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Faiz Rahman, associate professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, has been awarded a fellowship with the Institute of Physics. A fellow is the highest rank of membership and is dependent upon a member’s distinguished scholarship. 

The Institute of Physics is a professional society based in the United Kingdom which focuses on the advancement and accessibility of physics. It supports members to promote the understanding and innovation in the physics community and beyond. 

Rahman’s career has been embedded in the world of physical electronics, which is the intersection between physics and electrical engineering. In his field, engineers develop semiconductor devices, like chips for phones, computers and cars, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

“Engineering is nothing more than applied physics. What I tend to do is look at interesting physics and try to see how those things could be applied in engineering settings to develop new and useful materials, processes and devices that benefit people,” said Rahman.

Nomination to become an Institute of Physics fellow requires that the nominee has made an impact in their sector. Rahman has been working in the world of artificial lighting for most of his career, researching how to improve LEDs for everyday products, like TVs. He took the lead on a project for the Sharp Corporation to develop and manufacture the LEDs for thinner LCD televisions. This project is one of his most notable contributions to his field because the conclusion of his research is still used in the production of televisions in the present day. 

He discovered that using photonic crystals, a patterned structure that manipulates the flow of light, could be etched onto the surface of an LED to enhance the intensity of the emitted light. This created opportunities for LCD televisions to be brighter and mass produced. 

Today, Rahman continues to explore how physics can be applied to improve lighting. He has worked to develop phosphor coatings on LEDs, which enable the lights to produce different visible colors on the spectrum. He is also exploring laser diode-based lighting systems, which are currently being used in movie projection, automobile headlights and more. 

Rahman continues to be a pioneer in LED research, which is reflected in his past successes, current research and promising future projects. In addition to his fellowship with the Institute of Physics, Rahman is also a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Optica Society. 

While his research furthered the advancement of LED technology, Rahman pursued this path to improve the human experience. By earning his fellowship with the Institute of Physics, his work has been validated by his peers across the globe. 

“I have been able to achieve things that are helpful to people. We are trying to make the world a better place to live in. It gives [engineers] satisfaction that we are able to contribute in meaningful and positive ways to the world,” finished Rahman.