About
I am Salman, currently employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Optical Engineering and Quantum Photonics Group (OEQP) at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) / Zepler Institute of Photonics and Nanoelectronics (ZIPN), University of Southampton, UK. I am mainly working on development of integrated grating couplers for free-space beam delivery. Additionally my research involves understanding the pulsed UV silica glass processing.
I completed my BS Honors with a major in Computational Physics in 2013 from the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. The University of the Punjab is ranked among the top 6% of universities in the world. Computational Physics focuses on solving physical problems through real-time computer simulation. The combination of computer science and physics was highly beneficial to me, as I gained proficiency in various programming languages/environments such as C++, C#, Mathematica, and Proteus. These skills allowed me to implement real-time computations and simulations for solving physical problems. Upon completion of my BS degree, I received a merit certificate for academic distinction, with a CGPA of 3.71/4.00.
After graduation, I had the option to pursue either pure or applied physics for my postgraduate research degree. Since I had an inclination towards experimental physics, I decided to pursue a Masters in Philosophy (MPhil/MS) in Applied Physics in 2015 from the Centre for Advanced Studies in Physics, Government College University (GCU) Lahore, Pakistan. GCU is the oldest and most prestigious university in Pakistan, with a history of 153 years. During my master's research, I focused on polymer processing using pulsed second harmonic YAG laser-generated iron plasma ions to create conducting polymers. In addition to my thesis work, I also contributed to various research projects, including plasma confinement using magnetic fields in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, pulsed laser deposition of thin films, and laser ablation.
Following the completion of my master's degree, I worked as a Teaching Assistant at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology University, Lahore, Pakistan. Subsequently, I joined the Department of Physics at the University of Lahore, Pakistan, as a Lecturer in Physics.
In mid-2019, I was awarded an international PhD studentship and joined the Zepler Institute (ZI). My PhD work revolves around the development and calibration of a pulsed UV writing system capable of defining large-area and complex devices for integrated optics.
During my PhD I worked as Demonstrator to supervise undergraduate students in 1st year Physics lab. I also supervised foundation year students and helped them in problem solving for the module of Engineering Physics.