Networking scientists

Founded in 1946, as the successor to the famed MIT's Radiation Laboratory (RadLab) of World War II, RLE's research encompasses an extensive range of natural and man-made phenomena. The seven major research themes of the RLE projects, both basic and applied, include:

*Atomic Physics
*Circuits
*Systems
*Signals & Communicati-ons
*Quantum Computation and Communication
*Energy
*Power & Electromag-netics
*Photonic Materials Devi-ces and Systems
*Nanoscale Science and Engineering
*Multiscale Bioenginee-ring & Biophysics

These seven themes, in turn, form the major topics for 40 research groups, centres and laboratories which carry out the investigation.

The Atomic Physics research investigation encompasses ultracold atoms, quantum condensed gases and atom optics. Newer methods are being developed to manipulate  condensed atomic gases and the exploration of ultracold interactions, collision dynamics,  atom lasers, atom interferometry, atom waveguides, surface physics, quantum reflection, many body physics in lower dimensions, plasmas, and electromagnetics. 

Investigations under Circuits, Systems, Signal and Communications themes include a complete range of activities in electronics— structures, devices, circuits, analogue, digital systems, MEMs, bioMEMs, nanotechnologies, numerical and computational simulation and prototyping, biologically-inspired systems, digital signal processing, advanced telecommunications, medical imaging and exploration of fundamental issues in wireless networking and devices.

The Quantum Computation and Communication research lays stress on the efforts in quantum information processing and transmission, with extensive new initiatives in quantum computation, superconducting circuits and understanding and exploiting quantum teleportation.

The research under the theme Energy, Power and Electromagnetics comprises work in excitonics, studies in the absorption and emission of light, solar cells, disordered and low-dimensional materials, complex nanostructures, organic LEDs, nanowires, hybrid organic-inorganic materials and high voltage and insulation research.

Investigations under  Photonic Materials Devices and Systems include the significant efforts in integrated photonic devices, modules and systems and millimeter-wave and terahertz devices.

The research under Nanoscale Science and Engineering theme comprises research in fabricating surface structures at nano scales, nanomagnetics and microphotonics, periodic structures, superconductive materials and carbon nanotubes.

The seventh theme, Multiscale Bioengineering and Biophysics, covers the thrusts in bio-inspired electronics and neural prostheses for hearing and sight, nano and micro-technologies for understanding and manipulating biological processes at the cellular and molecular level, sensory communication in all modalities and the physiology of auditory perception and speech production.

As one of the most well- known research laboratories in the world, the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) at MIT has produced important innovations in nanoscale science, multiscale bioengineering, quantum computation, and atomic physics.

This research endeavour, from the most basic physical realm of particles and quantum physics  to sophisticated engineering application technologies,  is led by over 80 principal investigators who are an international team of renowned scientists.
Among them are Professor Chandrakasan Anantha, Professor Goyal Vivek K,  Rajeev J Ram and Prof Rahul Sarpeshkar of the department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Prof A Srinivasan Mandayam. 

Details about the progress of their research work is available in RLE’s Annual Progress Report.  Its current issue can be browsed at www.rle.mit.edu/media/media_pr.html.

An online version of RLEatMIT, a periodical news publication of RLE, carries web exclusive articles and updates, and links to relevant websites and multimedia.