Daniel Prober

Professor Daniel Prober is a distinguished academic at Yale University, holding the position of Professor of Applied Physics, Physics, and Electrical Engineering. He is affiliated with the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science and the Department of Applied Physics. His research focuses on experimental condensed matter physics, superconductivity, quantum transport, and photon detection technologies. Prober has pioneered advancements in superconducting photon detectors, including nanobolometers for terahertz and infrared detection, and has extensively studied carbon nanotubes and graphene for their electronic and thermal properties.

Education: Ph.D., Harvard University, 1975.

Research Interests:
- Coherent quantum transport and noise studies
- Superconducting quantum detectors for microwave, UV, and X-ray applications
- Nanostructure fabrication techniques
- Dynamics of carbon nanomaterials (graphene, carbon nanotubes)
- Development of ultrasensitive photon detectors for astrophysics and spectroscopy.

Notable Contributions:
Designed superconducting hot-electron bolometers for low-noise THz heterodyne detection, leading to NASA Technical Excellence Awards (1996, 1997).
Advanced graphene-based thermal photon detectors, enabling high-sensitivity far-infrared measurements.
Investigated electron-phonon coupling in carbon nanotubes and graphene, revealing insights into their thermal and electronic behavior.

Awards & Honors:
- Yale Science and Engineering Award (2019)
- IEEE Superconductivity Council Lifetime Achievement Award (2018)
- Multiple IBM Faculty Awards (2013, 2010, 2006, 2005)
- Fellow, American Physical Society and Connecticut Academy of Sciences.

Current Roles:
- Director of Undergraduate Studies in Applied Physics
- Member of the Graduate Admissions Committee
- Energy Studies Program Advisory Committee
- Yale-Weizmann Institute Research Collaboration Director (Yale).

Labs & Collaborations:
- Prober Lab at Yale, focusing on superconducting detectors and nanomaterials.
- Collaborations with NASA-JPL, Columbia University, and Stony Brook University.