What We Study
Multi-scale light-matter theory
From nanoparticle optics and thin-film thermal emission to ab initio cavity quantum electrodynamics, our work connects fundamental modeling with experimentally relevant materials and devices.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Modeling how light changes matter, and how matter changes light.
The Foley Lab develops theory, computation, and research software for cavity QED, nanophotonics, thermal radiation, and molecular materials design.
What’s New
Structured content for easy updates
The site now supports collection-based entries for people, publications, and news, so most updates happen in short Markdown files instead of long hand-edited pages.
What’s Next
Research widgets
A dedicated tools page is ready for future calculation engines for Mie theory, transfer-matrix optics, cavity Hamiltonians, and unit conversion workflows.
Research Areas
Core directions in the group
Ab Initio Cavity QED
Exploiting the strong coupling between molecules and quantized radiation modes through the development and application of theoretical tools to understand molecular cavity phenomenology.
Nanomaterials for Energy
Developing and deploying computational methods to design nanomaterials for energy applications, including thermal emitters, optical stacks, and solar thermophotovoltaics.
Computation in Pedagogy
Exploring the interface between computation, generative artificial intelligence, and teaching and learning to advance modern pedagogical practices.
Latest News
Recent updates from the lab
Interactive research tools page launched
The lab website now includes a dedicated space for browser-based research widgets. The current version focuses on layout, usability, and extensibil...
New Foley Lab group photo and site refresh
We refreshed the homepage to better highlight current research directions, recent publications, and the people in the group, while making future co...
New publication highlight in cavity-QED methods
Recent work from collaborators and group members advances computational methods for polaritonic chemistry and demonstrates the value of scalable ma...
Recent Publications
Selected papers
Toward scalable ab initio cavity quantum electrodynamics for correlated molecules
Kenny Ampoh, Nam Vu, Jonathan J. Foley IV
Polaritonic Chemistry using the Density Matrix Renormalization Group Method
Mikulas Matousek, Nam Vu, Niranjan Govind, Jonathan J. Foley IV, Libor Veis
Recent advances in polaritonic chemistry and cavity-modified molecular structure
Foley Lab collaborators
People
Current team highlights
Fiwasaye Xavier
Generating Bell states between molecular qubits using cavity coupling.
Jay Foley
Theoretical and computational chemistry of light-matter interactions.
Kenny Ampoh
Light-matter interactions in correlated systems and intermolecular interactions in optical cavities.
Nam Vu
Ab initio methods for polariton chemistry.
Ruby Manderna
Ab initio methods for polariton chemistry.