Santosh Kumar
Research Assistant Professor
Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science
Education
- Ph.D. (2014) Jawaharlal Nehru University (Physics (Quantum Optics))
Research
Nonlinear Optics, Quantum Optics
General Information
I have more than thirteen years of experience in quantum photonics, nonlinear optics, integrated photonics, optical computing, quantum sensing, and artificial intelligence. My research bridges fundamental quantum optics with practical technologies including optical neural networks, photonic Ising machines, single-photon imaging, nonlinear frequency conversion, quantum machine learning, Raman spectroscopy, Rydberg atoms based sensing, integrated photonics, and quantum information processing. Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator on multiple federally funded research projects totaling more than $15 million. Inventor on international patents and author of more than forty peer-reviewed publications with over two thousand citations
Experience
Post-doctoral Fellow at The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA,
Consulting Service
Senior Scientific Advisor as Consultant, Quantum Computing Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA.
Long Distance Quantum communication and Distributed Computing
Long Distance Quantum communication and Distributed Computing
Appointments
2021-2024: Senior Research Scientist, Stevens Institute of Technology.
Research in quantum photonics, optical neural networks, quantum sensing, and nonlinear optics.
Research in quantum photonics, optical neural networks, quantum sensing, and nonlinear optics.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Principal Investigator, NSF I-Corps Quantum+X Program (2026; 12-month project)
Photonic Optical Processing Unit for Quantum-Enhanced Machine Learning and Sensing
Photonic Optical Processing Unit for Quantum-Enhanced Machine Learning and Sensing
Honors and Awards
Visiting Scholar: CNRS Laboratoire Aime Cotton, Universite Paris Sud 11, Campus d’Orsay, France
Grants, Contracts and Funds
Principal Investigator, NSF I-Corps Quantum+X.
Photonic Optical Processing Unit for Quantum-Enhanced Machine Learning and Sensing.
Award: $50,000
Co-Principal Investigator, DEVCOM.
Quantum and Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Next Generation Armament Systems.
Award: $14.9 Million
Photonic Optical Processing Unit for Quantum-Enhanced Machine Learning and Sensing.
Award: $50,000
Co-Principal Investigator, DEVCOM.
Quantum and Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Next Generation Armament Systems.
Award: $14.9 Million
Patents and Inventions
PCT/US2021/032338: Super Ising Emulator with Multi-Body Interactions and All-to-All Connection, International Publication number: WO 2021/231794 A1, 18 Nov 2021.
Selected Publications
U. Khan, S. Kumar, D. A. Lopez Martinez, S. Deng, M. Garikapati, and Y. Huang, “Precise Photon Arrival Time Measurement via Time-to-Frequency Demultiplexing,” accepted for publication in Optica Quantum (2026).
M. Izadi, D. A. Lopez Martinez, U. Pandurangi, S. Deng, S. Kumar, and Y. Huang, “Calibration of Photon-Number-Resolving Parallel SNSPDs via Loss-Swept Coherent States and Natural Parameter Estimation,” Optics Continuum 5, 3064–3078 (2026).
D. Martinez, U. Khan, M. Izadi, Y. Du, N. Dangi, S. Kumar, and Y. Huang, “Nonlinear Photonic Neural Network with Frequency Comb Lines,” Optics Letters 51, 2404–2407 (2026).
Z. Li, S. Kumar, M. Katidis, K. Musa, Y. P. Huang, and C. Qu, “Optical Hopfield Neural Networks with Enhanced Storage Capacity,” Optics Letters 51, 417–420 (2026).
K. Musa, S. Kumar, M. Katidis, and Y. P. Huang, “Dense Associative Memory in a Nonlinear Optical Hopfield Neural Network,” Physical Review Applied 25, 014011 (2026).
Single-pixel compressive imaging via single photon counting, L Li, M Thomas, S Kumar, YP Huang, Optics Continuum 3 (7), 1254-1264 (2024).
Noise-resilient single-pixel compressive sensing with single photon countingL Li, S Kumar, YM Sua, YP Huang, Communications Physics 7 (1), 110 (2024).
Photon counting Raman spectroscopy: a benchmarking study vs surface plasmon enhancement, Y Li, S Kumar, T Huo, H Du, YP Huang, Optics Express 32, 16657 (2024).
Single-pixel Image Reconstruction Using Coherent Nonlinear Optics, M Thomas, S Kumar, Y Huang Opt. Lett. 48, (2023).
Programmable Spatiotemporal Quantum Parametric Mode Sorter - M. Garikapati, S. Kumar, H. Zhang, Y. M. Sua, Y. Huang, Phys. Rev. Applied 19, 044070 (2023).
Observation of Distinct Phase Transitions in a Nonlinear Optical Ising Machine - S. Kumar, Z. Li, T. Bu, C. Qu, Y. Huang, Communications Physics 6, 31 (2023).
Near-Infrared 3D Imaging with upconversion detection - H. Zhang, S. Kumar, S. Zhu, Y.M.Sua, and Y.P. Huang, Photonics Research 10, 2760 (2022).
Efficient Optical Reservoir Computing for Parallel Data Processing - T. Bu, H. Zhang, S.Kumar, M. Jin, P. Kumar and Y.P. Huang, Opt. Lett., 47, 3784 (2022).
Efficient Frequency Doubling with Active Stabilization on Chip -J. Chen, C. Tang, M. Jin,Z. Li, Z. Ma, H. Fan, S. Kumar, Y. M. Sua, Y.P. Huang, Laser & Photonics Reviews, 2100091(2021).
M. Izadi, D. A. Lopez Martinez, U. Pandurangi, S. Deng, S. Kumar, and Y. Huang, “Calibration of Photon-Number-Resolving Parallel SNSPDs via Loss-Swept Coherent States and Natural Parameter Estimation,” Optics Continuum 5, 3064–3078 (2026).
D. Martinez, U. Khan, M. Izadi, Y. Du, N. Dangi, S. Kumar, and Y. Huang, “Nonlinear Photonic Neural Network with Frequency Comb Lines,” Optics Letters 51, 2404–2407 (2026).
Z. Li, S. Kumar, M. Katidis, K. Musa, Y. P. Huang, and C. Qu, “Optical Hopfield Neural Networks with Enhanced Storage Capacity,” Optics Letters 51, 417–420 (2026).
K. Musa, S. Kumar, M. Katidis, and Y. P. Huang, “Dense Associative Memory in a Nonlinear Optical Hopfield Neural Network,” Physical Review Applied 25, 014011 (2026).
Single-pixel compressive imaging via single photon counting, L Li, M Thomas, S Kumar, YP Huang, Optics Continuum 3 (7), 1254-1264 (2024).
Noise-resilient single-pixel compressive sensing with single photon countingL Li, S Kumar, YM Sua, YP Huang, Communications Physics 7 (1), 110 (2024).
Photon counting Raman spectroscopy: a benchmarking study vs surface plasmon enhancement, Y Li, S Kumar, T Huo, H Du, YP Huang, Optics Express 32, 16657 (2024).
Single-pixel Image Reconstruction Using Coherent Nonlinear Optics, M Thomas, S Kumar, Y Huang Opt. Lett. 48, (2023).
Programmable Spatiotemporal Quantum Parametric Mode Sorter - M. Garikapati, S. Kumar, H. Zhang, Y. M. Sua, Y. Huang, Phys. Rev. Applied 19, 044070 (2023).
Observation of Distinct Phase Transitions in a Nonlinear Optical Ising Machine - S. Kumar, Z. Li, T. Bu, C. Qu, Y. Huang, Communications Physics 6, 31 (2023).
Near-Infrared 3D Imaging with upconversion detection - H. Zhang, S. Kumar, S. Zhu, Y.M.Sua, and Y.P. Huang, Photonics Research 10, 2760 (2022).
Efficient Optical Reservoir Computing for Parallel Data Processing - T. Bu, H. Zhang, S.Kumar, M. Jin, P. Kumar and Y.P. Huang, Opt. Lett., 47, 3784 (2022).
Efficient Frequency Doubling with Active Stabilization on Chip -J. Chen, C. Tang, M. Jin,Z. Li, Z. Ma, H. Fan, S. Kumar, Y. M. Sua, Y.P. Huang, Laser & Photonics Reviews, 2100091(2021).
Courses
Super Ising Emulator with Multi-Body Interactions and All-to-All Connection,
PCT/US2021/032338, International Publication: WO 2021/231794 A1
US Patent App. 19/416,480, 2026; US Patent App. 19/416,685, 2026
PCT/US2021/032338, International Publication: WO 2021/231794 A1
US Patent App. 19/416,480, 2026; US Patent App. 19/416,685, 2026