Physics Faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh - Dr. John Lewis

Physics Faculty — Dr. John Lewis

Professor Emeritus

Education

• Ph.D. in Physics, specializing in Solid State Physics, the II-VI Semiconducting Compounds, University of Durham, 1965.
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, specializing in Electronics, University of Liverpool, 1st class Honours, 1962.

Teaching Areas

• Introductory physics.
• Solid state physics.
• II-VI thin film semiconductors.
• High resolution X-ray spectroscopy.

Professional Appointments

• Professor of Physics, State University of New York College at Plattsburgh, 1969-present.
• Postdoctoral Appointment, McGill University, Montreal, 1968-1969.
• Postdoctoral Appointment, French National Research Laboratory (C.N.R.S.) for Solid State Physics, Bellevue, Paris, 1965-1968.

Research Areas

Initially in the transport properties of the II-VI semiconductor and alloy group of materials, mainly GeTe and SnTe, then in the magnetic properties of an associated compounds, GeMnTe.

Collaborated with Dr. A. Rheingold in the preparation and study of the electrical properties of polymeric organic materials, principally polymethylpolyarsine.

Investigated the very low temperature thermal and electrical properties of both II-VI and organic semiconductors (sabbatical year in France at the CNRS Low Temperature facility in Grenoble).

Have studied the optical and electrical properties of thin film semiconductors in collaboration with Dr. A. Brinkman at the University of Durham (2 sabbatical years). Recently revisited the CNRS group in Bellevue and am now actively collaborating with Dr. O. Gorochov and Dr. Jinzhong Wang on X-ray analyses of high purity and high quality thin film zinc compounds. The aim is to produce marketable optoelectronic materials for use as light emitting diodes, detectors, lasers and other electronic devices.

Student Research Projects

Present student research involves a long-standing study of solar flare activity, using a 12' satellite dish to detect microwave radio radiation at 4 GHz. A recent flare is shown on my website. Physics senior Evan Spadafora is presently analyzing this flare as part of his undergraduate research and expects to present his findings at the Rochester Symposium for Undergraduate Physics Students in April 2006.

Contact John Lewis

Email: lewisje@plattsburgh.edu