After receiving his masters degree, Dr. Thompson began his career as a research scientist in the area of thin-film superconductor fabrication and characterization. In 1992, he began work as a staff engineer for the UNL Center for Microelectronic and Optical Materials Research, developing an mid-infrared ellipsometer. This prototype instrument was eventually commercialized by J.A.Woollam Co., Inc. as the IRVASE, the first commercially available ellipsometer with an achromatic rotating compensator to provide uniform data precision. Dan‘s work with the Center also included working relationships with many graduate students during the next dozen years, helping them make the most of their graduate educational experience.

As the applications of IR ellipsometry developed, he turned more of his attention to studying interactions of proteins with surfaces. These interactions included adsorption of proteins to inorganic surfaces, textured surfaces, and antibody-antigen interactions at surfaces. This culminated in 2004 with the completion of Dan‘s Ph.D. dissertation on surface-protein interactions.

Dan‘s current position began in 2005, where he has been able to combine his research activities with classroom education. He especially enjoys the one-on-one interaction with students. His research still includes surface-protein interactions and has expanded to include studies of space effects on satellite coatings and contamination.

• Ph.D., 2004 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• M.S., 1989 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• B.S., 1988 University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Optical and infrared monitoring and characterization of adsorbed proteins
• Simulation of space effects on satellite coatings and contamination
• Polarized light instrumentation and measurements
• Infrared properties and characterization of semiconductors

• Daniel W. Thompson and Blaine Johs, Infrared Ellipsometer/Polarimeter System, Method of Calibration, and Use Thereof, US Patent #5,706,212, 1/6/1998.
• Blaine Johs and Daniel W. Thompson, Regression Calibrated Spectroscopic Rotating Compensator Ellipsometer System with Photoarray Detector, US Patent #5,672,630, 2/16/1999.

• R. J. Soukup, J. L. Huguenin-Love, N. J. Ianno, and D. W. Thompson, Experimental studies of Ge1-xCx and Ge1-x-yCxAly thin films, Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A-Vacuum Surfaces and Films 26, 17-22 (2008).
• L. G. Castro, D. W. Thompson, T. Tiwald, E. M. Berberov, and J. A. Woollam, Repeatability of ellipsometric data in cholera toxin GM1-ELISA structures, Surface Science 601, 1795-1803 (2007).
• W. H. Nosal, D. W. Thompson, T. E. Tiwald, S. Sarkar, A. Subramanian, and J. A. Woollam, Vacuum ultraviolet optical analysis of spin-cast chitosan films modified by succinic anhydride and glycidyl phenyl ether, Surface and Interface Analysis 39, 747-751 (2007).
• B. W. Woods, D. W. Thompson, and J. A. Woollam, Cermet thermal conversion coatings for space applications, Space Technology Proceedings 6, 265-276 (2006).
• J. L. Huguenin-Love, R. J. Soukup, N. J. Ianno, J. S. Schrader, D. W. Thompson, and V. L. Dalal, Optical and crystallographic analysis of thin films of GeC deposited using a unique hollow cathode sputtering technique, Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 9, 759-763 (2006).
• Daniel W. Thompson and John A. Woollam, Enhancing infrared response of adsorbed biomaterials using ellipsometry and textured surfaces, Spectroscopy-An International Journal, 19(3), pp.147-164 (2005).
• H. Arwin, L. M. Karlsson, A. Kozarcanin, D. W. Thompson, T. Tiwald, and J. A. Woollam,Carbonic Anhydrase Adsorption in Porous Silicon Studied with Infrared Ellipsometry, Physica Status Solidi a-Applied Research, 202, 1688-1692 (2005).
• Daniel W. Thompson, Paul G. Snyder, Leon Castro, Li Yan, Prasuna Kaipa, and John A. Woollam, Optical characterization of porous alumina from vacuum ultraviolet to mid-infrared, Journal of Applied Physics, 97(11) Art. No. 113511 (2005).
• Mengjun Bai, A. V. Sorokin, Daniel W. Thompson, Matt Poulsen, Stephen Ducharme, C. M. Herzinger, S. Palto, V. M. Fridkin, S. G. Yudin, V. E. Savchenko and L. K. Gribova, Determination of the optical dispersion in ferroelectric vinylidene fluoride (70%)/trifluoroethylene (30%) copolymer Langmuir-Blodgett films, J. Appl. Phys., 95(7), pp. 3372-3377 (2004).
• John A. Woollam, James N. Hilfiker, Corey L. Bungay, Ron A. Synowicki, Thomas E. Tiwald and Daniel W. Thompson, Spectroscopic Ellipsometry From the Vacuum Ultraviolet to the Far Infrared, Characterization and Metrology for ULSI Technology: 2000 International Conference, pp. 511-518 (2001).
• Shahin Zangooie, Mathias Schubert, Chris Trimble, Daniel W. Thompson, and John A. Woollam, Infrared ellipsometry characterization of porous silicon Bragg reflectors, Appl. Opt. 40(6), pp. 906-912 (2001).