Lior Joined the Atwater group in August 2021 as a Fulbright scholar. He received his BSc, MSc and Ph.D. in Physics from Tel Aviv University. In his PhD, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Tal Ellenbogen and Prof. Haim Suchowski, Lior investigated collective effects in two-dimensional nanoparticle arrays, known as metasurfaces. Among his results, he extended the formalism to analyze the collective dynamics to the nonlinear optical regime, where he found and demonstrated new resonant condition for enhanced nonlinearity.
At Caltech, his research interests involve optical dynamic control of macroscopic Objects. This research deals with mechanical manipulation of millimeter-to-meter-scale objects by light, through its ability to exert forces. The research is part of the ambitious goal of the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative to launch laser-driven lightsails for space exploration.