(I) Ultrafast nano-photonics is an optical nanotechnology aiming to achieve a spatial resolution beyond the diffraction limit and a temporal resolution at ultrafast scale. In this talk, recent research in this field will be discussed, which includes super-resolution for nanoscale optical data storage and high-speed nanolithography, femtosecond laser microfabrication, femtosecond laser trimming of photonic lightwave circuits, and ultrafast nonlinear photonics of fullerene derivatives breaching quantum limits. Currently research activities in the Photonics Group at the Memorial University of Newfoundland will be briefly introduced.
(II) Organic solar cells have attracted considerable attention in recent years for their unique advantages, such as solution processing, flexibility, and low cost. In this talk, I will discuss our effect in developing universal techniques for the improvement of the efficiency of organic solar cells through processing of individual layer in the device and the realization of flexible polymer solar cells on two types of nanostructured bulk heterojunction devices, i.e. poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and (poly[2-methoxy,5-(2-ethylhexoxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene]) (MEH-PPV) and PCBM.