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Stephen W. Teitsworth

Associate Professor of Physics
Physics
Box 90305, Durham, NC 27708-0305
089 Physics Bldg, Durham, NC 27708

Research Interests


  • Current research centers on theoretical and experimental investigations of fluctuation processes in noise-driven dynamical systems that are far from thermal equilibrium.  Theoretical work focuses on the development of novel metrics for characterizing how far from equilibrium a system is.  We focus on cases where established metrics such as entropy production rate may not be easily assessed, for example, in systems driven by non-thermal noises.  We focus on metrics such as stochastic area and irreversibility fields which lead to generalizations of the fluctuation-dissipation relation.  This work is motivated in part by an effort to understand experiments from a range of fields including biophysics (e.g., filaments embedded in viscoelastic networks with active noise sources), electronic transport (e.g., noise-driven electronic circuits and networks), and atomic physics (e.g., noise-driven trapped ions).  Two problems of current interest are: 1) the extension of the stochastic area and related concepts to high-dimensional spatially continuous systems such as elastic filaments (e.g., strings or rods) embedded in viscoelastic media and driven by active noise sources; 2) studies of first-passage processes associated with heating of trapped ions in Paul traps (in collaboration with the group of Prof. Noel at Duke).  

 




Selected Grants


Switching Dynamics of Electric Field Domains in Semiconductor Superlattices

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2008 - 2012

DHB: Niches and Networks: Studying the Coevolution of Voluntary Groups and Social Networks

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2005 - 2007

Development of Novel Photonic Nanostructures for Measurement in the Duke Femtosecond Terahertz Diagnostic Laboratory

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina · 2002 - 2005

Duke Terahertz Femtosecond Diagnostic Laboratory

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina · 1999 - 2002

Acquisition of a Variable Temperature Four-Circle X-Ray Diffraction System

EquipmentCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 1999 - 2001

Switching Dynamics of Electric Field Domains in Semiconductor Superlattices

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2008 - 2012

DHB: Niches and Networks: Studying the Coevolution of Voluntary Groups and Social Networks

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2005 - 2007

Development of Novel Photonic Nanostructures for Measurement in the Duke Femtosecond Terahertz Diagnostic Laboratory

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina · 2002 - 2005

Duke Terahertz Femtosecond Diagnostic Laboratory

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina · 1999 - 2002

Acquisition of a Variable Temperature Four-Circle X-Ray Diffraction System

EquipmentCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 1999 - 2001

Optoelectronics Laboratory Equipment Enhancement

EquipmentPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina · 1998 - 1999

Electron-localized Phonon Interactions in GaAs/AlxGal-xAs Quantum Well Structures

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 1992 - 1996

Electron-Localized Phonon Interactions in GaAs/AlxGa,-xAs Quantum Well Structures

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 1992 - 1995

Electron-Localized Phonon Interactions in GaAs/AlxGa- xAs Quantum Well

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 1992 - 1995