Erik Brekke

Associate Professor of Physics
erik brekke
About

Erik Brekke is an associate professor of physics with a passion for helping students learn in a lab environment. His love for incorporating new methods of physics education extends to collaborations with students during the academic year and the summers. Brekke’s current focus includes working on laser control and atomic interactions as part of hands-on research experiences for college physics students.

Interests
  • Laser design and control
  • Nonlinear optics
  • Atomic interactions
  • Laser frequency conversion
Publications

“A low-cost confocal microscope for the undergraduate lab,” A. Reguilon, W. Bethard, and E. Brekke, Am. J. Phys. (2023).

“3D printing an external-cavity diode laser housing,” E. Brekke, T. Bennett, H. Rook, and E. Hazlett, Am. J. Phys. 88, 1170 (2020).

“Saturation and alternate pathways in four-wave mixing in rubidium,” E. Brekke and N. Swan, JOSA B, 36, 421 (2019).

“Optical cavity for enhanced parametric four-wave mixing in rubidium,” E. Brekke and S. Potier, Applied Optics 56, 46 (2017).

“Frequency Characteristics of far-detuned parametric four-wave mixing in Rb,” E. Brekke and E. Herman, Optics Letters 40, 5674 (2015).

“Observation of laser feedback using a grating spectrometer,” E. Brekke and M. Schulz, Am. J. Phys. 83, 616 (2015).

“Parametric four-wave mixing using a single cw laser,” E. Brekke and L. Alderson, Optics Letters 38, 2147 (2013).