Smridhi Mahajan L&S Math & Physical Sciences
Interferometric imaging for self-assembling materials
Many advanced materials form through self-assembly, a process in which microscopic building blocks spontaneously organize into complex structures. While we often know the initial reactants and final products, the dynamic pathway connecting the two states remains largely unknown. This research aims to achieve three-dimensional tracking of the material formation process in real time via holographic microscopy, an interferometric imaging technique that records both the intensity and phase of light. By reconstructing how particle size and composition evolve in time, this work combines optical imaging with ideas from statistical physics to reveal how particles interact, organize, and form structures. Ultimately, uncovering these growth pathways will help map the material’s energy landscape, enabling more precise control of material synthesis for applications in clean energy technologies, drug delivery, and next-generation electronics.
Message To Sponsor
I am deeply grateful for your support this summer. Since beginning research, I have been eager to pursue a project that brings together my evolving interests in physics, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to do exactly that through this program. Your generosity allows me to explore questions that inspire me and to deepen my experience as a researcher. Thank you for believing in my work and giving me the chance to pursue what I love most!