Edward Whittaker
Professor
Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science
Department of Physics
Education
- PhD (1982) Columbia University (Physics)
- Other (1979) Columbia University (Physics)
- MA (1977) Columbia University (Physics)
- BS (1976) Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Physics)
Research
My research interests currently are in the area of the development of applications for novel semiconductor lasers for sensitive detection of molecules and for free space optical communications.
I have also worked in and retain an interest in the areas of quantum optics, transient optical spectroscopy and squeezed quantum states.
I have also worked in and retain an interest in the areas of quantum optics, transient optical spectroscopy and squeezed quantum states.
General Information
Ed Whittaker arrived at Stevens in August of 1984 following a two year post-doc at IBM Research in San Jose, California. Through the intervening years he has risen through the ranks from Assistant and Associate and (Full) Professor. He established a research laboratory in high sensitivity laser spectroscopy with funding from the Research Corporation, the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the Army Research office and the Department of Energy. He has supervised 13 PhD students and numerous other graduate, undergraduate and high school students on a wide range of research topics.
He has had collaborative research with two groups at the former Bell Laboratories, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. This work is published in over 50 research papers and numerous presentations.
In teaching, he introduced computer technology to the undergraduate physics lab. He co-founded the Modern Optics Lab, and created courses in quantum optics and geometrical optics. He was one of the founders of the Stevens Scholars program (now called the Pinnacle Scholars) and currently serves as the director of the summer research program for Pinnacle Scholars.
He has served on all the major Stevens faculty committees including the University Committee on Promotions and Tenure, the Faculty Council and the Faculty Senate and has chaired each of these several times.
In 2003/2004 he took a sabbatical leave to serve as the Science and Technlogy Advisor for the Office of Defense Trade Controls at the United States Department of State.
Professor Whittaker has served as Topical, Deputy and Feature Editor for the journal Optics Letters.
He also has extensive community service on the boards of the Stevens Cooperative School (President), the Hudson School and the Hoboken Charter School, all in Hoboken, NJ. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey City University in Jersey City NJ for over 20 years and continues to serve there now.
He has had collaborative research with two groups at the former Bell Laboratories, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. This work is published in over 50 research papers and numerous presentations.
In teaching, he introduced computer technology to the undergraduate physics lab. He co-founded the Modern Optics Lab, and created courses in quantum optics and geometrical optics. He was one of the founders of the Stevens Scholars program (now called the Pinnacle Scholars) and currently serves as the director of the summer research program for Pinnacle Scholars.
He has served on all the major Stevens faculty committees including the University Committee on Promotions and Tenure, the Faculty Council and the Faculty Senate and has chaired each of these several times.
In 2003/2004 he took a sabbatical leave to serve as the Science and Technlogy Advisor for the Office of Defense Trade Controls at the United States Department of State.
Professor Whittaker has served as Topical, Deputy and Feature Editor for the journal Optics Letters.
He also has extensive community service on the boards of the Stevens Cooperative School (President), the Hudson School and the Hoboken Charter School, all in Hoboken, NJ. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey City University in Jersey City NJ for over 20 years and continues to serve there now.
Experience
Visiting Scientist, IBM Research Division, 1982-1984, 1991
Visiting Scientist, AT&T Bell Laboratory, 1988-1989
Visiting Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Lab, August 1997
American Institute of Physics State Department Fellow, 2003-2004
Visiting Faculty Member, United States Naval Research Laboratory Summer 2008
Visiting Scientist, AT&T Bell Laboratory, 1988-1989
Visiting Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Lab, August 1997
American Institute of Physics State Department Fellow, 2003-2004
Visiting Faculty Member, United States Naval Research Laboratory Summer 2008
Institutional Service
- Institute Committee on Promotion and Tenure Member
- SES Committee on Promotion and Tenure Member
- SES Committe on Promotion and Tenure Member
- Faculty Search Committee Chair
- Stevens Faculty Club Member
- Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Member
- Institute Promotion and Tenure Committee Chair
- Stevens Faculty Senate Member
Professional Service
- Optica (formerly Optical Society of America) Features Editor for the journal Optics Letter
- Optics Letters Deputy Editor
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
See patent list below.
Honors and Awards
2003-2004 American Institute of Physics State Department Science Fellow
http://www.aip.org/gov/sdf.html
Science and Technology Advisor, Directorate for Defense Trade Controls, United States Department of State
http://www.dtc.org
2018 Elected Fellow, The Optical Society of America (Now called Optica)
http://www.aip.org/gov/sdf.html
Science and Technology Advisor, Directorate for Defense Trade Controls, United States Department of State
http://www.dtc.org
2018 Elected Fellow, The Optical Society of America (Now called Optica)
Professional Societies
- APS – American Physical Society Member
- Optica – Optica (formerly The Optical Society ) Fellow
Grants, Contracts and Funds
Grants received from NSF, US Army Research Office, US Department of Energy, Research Corporation Bell Laboratories
Patents and Inventions
United States Patent # 5,267,019: Method and apparatus for reducing fringe interference in laser spectroscopy, Edward A Whittaker and Hoi Cheong Sun, Inventors. Issued November 30, 1993.
United States Patent # 5,636,035: Method and apparatus for dual modulation laser spectroscopy, Edward A Whittaker and Hoi Cheong Sun, Inventors. Issued June 3, 1997.
United States Patent # 7,073,384: Method and apparatus for remote measurement of vibration and properties of objects, Dimitry Donskoy, Nikolay Sedunov and Edward A Whittaker, Inventors. Issued July 11, 2006.
United States Patent # 5,636,035: Method and apparatus for dual modulation laser spectroscopy, Edward A Whittaker and Hoi Cheong Sun, Inventors. Issued June 3, 1997.
United States Patent # 7,073,384: Method and apparatus for remote measurement of vibration and properties of objects, Dimitry Donskoy, Nikolay Sedunov and Edward A Whittaker, Inventors. Issued July 11, 2006.
Selected Publications
Journal Article
- Bjorklund, G. C.; Whittaker, E. A. (2021). High Sensitivity Frequency Modulation Spectroscopy and the Path to Single Molecule Detection. Journal of Physical Chemistry A (39 ed., vol. 125, pp. 8519-8764). Washington, DC: American Chemical Society.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpca.1c05752?ref=PDF. - Corrigan, P.; Martini, R.; Whittaker, E.; Bethea, C. (2009). Quantum cascade lasers and the Kruse model in free space optical communication. Optics Express (6 ed., vol. 17, pp. 4355-4359).
- Martini, R.; Whittaker, E. (2005). Quantum cascade laser-based free space optical communications. Journal of Optical and Fiber Communications Reports (4 ed., vol. 2, pp. 279-292).
- Capasso, F.; Paiella, R.; Martini, R.; Colombelli, R.; Gmachl, C.; Myers, T. L.; Taubman, M. S.; Williams, R. M.; Bethea, C. G.; Unterrainer, K.; Hwang, H. Y.; Sivco, D. L.; Cho, A. Y.; Sergent, A. M.; Liu, H.; Whittaker, E. (2002). Quantum cascade lasers: Ultrahigh-speed operation, optical wireless communication, narrow linewidth, and far-infrared emission. IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (6 ed., vol. 38, pp. 511-532).
- Martini, R.; Bethea, C.; Capasso, F.; Gmachl, C.; Paiella, R.; Whittaker, E.; Hwang, H. Y.; Sivco, D. L.; Baillargeon, J. N.; Cho, A. Y. (2002). Free-space optical transmission of multimedia satellite data streams using mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers. Electronics Letters (4 ed., vol. 38, pp. 181-183).
- Paiella, R.; Martini, R.; Capasso, F.; Gmachl, C.; Hwang, H. Y.; Sivco, D. L.; Baillargeon, J. N.; Cho, A. Y.; Whittaker, E.; Liu, H. (2001). High-frequency modulation without the relaxation oscillation resonance in quantum cascade lasers. Applied Physics Letters (16 ed., vol. 79, pp. 2526-2528).
- Martini, R.; Paiella, R.; Gmachl, C.; Capasso, F.; Whittaker, E.; Liu, H.; Hwang, H. Y.; Sivco, D. L.; Baillargeon, J. N.; Cho, A. Y. (2001). High-speed digital data transmission using mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers. Electronics Letters (21 ed., vol. 37, pp. 1290-1292).
- Martini, R.; Gmachi, C.; Tredicucci, A.; Capasso, F.; Hutchinson, A. L.; Sivco, D. L.; Cho, A. Y.; Whittaker, E. (2001). High duty cycle operation of quantum cascade lasers based on graded superlattice active regions. Journal of Applied Physics (12 ed., vol. 89, pp. 7735-7738).
- Martini, R.; Gmachl, C.; Falciglia, J.; Curti, F. G.; Bethea, C. G.; Capasso, F.; Whittaker, E.; Paiella, R.; Tredicucci, A.; Hutchinson, A. L.; Sivco, D. L.; Cho, A. Y. (2001). High-speed modulation and free-space optical audio/video transmission using quantum cascade lasers. Electronics Letters (3 ed., vol. 37, pp. 191-193).
Courses
Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Waves and Optics, Modern Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Optics, Laser Physics, Nonlinear Optics, Laser Applications, Solid State Physics, Mathematical Methods of Physics, Group Theory in Physics, Molecular Spectroscopy, Physics Lab, Optics Lab. SKIL I and II labs.