Paul Eastham

Biography

Following my PhD in Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Cambridge, in which I developed a theory of Bose-Einstein condensation of polaritons, I held research appointments in Imperial College London and Cambridge, as well as a Junior Research Fellowship at Sidney Sussex College Cambridge. I worked in several areas, including quantum collective behaviour, semiconductor optics, the quantum Hall effect, and complex systems. In 2009 I was awarded a Starting Investigator Research Grant by Science Foundation Ireland to establish a new theory group, complementary to the experimental photonics and condensed-matter research groups, in the School of Physics at Trinity College Dublin. I have been the Naughton Assistant Professor of Physics there since 2012, and am the Principal Investigator of the Quantum Light and Matter Group.

Research Interest

My research explores the quantum physics of light and matter, generally in the context of semiconductor nanostructures like quantum dots, wells, and microcavities. I have a particular interest in the interplay between many-particle physics and quantum coherence, and the exotic collective behaviours that can result, like Bose-Einstein condensation. More generally I am interested in the possibilities for generating new physics by controlling the motion of electrons and photons in nanostructured materials and devices, and the possibilities for exploiting this physics in areas such as energy harvesting, quantum computing, and photonics. Related areas of research include semiconductor optics, topological effects in optics and condensed-matter, decoherence and quantum control in solid-state qubits, and photonic materials. My work is primarily theoretical, but I work closely with experimentalists to ensure its relevance and increase its impact.