Event
Ph.D. Research Proposal Exam: Muhammad Elgamal
Tuesday, November 24, 2026
2:00 p.m.
AVW 2460
ANNOUNCEMENT: Ph.D. Research Proposal Exam
Name: Muhammad Elgamal
Committee:
Professor Steven Anlage
Professor Thomas Antonsen
Professor Matt Landreman
Date/time: Tuesday, November 24 at 2:00 PM
Location: AVW 2460
Title: Statistical Characterization of Complex-Wave Ensembles and Investigation of Temporal Dynamics in a Cryogenic Microwave Cavity
Abstract: This research proposal encompasses two complementary projects focused on the characterization of complex microwave systems under externally controlled perturbations.
The first project focuses on the development of a quality metric for statistical ensembles of microwave measurements. This metric combines two perspectives. The first quantifies the statistical diversity of measured realizations of scattering parameters. The second evaluates the agreement between the statistical properties of experimentally measured scattering parameters and the predictions of random-matrix-theory-based simulations. Furthermore, the proposed quality metric is validated for systems with different numbers of ports, including two-port and three-port configurations.
After defining and testing this quality metric, the next objective is to optimize ensemble generation during experimental measurements to obtain high-quality ensembles while minimizing measurement redundancy. This optimization also aims to establish control over ensemble generation by adjusting experimentally controllable parameters, such as mechanical mode-stirrer configurations or voltages applied to electronically controlled metasurfaces.
The work completed so far on this project has resulted in a manuscript currently being prepared for submission.
The second major research direction involves a cryogenic microwave-cavity experiment in which optical excitation of a semiconductor wafer creates an electron-hole plasma, modifying its conductivity and consequently the electromagnetic properties of the cavity. The experiment will progress from static and steady-state characterization to time-dependent optical modulation and transient microwave measurements. A dedicated cavity with multiple microwave ports, optical access, a semiconductor wafer, thermal links to the mixing-chamber plate, and cryogenic coaxial connections provides the experimental platform for this work. The central research question is whether the optically induced conductivity change can occur sufficiently rapidly to move the system beyond quasi-static tuning and into a transient or temporal-interface regime.
Both projects involve extensive microwave measurements and quantitative analysis of electromagnetic responses under controlled perturbations. While the first project focuses on statistical variations across different system configurations, the second investigates the temporal evolution of a system subjected to optical excitation.
