İsmail Karakurt

Professor İsmail Karakurt is a full-time faculty member in the Physics Department of Işık University's Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, holding the rank of Professor. His academic career spans experimental condensed matter physics with cross-disciplinary applications in quantum information and nanotechnology.

Education:

• PhD in Physics, Case Western Reserve University (1994-2000)
• BSc in Physics Engineering, Istanbul Technical University (1987-1991)

Research Focus: His work centers on quantum phenomena in low-dimensional systems, particularly quantum computing architectures using electrons on liquid helium and electro-optical properties of metal oxide nanostructures. Key investigations include decoherence mechanisms in electron qubits, phase transitions in VO₂ films, and plasmonic effects in core-shell nanoparticles. His laboratory combines cryogenic techniques with advanced thin-film characterization to explore quantum transport and switching dynamics.

Publication Trends: Recent articles reveal dual research thrusts: (1) Fundamental quantum studies of electron systems on helium surfaces addressing localization, tunneling, and quasiparticle behavior; (2) Applied materials research on WO₃/VO₂ thin films for electrochromic devices and nonreciprocal optical switching. Both streams emphasize nanoscale phenomena with quantum information and photonics applications.

Awards:

• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship (Germany)
• Ministry of National Education Foreign Education Scholarship (Turkey)

Academic Leadership: Professor Karakurt has supervised master's research including thesis work on tungsten oxide diffusion mechanisms. He leads projects on functional metal oxide nanostructures, tunable plasmonics, and laser-induced phase transitions in vanadium dioxide. His teaching portfolio spans undergraduate quantum mechanics, solid-state physics, and photonics courses delivered in English/Turkish.

Research Infrastructure: His experimental program utilizes specialized facilities for thin-film deposition (sputtering, sol-gel), low-temperature measurement systems (<$4K$>), and optical characterization setups to investigate quantum materials and nanophotonic devices.