UCLA Electrical Engineering Department

Kumar Patel is a Professor of Physics with a joint appointment in Electrical Engineering. He served as UCLA's vice chancellor for research through 1999. His research interests focus on experimental condensed matter, but he is still involved in the development of new laser systems.

Research Interests

Basic research in condensed matter physics has played a central role in the emergence of many of our most important modern technologies. Our interests are in the structure and dynamics of "interesting systems," broadly defined. We seek to understand how materials ranging from quantum crystals to semiconductors to proteins are put together and how their time-dependent behavior can be elucidated and exploited.

Spectroscopic studies are at the heart of these problems and we use and invent techniques and detection methods as needed. Optical spectroscopy including Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and laser-based optoacoustic techniques, and SQUID technologies are but a few examples. We have used these and other techniques to study trace pollutant gases in the Earth's atmosphere, doped inorganic crystals, amorphous silicon, solid hydrogen, fullerenes, and nanoscale magnetic materials. Temperature dependent measurements are often vital to our needs and we have extensive capabilities in cryogenics. We also have a strong interest in the development of new laser systems.

Awards and Recognitions

• 1996 National Medal of Science

• 1989 IEEE Medal of Honor

• 1978 National Academy of Engineering

• 1975 Fellow, IEEE

• 1974 National Academy of Sciences