Tenio Popmintchev

Tenio Popmintchev is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), previously affiliated with the JILA institute at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on extreme nonlinear optics and attosecond science, particularly in developing tabletop X-ray lasers and high-harmonic generation techniques. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Colorado Boulder (2010).

Key research areas include phase-matched generation of coherent X-rays, ultrafast imaging of quantum materials, and applications in magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy. His work has led to breakthroughs in generating high-brightness X-ray pulses using mid-infrared and ultraviolet lasers, enabling compact and cost-effective X-ray sources.

Notable achievements include the Science News Young Scientist award and multiple patents on X-ray generation methods. His research has been published in top journals like Science and Nature Photonics, with contributions to ultrafast laser technology, coherent X-ray sources, and quantum design of light.

• Awards: Science News Young Scientist award (2016), U.S. Patents 8,462,824 (2013) and 61873794 (2015).
• Labs/Teams: JILA (Boulder), UCSD Physics Department labs.
• Future Work: Expanding tabletop X-ray laser applications, improving laser efficiency, and exploring quantum materials dynamics.