Photo of Kenneth Järrendahl

Kenneth Järrendahl

Professor, Head of Unit

Deputy Head of Department

Research

Most of my studies are focused on the use of polarized light to investigate structures on the nanometer scale. Often by using spectroscopic ellipsometry combined with other characterization methods such as electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The structures can be thin films, multilayers, superlattices, photonic crystals, sculpted films, and / or metamaterials. In most cases, they are artificially produced, but we have also done several studies of layered structures in beetle shells. It can also be added that I get extra excited if the structures are aperiodic or chiral.

I am head of the Materials Optics unit. Our research is fundamental, yet with a focus on finding and describing new optical phenomena that can be utilized in the future.

Teaching

I see teaching as an important part of my work and have therefore been involved in a variety of courses over the years. Nowadays, I am teaching courses related to Electromagnetics and Optics. I am also interested in pedagogy and have been involved in several educational projects. I also work with the institution's undergraduate educational administration.

What I am doing now

As deputy head of department, I am doing a fair share of administrative work trying to make life easy for the employees at our department.
Research wise I am studying the polarization properties of helicoidal structures built of III-nitrides and at the same time trying to expand our knowledge of chiral beetle epicuticle. I am in the program committee for The 8th International Conference on Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (ICSE-8) taking place in Barcelona in May.
I am also preparing for my spring course in Optics and will invoke a new pedagogic approach I believe will make the topic (even more) exciting.

Publications

2023

Arturo Mendoza-Galvan, Olga Rubi Juarez-Rivera, Reina Araceli Mauricio-Sanchez, Kenneth Järrendahl, Hans Arwin (2023) Modular Optical Diodes for Circular Polarization Based on Glass-Supported Cellulose Nanocrystal/Polyethylene Glycol Composite Films ADVANCED PHOTONICS RESEARCH Continue to DOI
Samiran Bairagi, Jui-Che Chang, Fu-Gow Tarntair, Wan-Yu Wu, Gueorgui Kostov Gueorguiev, Edward Ferraz de Almeida, Roger Magnusson, Kun-Lin Lin, Shao-Hui Hsu, Jia-Min Shieh, Jens Birch, Ray-Hua Horng, Kenneth Järrendahl, Ching-Lien Hsiao (2023) Formation of quaternary Zn(AlxGa1−x)2O4 epilayers driven by thermally induced interdiffusion between spinel ZnGa2O4 epilayer and Al2O3 substrate Materials Today Advances, Vol. 20, Article 100422 Continue to DOI

2022

C. Akerlind, T. Hallberg, Kenneth Järrendahl (2022) Optical Studies of White Organic Materials for Camouflage Applications in Arctic Environments TARGET AND BACKGROUND SIGNATURES VIII, Article 122700D Continue to DOI
Samiran Bairagi, Ching-Lien Hsiao, Roger Magnusson, Jens Birch, Jinn P. Chu, Fu-Gow Tarntair, Ray-Hua Horng, Kenneth Järrendahl (2022) Zinc gallate (ZnGa2O4) epitaxial thin films: determination of optical properties and bandgap estimation using spectroscopic ellipsometry Optical Materials Express, Vol. 12, p. 3284-3295 Continue to DOI

2021

Olga R. Juárez-Rivera, Reina A. Mauricio-Sánchez, Kenneth Järrendahl, Hans Arwin, Arturo Mendoza-Galván (2021) Shear-Coated Linear Birefringent and Chiral Cellulose Nanocrystal Films Prepared from Non-Sonicated Suspensions with Different Storage Time Nanomaterials, Vol. 11, Article 2239 Continue to DOI

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