Jean-Claude Diels

Prof. Jean-Claude Diels is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Electrical Engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM), affiliated with the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences. He leads the Optical Science and Engineering (OSE) Program and the Diels Research Group, focusing on ultrafast optics, laser physics, and nonlinear phenomena. His research includes femtosecond laser pulses, laser filamentation in air, plasma dynamics, and phase sensing with frequency combs.

Education: PhD from the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Brussels (1973). His work bridges fundamental physics with applications in remote sensing, high-resolution spectroscopy, and laser-based technologies. Key projects include studying UV filaments for standoff spectroscopy, shockwave generation from laser-induced discharges, and developing table-top gravitational wave detectors.

Research interests span laser physics (pulse compression, mode-locking), nonlinear optics (filamentation, supercontinuum generation), and applied optics (optical parametric oscillators, fiber lasers). His group collaborates across departments (Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optical Science) and uses facilities like the PAIS building and Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM).

Recent articles highlight advancements in quantum-limited phase sensing, filament-driven shockwaves, and frequency comb applications. Teaching includes graduate courses like Laser Physics I and II. His labs focus on experimental setups involving high-power lasers, ultrafast diagnostics, and precision measurement systems.