interfacing with electronic sensors, and testing the robot's functionality.
FEH Autonomous Robot Design
Science and Technology
Lake Shore Cryotronics
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lake-shore-cryotronics
Despite working extensively with superconducting magnets, many systems engineers have had little exposure to the deep theoretical underpinnings of quantum physics. I voluntarily delivered presentations and practice problems covering basic topics in quantum mechanics. We covered mathematical, physical and historical backgrounds leading to the advent of quantum mechanics in the early 20th century. We then studied the postulates and their implications for spin 1/2 systems before introducing the basics of position space and quantum wells.

My presentations and practice problem sets are available upon request.
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Quantum Mechanics Teacher
Education
The Ohio State University
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ohio-state-university
Most high schools in the Columbus metropolitan area have few ways to connect their students with the basic principles and excitement of engineering. Engineering ambassadors are advanced university students who volunteer to bridge this gap by presenting their work, their experiences, and their passion for engineering to upperclassmen in high school. I presented a simple circuit and oscilloscope to show the students the real digital signal being used by TV remotes to approximately 200 students.
https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E0BAQEw433uw5btkQ/company-logo_100_100/0/1519856416206?e=1655942400&v=beta&t=5_Zp6Buewk3EnEAee3La568ZjqysYb7Wv_iXUXm2KzI
Engineering Ambassador
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-phillips-507b23204
Plain City, OH
Deanna Phillips
Manufacturing Engineer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/caynj
Columbus, OH
Cayn Jennice
Mechanical Engineering Supervisor at ATS Automation
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-powers-3a1773165
Columbus, OH
Michael Powers
Distribution Engineering Operations Supervisor at TRC Companies, Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-hoy-234a2637
Columbus, OH
Daniel Hoy
Research And Development Engineer at Lake Shore Cryotronics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-floyd-66662211
Woburn, MA
Rachael Floyd
Product Manager at Lake Shore Cryotronics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-hartman-16564b139
Palo Alto, CA
Nicole Hartman
Particle physicist working on the ATLAS experiment at CERN
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-heisler-taylor-41502428
Columbus, OH
Tyler Heisler-Taylor
Graduate Student Researcher at OSU BME
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnygreco
Columbus, OH
Johnny Greco
Sr. Data Scientist | Tech Lead | NLP
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-can-a4823297
Columbus, OH
Adam Can
Project Manager at RFID Enabled Solutions (RES)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-canaday
Alexandria, VA
Daniel Canaday
Rising data scientist, developing new solutions to difficult problems.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexleemelendez
Columbus, OH
Alex Melendez
Graduate Student at The Ohio State University
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-norris-2aa63064
Waterford, NY
James Norris
National Grid
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-sung
Philadelphia, PA
Samuel Sung
Second Lieutenant at United States Marine Corps and PhD Student at Drexel University School of Biomedical Engineering
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-ginier-5623a03b
United States
Mary Ann Ginier
Engineer at Domico Med-Device, LLC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-ranck-98857797
San Francisco Bay Area
Brandon Ranck
AV Systems Administrator at Tesla
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-schaffer-709b053a
Sunnyvale, CA
Matthew Schaffer
Senior Project Engineer at Cornerstone Earth Group, Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-hanna-579ba797
Columbus, OH
Randall Hanna
Senior Staff at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
https://au.linkedin.com/in/rachael-weaver-9327a6b1
Melbourne, VI
Rachael Weaver
Writer and Researcher
https://www.linkedin.com/in/xian-guo-48a20640
Albany, New York Metropolitan Area
Xian Guo
Lead Engineer - Electric Power Systems at GE Global Research
https://au.linkedin.com/in/alexander-potts-9b4a41aa
Sydney, NS
Alexander Potts
Innovation - Data Engineer at HUB24 Limited
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-potts-928153146
Boca Raton, FL
Alexander Potts
Vice President, Programmatic - Media Lead at Tombras
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alex-potts-50676448
United Kingdom
Alex Potts
Associate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alexander-potts-5b9439aa
Wilmslow
Alexander Potts
Head of Digital Innovation at Bridge Insurance Brokers Limited
https://www.linkedin.com/in/potts-alexander
Seattle, WA
Alexander Potts
Working towards a sustainable tomorrow.