Michael Mazilu

Dr. Michael Mazilu is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews. His research focuses on developing the Optical Eigenmodes (OEi) framework to model light-matter interactions, with applications in imaging, optical manipulation, plasmonics, and quantum optics. He has pioneered techniques for optimizing optical trapping, Raman spectroscopy-based cancer diagnostics, and advanced microscopy using Airy beams.

His work integrates theoretical tools with experimental validation, aiming to create intuitive numerical models for photonic interactions. Notable projects include the design of attenuation-compensated light-sheet microscopes and wavelength-meter technologies leveraging speckle metrology. Dr. Mazilu collaborates extensively on biomedical applications, such as SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering) substrates for biomarker detection.

His research also explores the rotational dynamics of optically levitated particles in vacuum and the conservation of momentum in non-classical wave systems. While no specific grants or student advisees are listed, his contributions span foundational optics to applied photonics, with over 50 peer-reviewed publications since 2006.