Research for public benefit
We pursue fundamental questions with the long-term goal of contributing useful knowledge to society.
PHYSICS. THIN FILMS. OPEN SCIENCE.
Light is for everyone. Optics should be, too.
We are a nonprofit research organization exploring physics and thin-film optics. Our purpose is to advance understanding and make optical knowledge more accessible—for the benefit of all.
Our mission
01 — OUR PURPOSENONPROFIT RESEARCH
Knowledge grows
when it is shared.
A deeper understanding of light should open doors for more people.
Thin Film Lab is a nonprofit research organization working for the public good. We explore how light interacts with matter and how thin-film structures shape optical behavior.
We believe the value of research extends beyond the laboratory. Our mission is to make optical knowledge easier to understand, share, and build on—for researchers, learners, and the wider public. We pursue fundamental questions with curiosity, rigor, and a commitment to shared learning.
Knowledge worth sharing
We aim to make ideas and methods clear, encouraging understanding, scrutiny, and further discovery.
More people, more perspectives
We welcome dialogue across disciplines and institutions, and believe curiosity should have room to grow.
02 — RESEARCH FOCUSFrom fundamental physics to thin-film optics
Where light meets matter.
Small changes in a film can change how light behaves. We explore the physics behind them.
01THIN-FILM OPTICS
Thin films & interference
We study how refractive index, thickness, and layer arrangement determine the reflection, transmission, and absorption of light.
02LIGHT–MATTER INTERACTION
Light–matter interaction
We explore resonance and absorption in thin films and epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials to understand how light transfers energy to matter.
03OPTICAL DESIGN & ANALYSIS
Optical design & analysis
We use physical models and numerical methods to connect a film’s structure with its optical response, revealing principles that can guide design.
03 — SELECTED PUBLICATIONSResearch coauthored by our PI
From questions to knowledge.
Selected work on thin films and light–matter interaction. Read the open-access articles on the publisher’s website.
General Strategy for Broadband Coherent Perfect Absorption and Multi-wavelength All-optical Switching Based on Epsilon-Near-Zero Multilayer Films
Design principles for broadband coherent perfect absorption and multi-wavelength optical switching using ENZ multilayer films.
DOI: 10.1038/srep22941Broadband Epsilon-Near-Zero Perfect Absorption in the Near-Infrared
Broadband perfect absorption in the near-infrared using the ENZ properties of indium tin oxide multilayer films.
DOI: 10.1038/srep12788These publications reflect the PI’s prior research at Inha University and were not published under the Thin Film Lab affiliation.
04 — PEOPLEThe people behind the questions
Different perspectives.
Shared curiosity.
Exploring the possibilities of light through the physics of thin films.
Tae Young KIM earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Physics from Inha University. An author of papers in SCI-indexed journals, he has contributed to research in thin-film optics and light–matter interaction. He leads the research direction of Thin Film Lab as its Principal Investigator.
- Ph.D.
- Physics · Inha University
- M.S.
- Physics · Inha University
- B.S.
- Physics · Inha University
Research team
The two profiles below are fictional examples, not current team members.
Fictional profile
Ji Eun LEE
Researcher · Thin-film optics
Example interests: multilayer design, optical interference, and spectral analysis.
Fictional profile
Min Jae PARK
Researcher · Computational optics
Example interests: electromagnetic simulation, ENZ materials, and optical absorption.
05 — GET IN TOUCHOPEN TO CONVERSATION
Let’s make optics
more open, together.
We welcome conversations about research, shared learning, and advancing optics for the public good.