Terrance L. Worchesky

Title

Associate Professor Emeritus
Dr. Worchesky retired from the Physics Department in June 2023.

Education

Ph.D. in Physics – Georgetown University, 1984
M.S. in Physics – Georgetown University, 1982
B.S. in Physics – Drexel University, 1976

Previous Experience

Dr. Worchesky began his career as a researcher scientist at the Army Research Laboratories, a government research laboratory.  He then worked on semiconductor and electro-optic physics, quantum-well structures, and devices for 11 years as a senior research scientist at the corporate laboratories of Lockheed Martin.  Dr. Worchesky joined the faculty of UMBC as an associate professor of physics in 1996.

Professional Interests

In the past, my research has involved electro-optic effects in layered III-V semiconductors used in lasers, optical modulators, and infrared detectors.  In particular, I have examined quantum-well materials, where the semiconductor layers are so narrow that quantum-size effects occur.  Besides producing discrete energy levels, these structures enhance a variety of electro-optic and nonlinear optical effects.  We have used these effects to produce low-voltage optical phase shifters and intensity modulators.

Recently my research interests have turned to studying two-photon absorption in these semiconductor layered structures.  We are studying quantum-well-in-a-well and asymmetric quantum-well layers in an effort to find enhanced two-photon absorption structures.  We hope to use the asymmetric quantum wells to produce extended electron states in the structure when used in a virtual-state absorption process.  We are examining using the virtual state as the intermediate state in a two-photon process to involve entangled photons.  This type of detector can be used to produce images with resolution beyond the Rayleigh limit.

Selected Publications

F. Liu and T. L. Worchesky, “Dual-Side Processed Demultiplexer Using Grating-Assisted Co-directional Coupler”, IEEE Photonic Tech. Letters, 17, 600-02 (2005).

A. M. Fathimulla, H. Hier, L. Aina, L., T. L. Worchesky, “ InP-based Multi-wavelength QWIPs”, Proc. of the SPIE, 5406, 589-99 (2005).

T. L. Worchesky, L. A. Wood, “Optical Switch with Optically Induced Grating,” Patent # 6,731,840 (2004).

T. L. Worchesky, F. Liu, L. A. Wood, “Dual-Side Waveguide-Based Wavelength Demultiplexer with Optical Control”, Patent # 6,704,480 (2004).

F. Liu and T. L. Worchesky, “Design and Fabrication of Dual-Side Waveguide-Based Wavelength Demultiplexer”. 2003 OSA Annual Meeting, Tucson, Arizona, 2003.

G. Ru, Z. Chen, X. Yu, F. -S. Choa, T. Worchesky, F. Liu, C. Lu, J. B. Khurgin, “G-X band mixing in GaAs/AlAs superlattice”, Proceedings of the SPIE, 5360, 257-60 (2003).

T. L. Worchesky, F. Liu, L. A. Wood, “Dual-Side Waveguide-Based Wavelength Demultiplexer,” Patent # 6,549,708 (2002).

X. Wang, F. S. Choa, F. Liu, T. L. Worchesky, “UV Radiative Recombination Mechanism in the InGaN Blue LED,” Journal of Applied Physics 89, 6218-6222 (2000).