Senior Research Engineer
Senior Research Engineer

Biography

Amy Qiao is a senior design engineer who joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2004. She is known for co-developing the world’s first infrared prism coupler system. The system encompasses the broadest spectral range in mid-infrared for measurement of fundamental physical parameters: optical refractive index and its temperature coefficient. She is a long-time advocate at the SPIE working group, promoting adoption of this technology as a standard metrology for infrared materials.

She has applied optical metrology in new application areas through using a three-dimensional imaging method, white light interferometry, to characterizations of nuclear corrosion, biological morphology, and forensic authentication.

Qiao has studied technical readiness and feasibility of using optical techniques as online monitoring technologies in fourth-generation advanced modular nuclear reactors. This led to development of novel, high-temperature, radiation-resistant optical materials based on ionic schemed chalcogenide glasses. She has also designed and fabricated thin film devices using infrared materials and a laser writing technique, enabling lab-on-chip designs of deployable instruments for remote sensing of specific chemicals.

In her previous role as a PNNL technical team leader, Qiao managed a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and three research labs with high-profile assets, including high-power lasers, high-risk chemicals, and a Class 10,000 cleanroom.

Research Interest

  • Optical sensing
  • Optical metrology
  • Solid-state lighting
  • Thin films
  • Microfabrication
  • Microfluidics
  • Photonics
  • Quantum sensing

Education

  • MBA, Business Administration, Management, and Operations, Georgetown University
  • MS, Electrical/Computer Engineering, University of Alberta
  • BS, Electronics Engineering, Tsinghua University

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Committee member, Photonics Society Emerging Technologies Taskforce, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
  • Member, Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society 

Awards and Recognitions

  • McDonough Scholar Honor, Georgetown University
  • Outstanding Performance Awards, PNNL
  • Exceptional Contribution Award, PNNL
  • Key Contribution Award, PNNL
  • Competent Toastmaster Award, Toastmaster International

Publications

2020

  • Wang L., Z. Yang, J. Wu, M.E. Bowden, W. Yang, H. Qiao, and Y. Du. 2020. "Time- and Strain-Dependent Nanoscale Structural Degradation in Phase Change Epitaxial Strontium Ferrite Films." npj Materials Degradation 4(16). PNNL-SA-151481. doi: 10.1038/s41529-020-0120-3

2019

  • Qiao H., M.K. Murphy, B.J. Riley, J.R. Roth, S.W. Martin, and J. Ballato. 2019. "Gamma Irradiation of Novel Optical Glasses at Elevated Temperature." In Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 121, 447–450. PNNL-SA-145207. doi: 10.13182/T31333

2018

  • Roth J.R., S.W. Martin, J. Ballato, H. Qiao, and N.C. Anheier. 2018. "Glass Formation and Short-Range Order Structures in the BaS + La2S3 + GeS2 System." Journal of Non-crystalline Solids 500. PNNL-SA-133603. doi: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2018.05.011

2016

  • Meyer R.M., S.R. Suffield, E.H. Hirt, J.D. Suter, J.P. Lareau, J. Zhuge, and H. Qiao, et al. 2016. Nondestructive Examination Guidance for Dry Storage Casks. PNNL-24412 Rev. 1. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Nondestructive Examination Guidance for Dry Storage Casks

2015

  • Roth J., S. Martin, J. Ballato, H. Qiao, and N.C. Anheier. “High Temperature Infrared Glasses for Optical Sensing in Advanced Reactors.” In 9th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technologies, NPIC and HMIT 2015. Vol. 2:1139–1144. American Nuclear Society.

2013

2012

  • Anheier N.C., B.D. Cannon, G.R. Kulkarni, J.T. Munley, D.A. Nelson, H. Qiao, and J.R. Phillips. 2012. "Safeguards Verification Measurements using Laser Ablation, Absorbance Ratio Spectrometry in Gaseous Centrifuge Enrichment Plants." In 53rd Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM 53), July 15–19, 2012, Orlando, Florida, 2:860–869. Deerfield, Illinois: Institute of Nuclear Materials Management. PNNL-SA-89050.
  • Anheier N.C., B.D. Cannon, H. Qiao, and J.D. Suter. 2012. Optical Measurement Technologies for High Temperature, Radiation Exposure, and Corrosive Environments-Significant Activities and Findings: In-vessel Optical Measurements for Advanced SMRs. PNNL-21786. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Optical Measurement Technologies for High Temperature, Radiation Exposure, and Corrosive Environments—Significant Activities and Findings: In-vessel Optical Measurements for Advanced SMRs
  • Anheier N.C., B.D. Cannon, H. Qiao, and J.R. Phillips. 2012. "Safeguards Verification Measurements using Laser Ablation, Absorbance Ratio Spectrometry in Gaseous Centrifuge Enrichment Plants." Journal of Nuclear Materials Management 40(4):69–78. PNNL-SA-86043.
  • Anheier N.C., B.D. Cannon, H. Qiao, J.C. Carter, B.K. McNamara, M.J. O'Hara, and J.R. Phillips, et al. 2012. "Onsite Gaseous Centrifuge Enrichment Plant UF6 Cylinder Destructive Analysis." In 53rd Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM 53), July 15–19, 2012, Orlando, Florida, 1, 764–772. Deerfield, Illinois: INMM – Institute of Nuclear Materials Management. PNNL-SA-89173.
  • Qiao H., K.A. Lipschultz, N.C. Anheier, and J.S. McCloy. 2012. "Rapid Assessment of Mid-infrared Refractive Index Anisotropy Using a Prism Coupler: Chemical Vapor Deposited ZnS." Optics Letters 37(9):1403–1405. PNNL-SA-84765. doi: 10.1364/OL.37.001403
  • Sundaram S.K., J.S. McCloy, B.J. Riley, M.K. Murphy, H. Qiao, C.F. Windisch, and E.D. Walter, et al. 2012. "Gamma Radiation Effects on Physical, Optical, and Structural Properties of Binary As-S glasses." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 95(3):1048–1055. PNNL-SA-78558. doi: 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2011.04938.x

2011

  • Anheier N.C. and H. Qiao. 2011. "A Mid-Infrared Prism Coupler for Bulk and Thin Film Optical Analysis." In Window and Dome Technologies and Materials XII: Proceedings of the SPIE, April 25, 2011, Orlando, Florida, edited by R.W. Tustison, 8016, Paper No. 80130E. Bellingham, Washington: SPIE. PNWD-SA-9383. doi: 10.1117/12.884281
  • Anheier N.C., B.E. Bernacki, and H. Qiao. 2011. FY 2011 Miniature Spherical Retroreflectors – Final Report. PNNL-20898. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. FY 2011 Miniature Spherical Retroreflectors – Final Report
  • Carlie N., N.C. Anheier, H. Qiao, B.E. Bernacki, M.C. Phillips, L. Petit, and J.D. Musgraves, et al. 2011. "Measurement of the Refractive Index Dispersion of As2Se3 Bulk Glass and Thin Films Prior to and After Laser Irradiation and Annealing Using Prism Coupling in the Near- and Mid-infrared Spectral Range." Review of Scientific Instruments 82(5):Art. No. 053103. PNNL-SA-81440. doi: 10.1063/1.3587616
  • Labadie L., G. Martin, N.C. Anheier, B. Arezki, H. Qiao, B.E. Bernacki, and P. Kern. 2011. "First Fringes with an Integrated-optics Beam Combiner at 10 µm: A New Step Towards Instrument Miniaturization for Mid-infrared Interferometry." Astronomy & Astrophysics: a European Journal 531. PNNL-SA-81428. doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201116727
  • Qiao H., N.C. Anheier, J.D. Musgraves, K. Richardson, and D.W. Hewak. 2011. "Measurement of Chalcogenide Glass Optical Dispersion Using a Mid-infrared Prism Coupler." In Proceedings of the SPIE: Window and Dome Technologies and Materials XII, April 27, 2011, Orlando, Florida, edited by R.W. Tustison, 8016, Article No. 80160F. Bellingham, Washington: SPIE. PNNL-SA-79272. doi: 10.1117/12.884320

2010

  • McCloy J.S., B.J. Riley, B.R. Johnson, M.J. Schweiger, H. Qiao, and N. Carlie. 2010. "The Predictive Power of Electronic Polarizability for Tailoring the Refractivity of High Index Glasses Optical Basicity Versus the Single Oscillator Model." Journal of the American Ceramic Society 93(6):1650–1662. PNNL-SA-67214.
  • McCloy J.S., B.J. Riley, S.K. Sundaram, H. Qiao, J.V. Crum, and B.R. Johnson. 2010. "Structure-Optical Property Correlations of Arsenic Sulfide Glasses in Visible, Infrared, and Sub-millimeter Regions." Journal of Non-crystalline Solids 356(25–27):1288–1293. PNNL-SA-68840.
  • Qiao H., T.C. Pulsipher, J.E. Hathaway, E.E. Richman, and E. Radkov. 2010. "A Statistical Method Analyzing LED Lumen Depreciation and Projecting LED Life." In Proceedings of the IES 2010 Annual Conference, November 7–9, 2010, Toronto, Canada. New York, New York: Illuminating Engineering Society. PNNL-SA-72983.

2009

  • Krishnaswami K., H. Qiao, B.E. Bernacki, and N.C. Anheier. 2009. "Characterization of Single-mode Chalcogenide Optical Fiber for Mid-Infrared Applications." In Laser Technology for Defense and Security V, edited by M. Dubinskii and S.G. Post, 7325, Art. No. 73250Z-1–73250Z-10. Orlando: SPIE. PNNL-SA-65330. doi: 10.1117/12.818184
  • Phillips M.C., H. Qiao, B.E. Bernacki, and N.C. Anheier. 2009. "Characterization of Single-Mode Chalcogenide Glass Waveguides at 8.35 µm." In Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics and Conference on Quantum Electronics and Laser Science (CLEO/QELS 2009). Piscataway, New Jersey: IEEE. PNNL-SA-63613.
  • Yang Z., N.C. Anheier, H. Qiao, and P. Lucas. 2009. "Simultaneous Microscopic Measurements of Photodarkening and Photo Expansion in Chalcogenide Films." Journal of Physics D. Applied Physics 42(13):135412. PNNL-SA-68908.
  • Yang Z., N.C. Anheier, H. Qiao, and P. Lucas. 2009. "Sub-Wavelength Imaging of Photo-Induced Refractive Index Pattern in Chalcogenide Glass Films." Optics Communications 282(22):4370–4373. PNNL-SA-69044.

2008

  • Anheier N.C., B.E. Bernacki, N.A. Carlie, K.L. Gervais, B.K. Hatchell, B.R. Johnson, K. Krishnaswami, J.S. McCloy, M.C. Phillips, and H.A. Qiao. 2008. FY 2008 Infrared Photonics Final Report. PNNL-18207. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. FY 2008 Infrared Photonics Final Report

2007

  • Lu N. and H. Qiao. 2007. Composite Load Model Evaluation. PNNL-16916. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Composite Load Model Evaluation

2006

  • Anheier N.C., P.J. Allen, B.E. Bernacki, N. Ho, K. Krishnaswami, H. Qiao, and J.F. Schultz. 2006. FY 2006 Infrared Photonics Final Report. PNNL-16319. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. FY 2006 Infrared Photonics Final Report
  • Ho N., M.C. Phillips, H. Qiao, P.J. Allen, K. Krishnaswami, B.J. Riley, and T.L. Myers, et al. 2006. "Single-mode Low-loss Chalcogenide Glass Waveguides for the Mid-infrared." Optics Letters 31(12):1860–1862. PNNL-SA-48379.
  • Sapochak L.S., A.B. Padmaperuma, P.A. Vecchi, H. Qiao, and P.E. Burrows. 2006. "Design Strategies for Achieving High Triplet Energy Electron Transporting Host Materials for Blue Electrophosphorescence." In Organic Light Emitting Materials and Devices X. Proceedings of SPIE, edited by Z.H. Kafafi and F. So, 6333, 57–69. Bellingham: International Society for Optical Engineering: SPIE. PNNL-SA-51005. doi: 10.1117/12.684126
  • Vecchi P.A., A.B. Padmaperuma, H. Qiao, L.S. Sapochak, and P.E. Burrows. 2006. "A Dibenzofuran-Based Host Material for Blue Electrophosphorescence." Organic Letters 8(19):4211–4214. PNNL-SA-50647. doi: 10.1021/ol0614121

2005

  • Anheier N.C., P.J. Allen, N. Ho, K. Krishnaswami, B.R. Johnson, S.K. Sundaram, B.M. Riley, J.E. Martinez, and A. Qiao, et al. 2005. FY 2005 Infrared Photonics Final Report. PNNL-15581. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. FY 2005 Infrared Photonics Final Report
  • McMullin J.N., H. Qiao, S. Goel, C.L. Ren, and D. Li. 2005. “Integrated Optical Measurement of Microfluid Velocity.” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 15:1810–1816.

2004

  • Anheier N.C., P.J. Allen, P.E. Keller, W.D. Bennett, P.M. Martin, B.R. Johnson, S.K. Sundaram, B.J. Riley, J.E. Martinez, and A. Qiao, et al. 2004. FY 2004 Infrared Photonics Final Report. PNNL-15209. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. FY 2004 Infrared Photonics Final Report

2003

  • McMullin J.N., H. Qiao, S. Goel, and A. Grundmann. 2003. “Optical Detection System for Biochips using Plastic Fiber Optics.” Review of Scientific Instruments 74(9):4145–4149. Also selected for the Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research 6(5), 2003.
  • Qiao H., S. Goel, A. Grundmann, and J.N. McMullin. 2003. “Biochips with Integrated Optics and Fluidics.” Proceedings of International Conference on Smart Materials Structures and Systems (IEEE/SPIE) 5062:873–878.
  • Qiao H., S. Goel, A. Grundmann, and J.N. McMullin. 2003. “Fabrication of Micro-optic/Microfluidic Biochips.” Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Application of Photonic Technology (ICAPT’2002, IEEE/SPIE) 4833:54–59.