Dr. Brian Simonds introduces his research into high powered lasers that are used in manufacturing for welding, cutting, and metal 3D printing. At the core of these processes is a volatile, and frankly messy interaction between intense focused laser light and a swirling, boiling pool of molten metal. His research aims to understand this interaction by implementing state-of-the-art tools to “watch” it as it happens and to quantify the relationship between laser light absorption and the molten pool shape.
Dr. Simonds obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2005. He moved to Golden in 2006 to pursue a PhD in Applied Physics from the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), which was awarded in 2012. His thesis was titled “Electro-optical Characterization of Nanostructured Silicon for Photovoltaic Applications.” He then completed a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Utah developing novel laser processes for CdTe thin films.
In 2014, Brian joined the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow to develop spectroscopy tools for measuring alloy element loss during high irradiance laser interaction with metals. He is currently a physicist at NIST studying the dynamics of laser/matter interactions, and also an affiliate professor at CSM in connection with The Welding Center. Brian spends most of his free time rock climbing, skiing, and building things.
