Robert Olsson, Ph.D.
Professor
- Milwaukee WI UNITED STATES
- Allen Bradley Hall of Science: S244
- Physics and Chemistry
Dr. Bob Olsson's areas of expertise are fiber optics and sensors.
Education, Licensure and Certification
Ph.D.
Physics
Michigan State University
2000
B.S.
Physics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1991
Biography
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
Oscar Werwath Distinguished Teacher Award, MSOE
2021
Affiliations
- American Physical Society (APS) : Member
- American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) : Member
Social
Media Appearances
Physics professor on Matthews roughing call: "I don't see anything he could have done"
Ch. 4 - WTMJ tv
2018-09-24
It's the controversial call everyone is talking about: Green Bay Packers Linebacker Clay Matthews flagged for roughing the passer during Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins.
Event and Speaking Appearances
Towards a student-based, EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN experience in the first year physics laboratory
Twelfth Annual Symposium Series on Excellence in Teaching Undergraduate Science and Mathematics: Research and Practice Northwestern University, IL
2010-03-26
Teaching First-Year Students
MSOE Faculty In-Service
2007-08-30
Excellence in Teaching Undergraduate Science and Mathematics: Research and Practice
The Institute for Mathematics and Science Education University of Illinois at Chicago
2003-02-07
The Effect of Defects on the Melting Transition and Critical Points in Yba 2 Cu 3 O 7 Single Crystals
Department of Physics Colloquium University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
2002-04-05
The 'Lighter' Side of Communication: Connecting the World with Optical Fibers
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Science Bag Lecture Series
2007-04-01
Research Grants
10 Gb/s optical communications system and equipment
Nortel Networks University Donation Program
Granted for research and education on fiber-optic sensors, fiber-optic communication, and optical physics.
Selected Publications
Crossed-Optical-Fiber Oxygen Sensors with Intensity and Temperature Referencing for Use in High-Spatial-Resolution Sensor Arrays
Sensors and TransducersRigo, M.V., Olsson, R., Geissinger, P.
2010
We investigated the fabrication of an optical-fiber oxygen sensor based on luminescence quenching of a ruthenium (II) complex for our optical-fiber-sensor arrays. Sensor regions are located between two optical fibers forming orthogonal fiber-fiber junctions. Ruthenium molecules are embedded in a photo-polymerized hydrogel matrix, which is covalently attached to the surface-modified fiber-core. For the optical evaluation of these sensors, the fiber sensor junctions are placed in a flow cell. When gaseous oxygen diffuses into the hydrogel, it quenches the luminescence, with the degree of quenching correlating with oxygen partial pressure; this behavior was indeed observed in the crossed-fiber configuration with a sensor response time of 1 s. To account for intensity fluctuations, an oxygen-insensitive dye in an adjacent fiber-fiber junction was used for intensity referencing, which markedly improved the response curves. The oxygen sensor was also corrected for the temperature-dependence of the ruthenium complex using the dye Kiton Red.
Apparatus and Methods for Optical Time-of-flight Discrimination in Combinatorial Library Analysis
Review of Scientific InstrumentsHenning, P.E., Benko, A., Schwabacher, A.W., Geissinger, P., Olsson, R.J.
2005
Our recently developed method for combinatorial synthesis leads efficiently to linear arrays, where the location of a compound in the array encodes its complete synthetic history. Such arrays prepared using an optical fiber as a linear support can be probed with a fiber-guided pulse, allowing evanescent interaction with fluorescent probe molecules at the core-cladding interface. Optical time-of-flight distinction among output signals of fluorescent regions distributed along the fiber is carried out, allowing for the measurement of the location of the emitting fluorescent probes. A unique two-fiber, double-evanescent process overcomes limitations in spatial discrimination, due to fluorescence decay times in comparison to the speed of light. Investigation of an array of 102 fluorescent regions is described, with discussion of its features and limitations.
Modification of Vortex Behavior Through Heavy Ion Lithography
Physica C: SuperconductivityKwok, W.K., Olsson, R.J., Karapetrov, G., Welp, U., Vlasko-Vlasov, V., Kadowaki, K., Crabtree, G.W.
2002
Columnar defects induced by high-energy heavy ion irradiation constitute one of the most effective vortex pinning sites in high temperature superconductors. We demonstrate a novel method of effectively patterning vortex pinning sites in single crystals of the high temperature superconductors YBa2Cu3O7−d and Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox using heavy ion irradiation. These patterns include linear channels, a lattice of squares, and asymmetric pinning gradient sites where vortices can either flow unimpeded or are trapped in spatially periodic arrangements.
Bose Glass Transition in Columnar-defected Untwinned YBa2Cu3O7 Single Crystals
Physical Review BOlsson, R.J., Kwok, W.K., Paulius, L.M., Petrean, A.M., Hofman, D.J., Crabtree, G.W.
2002
We demonstrate the Bose glass scaling behavior in a single crystal of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) free from twin boundary pinning. We determine the scaling exponents from voltage-current measurements near the transition temperature and infer a lock-in transition from measurements of the angular dependence of the resistivity. In addition we demonstrate that the kink in the Bose glass irreversibility line in irradiated untwinned YBCO occurs systematically at the dose matching field.
Effect of High Energy Heavy Ion Irradiation on c-axis Oriented MgB2 Films
Arxiv Preprint Cond-mat/0201022Olsson, R.J., Kwok, W.K., Karapetrov, G., Iavarone, M., Claus, H., Peterson, C., Crabtree, G.W., Kang, W.N., Kim, H.J., Choi, E.M., Lee, S.I.
2002
We report on the transport, magnetization, and scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements on c-axis oriented thin films of MgB2 irradiated with high energy heavy ions of uranium and gold. We find a slight shift in the irreversibility and upper critical field lines to higher temperatures after irradiation. In addition, we observe an increase in the critical current at high temperatures near Tc2 and only a small change at low temperatures. Furthermore, we find no evidence for the existence of anisotropic pinning induced by heavy ion irradiation in this material. Tunneling spectra in an irradiated sample show a double gap structure with a flat background and very low zero-bias conductance, behaving in much the same way as the pristine unirradiated sample.