Welcome to the Optical Diagnostics and Imaging Laboratory (ODIL)! Our research focuses on the development and application of a variety of advanced laser-based measurement techniques—a diagnostics toolkit—to study reacting and non-reacting flow systems encountered in combustion, propulsion, plasmas, and hypersonics. Using continuous-wave to ultrashort, femtosecond-duration, pulsed lasers, combined with state-of-the-art imaging cameras and electronics, we perform non-intrusive measurements with high spatial and temporal resolution. These measurements enable quantitative characterization of key physical properties–temperature, pressure, velocity, density, and particle characteristics–and chemical species information.
Our work spans three interconnected objectives: (1) advancing the fundamental understanding of laser–matter interactions that enable optical measurements; (2) incorporating the science and technology (S&T) of optical and laser diagnostics to investigate complex fluid dynamics, chemical reactions, energy transfer mechanisms, and material properties; and (3) conducting research & development (R&D) of next-generation mechanical and aerospace systems using the laser diagnostics toolkit.
Overall, our research advances cleaner and more efficient propulsion and power-generation turbomachinery, innovative remote-sensing tools for explosives and airborne pollutants, novel material characterization and synthesis methods, industrial process safety improvements, and reusable hypersonic flight vehicles.
