Barry A. Wechsler, PhD

Senior Scientist

Crystal Genesis LLC - Sparta, NJ - 2006 to 2020

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Served as principal crystal growth scientist at Crystal Genesis, a start-up company producing commercial laser and nonlinear optical crystals as well as providing contract R&D services. As PI and/or key person on numerous SBIR and other contract research programs, focused on the development of materials for ultrafast thin disk lasers, photorefractive optical beam modulation, and pyroelectric energy conversion. Materials produced include potassium niobate, potassium yttrium tungstate, and strontium barium niobate.

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Senior Scientist

Nova Phase Inc - Newton, NJ - 2000 to 2006

 

Served as principal crystal growth scientist at Nova Phase, a start-up company producing optical components and providing contract R&D services. Worked on development of stoichiometric lithium niobate and lithium tantalate nonlinear crystals, photorefractive potassium niobate, and monoclinic double tungstate laser crystals. Acted as principal investigator on Phase I and Phase II SBIR programs from the Air Force Research Laboratory, National Science Foundation, and other agencies.

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Senior Scientist

Crystal Associates Inc - East Hanover, NJ - 1997 to 2000

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Served as principal investigator on a Phase II SBIR program from the US Navy to grow Yb-doped and Er-doped yttrium vanadate and gadolinium vanadate laser crystals. Grew nonlinear optical crystals of solid solutions in the KTP-KTA family.

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Senior Staff Physicist

Hughes Research Laboratories - Malibu, CA - 1983 to 1997

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Participated in numerous government and company-funded programs as a Physicist for Hughes Research Laboratories (HRL). Served as HRL program manager for holographic data storage materials on a DARPA-sponsored consortium involving several industrial and academic partners. Led the HRL IR&D project in Photorefractive and Nonlinear Materials. Worked on the development of many different crystals, including barium titanate, strontium titanate, lithium niobate, potassium niobate, and bismuth titanate.

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Postdoctoral Research Associate

Arizona State University, Dept. of Chemistry - Tempe, AZ - 1981 to 1983

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Studied the thermochemical properties of Fe,Mg,Ti oxides and their relation to cooling histories of a suite of synthetic materials. Evaluated the energetics of these materials using solution calorimetry and then correlated with their cation distributions determined using powder neutron diffraction-based structure refinements.

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Project Scientist

Abcor, Inc - Wilmington, MA - 1975 to 1977

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Conducted a study of the settling properties of sediments collected from sites across the US for the Army Corps of Engineers Dredged Materials Research Program in order to assess the most important factors controlling the settling rate of suspended sediments. Synthesized and evaluated the performance of novel RO membranes for brackish water treatment.