Ali Passian

Senior Research Scientist Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Ali Passian is a physicist whose work bridges classical and quantum aspects of sensing, imaging, and nanometrology. At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), his research focuses on developing new sensors with enhanced sensitivity, detection limits, and spatial/temporal resolution for studying complex materials and systems. These efforts span a wide range of applications, from nanofabricated structures and metamaterials to biological systems (e.g., biomass and bacteria) and environmental gases/chemicals. Dr. Passian’s work includes exploration of optical and plasmonic surface modes of nanoparticles and nanostructures, light-matter interaction with nanomechanical systems, and quantum sensing and imaging modalities, including recent efforts toward quantum-enhanced atomic force microscopy and hybrid optomechanical nanometrology. He has authored numerous papers and holds patents in diverse areas related to sensing, imaging, and instrumentation. His publication record includes contributions to quantum-classical interface theory, surface-enhanced spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and the theory and implementation of emergent sensing regimes at the nanoscale. Prior to ORNL, Dr. Passian conducted research at Fysikum, Stockholm University. He earned an M.S. in Physics from the Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm) and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In addition to his ORNL appointment, Dr. Passian has held adjunct and visiting faculty roles at institutions including the University of Tennessee, Ecole Centrale Marseille, Aix-Marseille Université, and Université Paris-Sud, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations in physics, engineering, and materials science. Dr. Passian’s broader interests include computational physics for modeling and simulating sensors and data analysis approaches.