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Ziyao Su | 粟梓尧

Hi! I am a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University. I am currently working with Dr. Enam Chowdhury on computational modeling of ultrafast laser–matter interactions. I received my B.S. degrees in Physics and Mathematics at OSU as well.

About Me

Interest

My research focuses on modeling ultrashort-laser-induced damage, electron dynamics, field enhancement, and energy absorption in multilayer mirrors, gratings, and hybrid metal–dielectric coatings

Goal

My goal is to develop practical simulation frameworks that explain ultrashort-laser damage mechanisms and support the design of more damage-resistant optical coatings and gratings for next-generation PW laser systems.

Collaboration

I have collaborated with Dr. Carmen Menoni's group at Colorado State University and XUV Lasers Inc. to validate laser damage thresholds of optical components. I also look forward to working with other groups on modeling laser-induced damage thresholds and optimizing optical coating designs.

News

[11/2025] Invited virtual talk - "2D FDTD Modeling of Ultrashort Laser-Matter Interactions" at Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester.
[10/2025] Received the MJ Soileau Best Student Paper Award at SPIE Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials 2025 for “Keldysh ionization based-FDTD modeling of laser-induced damage threshold of MLD-IBS compression gratings for petawatt 2 μm laser systems”! [OSU News].
[04/2024] Passed Ph.D. candidacy exam. Thesis committee: Dr. Enam Chowdhury, Dr. Wolfgang Windl, Dr. Maryam Ghazisaeidi, and Dr. Jinwoo Hwang.
[01/2023] Started Ph.D. journey in Materials Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University, advised by Dr. Enam Chowdhury.

Academic Service

Peer Review

8reviews completed

Applied Optics2024 · 2025
Optics Express2026
Optics Letters2026

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

Pulse-Duration Scaling of Ultrafast Laser-Induced Damage Threshold in Hybrid Gratings

Ziyao Su and Enam A. Chowdhury

Optics Letter
Ultrafast Laser Interaction with Dielectric–Metal Hybrid Coatings: A 2D FDTD Modeling Study

Ziyao Su and Enam A. Chowdhury

High Power Laser Science and Engineering
A Fully Three-Dimensional Kinetic Particle-In-Cell Framework for Modeling Laser-Dielectric Interactions: Few-Cycle Pulse Damage

Joseph R. Smith, Ziyao Su, Simin Zhang, Charles Varin, Vitaly E. Gruzdev, and Enam A. Chowdhury

High Power Laser Science and Engineering
Influence of Defects on the Femtosecond Laser Damage Resistance of Multilayer Dielectric Gratings

Simin Zhang, Ziyao Su, Carmen S. Menoni, and Enam A. Chowdhury

Optics Letters

Conference Proceedings

FDTD Modeling of Femtosecond Laser–Hybrid Grating Interaction and Damage Mechanisms

Ziyao Su and Enam A. Chowdhury

CLEO 2026
Keldysh Ionization Based-FDTD Modeling of Laser-Induced Damage Threshold of MLD-IBS Compression Gratings for Petawatt 2 μm Laser Systems

Ziyao Su, Mohamed Yaseen Noor, Emma DeAngelis, Carmen S. Menoni, and Enam A. Chowdhury

SPIE Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials 2025 MJ Soileau Best Student Paper Award
Electron Dynamics of Femtosecond Laser Induced Plasma Inside Multilayer Dielectric High Reflectors Studied Using Particle-in-Cell (PIC) Approach

Ziyao Su, Joseph R. Smith, and Enam A. Chowdhury

CLEO 2024 Oral Presentation