About Me
I am an Optical Research Scientist at Swave Photonics, working out of the Redmond, WA lab, where I am developing a reference design for a holographic optical projector for display glasses. The work brings together my background in digital holography (computer generated holograms), analog holography (photopolymer HOEs), and experimental automation.
Before joining Swave I was a Research Scientist at Meta's Reality Labs (RL Research OPALS Team), where I led holography research and development for next-generation augmented reality displays. Earlier still, I was a research assistant at the Lab for Atomic and Photonic Technologies at Northwestern University, where I completed my PhD in Electrical Engineering (Photonics & Solid State) in 2025. My doctoral research focused on applications of analog and digital holography: high-speed opto-electronic correlators, PQ:PMMA volume hologram fabrication, and photonic integrated circuits in AlGaAs/GaAs and LiNbO₃.
I am currently also building a private holography lab to investigate large-volume holograms.
I'm passionate about technologies that truly exploit the complex nature of light, from fundamental science to next-generation displays. Light is an extraordinary tool, and I strive to design systems that push its limits.
Education
2018
2025
2025
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Photonics & Solid State
Northwestern University · GPA: 3.96
Thesis: Digital & Analog Holography for Target Recognition and Free-Space Optical Communication
Advisor: Prof. Selim M. Shahriar (LAPT). Committee: Prof. Koray Aydin, Prof. Hooman Mohseni.
NU Presidential Fellow 2023
2018
2021
2021
M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Photonics & Solid State
Northwestern University · GPA: 3.94
2013
2017
2017
B.Sc. in Telecommunications & Electronic Systems Engineering
ITESM, Mexico City Campus · Grade: 92/100
Thesis: Design and Characterization of a High Capacity Optical Link Using Direct Detection OFDM
Exchange: UC Berkeley (2016–2017, Merit Scholarship, first cohort)
Graduated with Honors
ITESM Merit Scholarship 2013
Work Experience
Optical Research Scientist
Swave Photonics Inc., Redmond WA
Apr 2026 – Present
- Developing a reference design for a holographic optical projector for display glasses.
- Building wearable formfactor prototypes together with the optical fabrication and metrology systems that support them.
- Presented prototype work at SID Display Week 2026.
- Combining digital holography (computer generated holograms) with analog holography (photopolymer HOEs) and experimental automation.
Research Scientist
Meta, Inc., Reality Labs Research (OPALS Team)
Apr 2025 – Mar 2026
- Led research into coherent analog-holographic display systems for AR, coordinating with cross-functional partners.
- Constructed a unique, fully automated holographic exposure and metrology system.
- Developed MatLab, Zemax, and SolidWorks models of complex optical and diffractive systems; produced white papers driving down-selection of three product designs while informing cross-functional partners about their physical limitations and defects.
- Improved key performance indicators by up to 10×, demonstrating wave-optical properties for contextual AI displays with formfactor prototypes and manufacturing specifications.
- Exceeded Expectations in all performance evaluations.
Research Scientist Intern
Meta, Reality Labs Research
Jul – Oct 2024
- Researched novel AR displays using holographic techniques.
- Produced proof-of-concept prototypes with wearable form factor, tech-transferred into a direct product candidate, the only such transfer from this department to date.
- Developed simulations and automated metrology setups; resulting tools remain in active use.
- Identified KPIs, SWAP-C constraints, and potential roadblocks for the proposed architecture.
PhD Research Assistant
Lab for Atomic & Photonic Technologies, Northwestern University
Sep 2018 – Apr 2025
- Led research into opto-electronic correlators, PQ:PMMA volume holograms, and AlGaAs photonic integrated circuits.
- Demonstrated the fastest shift, scale, and rotation invariant opto-electronic image correlator on record.
- Developed novel NIR spectroscopic systems using custom holographic diffractive components.
- Designed and manufactured AlGaAs DBR lasers, detectors, ring resonators, and other PIC components in a class-100 cleanroom.
- Built fully automated setups for optical, holographic, and photonic characterization.
- Led & managed a team of four graduate researchers (3 PhD students + 1 postdoc); mentored 2 undergrad and 2 high school students.
- Authored or co-authored 8 peer-reviewed journal papers and 23 conference papers; presented at CLEO, FiO, SPIE PW, and AMOS.
- Prepared 4 accepted proposals for Argonne National Lab and 5 funded grant proposals (NAVAIR, AFOSR; >$2.6M total).
Research Assistant
Optical Telecom. Lab., IINGEN, UNAM
2016 – 2017
- Researched fiber-optic orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM); achieved a 400 Gbps link.
- Built characterization setups for EOMs and Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
Grants & Funding
Selected funded grants and facility proposals associated with my research. Total funded: >$2.6M.
| Agency / Program | Grant Number | Amount / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NAVAIR SBIR, WDM holography | N68335-19-C-0874 N68335-20-C-0842 |
>$1.1M total |
| AFOSR SBIR, Correlator systems | FA9550-21-C-0003 | $750K |
| AFOSR DURIP, Equipment | FA9550-21-1-0137 | $141K |
| AFOSR, Superluminal sensors (Shahriar PI) | FA9550-18-1-0401 | $624,981 |
| AFOSR, Correlator research (primary) | FA9550-18-01-0359 | Primary research grant |
| AFOSR, STHC / Mellin event recognition | FA9550-23-1-0617 | Active |
| Argonne CNM, PIC facility proposals (4 accepted) | #61954, #69522, #78778, #83306 | 4 accepted proposals |
Select Awards
2025
Best PhD Thesis Award in Electrical Engineering
Northwestern University, for the dissertation "Digital & Analog Holography for Target Recognition and Free-Space Optical Communication."
2024
CLEO Highlighted Talk
For "Highly Enhanced Pattern Recognition with a Balanced Joint Transform Correlator."
2024
EB-2 NIW Permanent Residence
Granted by the U.S. Government for performing exceptional research in the national interest.
2023
NU Presidential Fellowship
The most prestigious fellowship awarded to graduate students by Northwestern University.
2022
AMOS Best Presentation Award
Optical Systems & Instrumentation session, for ultrafast holographic image retrieval research.
2022
Correlation One Terminal, 1st Place
Midwest Regional champion in an AI programming competition (Citadel Securities, 30,000+ participants).
2022
Optica Student Leadership Experience
Selected to attend Optica's annual SLE conference at FiO.
2021
SPIE Education Scholarship
Awarded for outreach and potential future contributions to optics and photonics.
2017
ITESM Graduation Honors
Graduated at the top of the class within the department major.
2013
ITESM Merit Scholarship
Awarded upon enrollment; first cohort of the UC Berkeley–ITESM exchange program.
Patents & IP
US Patent Application
Holographic WDM Monocular Passive Ranging System
US patent application for a monocular passive ranging system, in which a PQ:PMMA holographic wavelength-division demultiplexer measures range from atmospheric oxygen absorption without an active source.
Research
My research spans interconnected topics rooted in interferometry and coupled-wave theory. Click a card to read more.
Optical Correlators
HOC, BJTC, DOJTC: ultra-fast SSRI image recognition at 720 fps.
PQ:PMMA Volume Holograms
WDM, passive ranging, AR optics, and cylindrical HOEs.
Photonic Integrated Circuits
AlGaAs/GaAs and LiNbO₃: DBR lasers, detectors, ring resonators.
Holographic Displays
HOE design & simulation for AR and display glasses at Meta and Swave Photonics.
Skills
Optics & Photonics
- Fourier optics, coupled-wave theory, interferometry
- Free-space, fiber-based, and integrated optical systems
- Holographic optical element design and fabrication
- SLM configuration, calibration & wavefront modulation
- Wave-optic and ray-optic simulations (MatLab, Zemax)
- High-power and Ti:Sapphire laser operation
Nanofabrication (Class 100 Cleanroom)
- E-beam lithography (Jeol 8100), PECVD, RIE
- E-beam evaporation, sputtering, SEM imaging
- Chip cleaving, mounting, and wire-bonding
- GaAs/AlGaAs and LiNbO₃ process development
Hardware & Electronics
- Xilinx FPGA development with VHDL
- PID control systems and real-time feedback
- Robotics, servos, and instrument control (GPIB, USB, PCIe)
Software & Programming
- Expert: MatLab, C++ (OpenCV, parallel)
- Proficient: Python, VHDL, Julia, HTML/CSS
- Proficient in AI-assisted research using tools such as Claude Code
- Zemax OpticStudio, COMSOL Multiphysics
- SolidWorks, Fusion 360 CAD; rapid prototyping
Signal & Image Processing
- Polar Mellin transform for SSRI recognition
- High-speed image acquisition and processing
- MTF measurement and analysis
- Spectroscopy, interferometry, and metrology automation
Communication
- 8 peer-reviewed journal papers, 23 conference papers
- Invited seminars on holography, PID, and coupled-wave theory
- Dual native speaker: English & Spanish
- Grant writing, technical reports, and white papers
Select Publications
J. Gamboa, X. Shen, T. Hamidfar, S. A. Mitu, and S. M. Shahriar,
"Debiased Opto-electronic Joint Transform Correlator for Enhanced Real-Time Pattern Recognition,"
Optics Express 33(13), 28640–28649 (2025).
OE · 2025
X. Shen, J. Gamboa, T. Hamidfar, S. A. Mitu, and S. M. Shahriar,
"Temporal scale and shift invariant automatic event recognition using the Mellin transform,"
Optics Express 33(12), 25515–25529 (2025).
OE · 2025
X. Shen*, J. Gamboa*, T. Hamidfar, S. A. Mitu, and S. M. Shahriar,
"Ultra-Fast Real-Time Target Recognition Using a Shift, Scale, and Rotation Invariant Hybrid Opto-Electronic Joint Transform Correlator,"
Journal of the Astronautical Sciences 72, no. 5 (2025). *Equal contribution.
JotAS · 2025
J. Gamboa, T. Hamidfar, X. Shen, and S. M. Shahriar,
"Elimination of optical phase sensitivity in a shift, scale, and rotation invariant hybrid opto-electronic correlator via off-axis operation,"
Optics Express 31(4), 5990–6002 (2023).
OE · 2023
J. Gamboa, T. Hamidfar, J. Vonckx, M. Fouda, and S. M. Shahriar,
"Thick PQ:PMMA transmission holograms for free-space optical communication via wavelength-division multiplexing,"
Applied Optics 60(28), 8851–8857 (2021).
AO · 2021
J. Gamboa, M. Fouda, and S. M. Shahriar,
"Demonstration of shift, scale, and rotation invariant target recognition using the hybrid opto-electronic correlator,"
Optics Express 27(12), 16507–16520 (2019).
OE · 2019
Teaching & Mentoring
Teaching Assistant, ECE 221: Signal Analysis
Northwestern University · Winter 2020
Conducted office hours, graded assignments, and assisted in course delivery for undergraduate signals & systems.
Teaching Assistant, Telecommunications & Microcontroller Labs
ITESM, Mexico City · 2015–2017 · Prof. Alfredo V. Mantilla Caeiros
Led hands-on laboratory sessions for undergraduate students in telecom systems and microcontroller programming.
PhD Student Mentoring
LAPT, Northwestern University · 2019–2024
Supervised and co-advised graduate researchers on projects spanning optical correlators, holograms, and PICs:
- Aarushi Tiwari: HOC for fundamental science (CERN/LIGO); FiO 2024 lead author
- Shamima Akter Mitu: Spatio-temporal holographic correlator (STHC); FiO 2024 co-author
- Xi Wan: FPGA development, optical simulations, AlGaAs ring isolators
- Krish: FPGA Polar Mellin Transform implementation
- Fortune: Neural network accelerator using optical correlators
Undergraduate & High School Mentoring
Northwestern University · 2021–2023
Mentored Tabassom Hamidfar (undergrad) on PQ:PMMA synthesis (SOP training) and COMSOL waveguide simulations.
Guided two high school students through original research projects: FPGA-based Polar Mellin Transform and HOC time-domain signal correlations.
Outreach & Volunteering
2026–Present
Makerspace Volunteer, Centro Cultural Mexicano (CCM), Redmond WA
Help operate the CCM Makerspace: teaching high school students how to safely use the tools and machines, giving workshops on AI, science, and education, and sharing my own experience with Mexican culture and science.
2021–2024
Outreach Chair & Secretary, SPIE Student Chapter at NU
Organized workshops, invited speakers, and ran group activities to promote optics education for students of all levels. Organized the Hologram Workshop (Bayfol HX-200).
2023
GUIAR Latinx Mentor, Northwestern University
Mentored a Latinx undergraduate student through the Graduate and Undergraduate Initiative for Advancement and Resources program.
2020–2021
STEM-icist Outreach Program
Participated in STEM outreach activities connecting graduate researchers with K-12 students to promote science careers.
2018–2022
"Starting a PhD" Seminar Series, ITESM
Prepared and delivered online seminars for Mexican engineering undergraduates on pursuing a PhD in the USA.
2016
Pioneers in Engineering, UC Berkeley
Mentored a team of high school students in the Pioneers in Engineering robotics outreach program during the UC Berkeley exchange year.
2015–2017
Robotics Workshops for Underprivileged Students, Mexico City
Designed and taught robotics and electronics workshops for high school students to inspire STEM careers. Founded the ITESM robotics team.