Dalziel Wilson
- Associate Professor, Optical Sciences
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
- Associate Professor, Physics
- Endowed Chair, Murray Sargent III - Quantum Optics
Biography
Dalziel Wilson is a second year assistant professor in the College of Optical Sciences, with a joint appointment in the Department of Physics. Prior to joining the University of Arizona (2018), he was a postdoc at IBM Research, Zurich (2017-2018) and at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland (2012-2016). He received his Ph.D. in physics from the California Institute of Technology in 2012. Dr. Wilson is a specialist in the field of cavity optomechanics, and has done seminal work on quantum
Degrees
- Ph.D. Physics
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States
- Cavity Optomechanics with High Stress Silicon Nitride Films
- B.A. Mathematics
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
- B.A. Physics
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
- A Dual-Channel Spectral Interferometer for Polarization Shaping of Femtosecond Pulses
Work Experience
- IBM Research -- Zurich (2017 - 2018)
- EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland) (2013 - 2016)
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen (2012)
Awards
- Moore Visitors Award
- Moore Foundation, Spring 2020
Interests
Research
I lead an experimental group in the field of cavity optomechanics. We are interested in measuring weak forces using ultra-high-Q nanomechanical resonators coupled to optical cavities. Applications include development of quantum-enhanced (via squeezed light, e.g.) force and inertial sensors, studying the quantum limits of measurement and feedback control, and searching for fundamental weak signals including spontaneous waveform collapse and dark matter forces. I am particularly interested in ultralight dark matter detection, as a convergent science goal and as a springboard for developing and studying quantum-limited optomechanical sensor arrays. Central to all of these goals is the development of ultra-high-Q nanomechanical resonators. We dedicate a significant amount of time to this engineering/nanofabrication effort as well.
Teaching
I created a 10 week course on Cavity Optomechanics (OPTI-600KL) starting in the Spring Semester of 2018. I have also taught the Advanced Laser Lab (OPTI-511L) and Laser Beams and Resonators (OPTI-600G). In Spring 2020 I will begin teaching Physical Optics (OPTI-210). I would also like to teach a course on technical writing.
Courses
2026-27 Courses
-
Cavity Optomechanics I
OPTI 600K (Fall 2026) -
Cavity Optomechanics II
OPTI 600L (Fall 2026) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2026) -
Directed Research
PHYS 492 (Fall 2026) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Fall 2026) -
Independent Study
PHYS 599 (Fall 2026) -
Special Topics in Optical Sci
OPTI 596 (Fall 2026)
2025-26 Courses
-
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Spring 2026) -
Directed Research
OPTI 492 (Spring 2026) -
Directed Research
PHYS 492 (Spring 2026) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Spring 2026) -
Physical Optics I
OPTI 210 (Spring 2026) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2025) -
Directed Research
PHYS 492 (Fall 2025) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Fall 2025) -
Special Topics in Optical Sci
OPTI 596 (Fall 2025)
2024-25 Courses
-
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Spring 2025) -
Directed Research
PHYS 492 (Spring 2025) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Spring 2025) -
Honors Thesis
MATH 498H (Spring 2025) -
Independent Study
OPTI 599 (Spring 2025) -
Physical Optics I
OPTI 210 (Spring 2025) -
Cavity Optomechanics I
OPTI 600K (Fall 2024) -
Cavity Optomechanics II
OPTI 600L (Fall 2024) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2024) -
Directed Research
PHYS 492 (Fall 2024) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Fall 2024) -
Honors Thesis
MATH 498H (Fall 2024) -
Independent Study
OPTI 599 (Fall 2024) -
Laser Beams and Resonators
OPTI 600G (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
-
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Spring 2024) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Spring 2024) -
Independent Study
PHYS 499 (Spring 2024) -
Physical Optics I
OPTI 210 (Spring 2024) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2023) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Fall 2023) -
Honors Thesis
PHYS 498H (Fall 2023) -
Independent Study
PHYS 599 (Fall 2023) -
Laser & Solid St Dev Lab
OPTI 511L (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
-
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Spring 2023) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Spring 2023) -
Honors Thesis
PHYS 498H (Spring 2023) -
Physical Optics I
OPTI 210 (Spring 2023) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2022) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Fall 2022) -
Independent Study
PHYS 499 (Fall 2022) -
Independent Study
PHYS 599 (Fall 2022) -
Laser & Solid St Dev Lab
OPTI 511L (Fall 2022) -
Thesis
OPTI 910 (Fall 2022)
2021-22 Courses
-
Current Subj in Opti Sci
OPTI 595A (Spring 2022) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Spring 2022) -
Physical Optics I
OPTI 210 (Spring 2022) -
Thesis
OPTI 910 (Spring 2022) -
Current Subj in Opti Sci
OPTI 595A (Fall 2021) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2021) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Fall 2021) -
Laser & Solid St Dev Lab
OPTI 511L (Fall 2021) -
Thesis
OPTI 910 (Fall 2021)
2020-21 Courses
-
Directed Research
OPTI 492 (Summer I 2021) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Spring 2021) -
Directed Research
PHYS 492 (Spring 2021) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Spring 2021) -
Laser Beams and Resonators
OPTI 600G (Spring 2021) -
Physical Optics I
OPTI 210 (Spring 2021) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2020) -
Laser & Solid St Dev Lab
OPTI 511L (Fall 2020)
2019-20 Courses
-
Cavity Optomechanics I
OPTI 600K (Spring 2020) -
Cavity Optomechanics II
OPTI 600L (Spring 2020) -
Laser Beams and Resonators
OPTI 600G (Spring 2020) -
Thesis
OPTI 910 (Spring 2020) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2019) -
Independent Study
PHYS 599 (Fall 2019) -
Laser & Solid St Dev Lab
OPTI 511L (Fall 2019)
2018-19 Courses
-
Independent Study
OPTI 599 (Summer I 2019) -
Cavity Optomechanics I
OPTI 600K (Spring 2019) -
Cavity Optomechanics II
OPTI 600L (Spring 2019) -
Dissertation
OPTI 920 (Spring 2019) -
Independent Study
PHYS 599 (Spring 2019) -
Directed Graduate Research
OPTI 792 (Fall 2018) -
Independent Study
PHYS 599 (Fall 2018)
Scholarly Contributions
No activities entered.
