Research Group
Karine Chesnel - Associate Professor
A french native, Karine Chesnel received her training in France at the Ecole Normale Superieure (B.S. Physics & B.S. Chemistry 1997, Agregation Physics 1998) and at University Joseph Fourier (M.S. Physics 1999, Ph.D. Physics 2002). She carried out her PhD research work at the Comissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) in Grenoble and became involved in synchrotron experiments at the European Synchrotron radiation Facility (ESRF) in France and at the Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS) in UK.
In 2002, she moved to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in California where she completed a post-doctoral fellowship. There, she worked at the Advanced Light Source, helping develop a beamline optimized for coherent x-ray. In 2007, she moved back to France, where she worked at the Laboratoire National des Champs Magnetiques Pulses (LNCMP) in Toulouse. In 2008, she joined the faculty at the Physics Department at Brigham Young University in Utah. Her research activity is centered on studying magnetic nanostructures using magnetic imaging and synchrotron radiation.
Current students
Rajendra Gautam
PhD student
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
MS Physics, Tribhuvan University
Working on: Imaging superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles for medical applications
PhD student
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
MS Physics, Tribhuvan University
Working on: Imaging superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles for medical applications
Johnathon Rackham
PhD student
MS Physics, BYU, June 2022
Hometown: New Jersey
BS Physics, BYU-I, April 2017
Working on: Modeling of Magnetic correlations in nanoparticle assemblies
PhD student
MS Physics, BYU, June 2022
Hometown: New Jersey
BS Physics, BYU-I, April 2017
Working on: Modeling of Magnetic correlations in nanoparticle assemblies
Joey Ray
BS Physics. December 2024
Hometown: Oklahoma
Working on: In-situ field MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
BS Physics. December 2024
Hometown: Oklahoma
Working on: In-situ field MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
Peter Krumholz
BS Physics August 2024
Hometown: Denver, CO
Working on: Remanent domain morphologolies in [Co/Pt]20 thin films
BS Physics August 2024
Hometown: Denver, CO
Working on: Remanent domain morphologolies in [Co/Pt]20 thin films
Nathan Woolley
BS Physics 2025
Hometown: Ontario, Canada
Working on: Time-correlation of speckle patterns
BS Physics 2025
Hometown: Ontario, Canada
Working on: Time-correlation of speckle patterns
Amelia Poulin
BS Physics, 2025
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Working on :XMCD spectra of at the Fe L3 edge
BS Physics, 2025
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Working on :XMCD spectra of at the Fe L3 edge
Dylan Harris
BS Physics, 2025
Hometown:Colorado
Working on: Imaging magnetic textures in Co thin films
BS Physics, 2025
Hometown:Colorado
Working on: Imaging magnetic textures in Co thin films
Tim Anderson
BS Physics 2026
Hometown: Avon, IN
Working on: Magneto-transport measurements of Co/Pt IrMn thin films
BS Physics 2026
Hometown: Avon, IN
Working on: Magneto-transport measurements of Co/Pt IrMn thin films
Jenna Rupper
BS Physics, 2026
Hometown:
Working on: Magneto-transport measurements of Co/Pt IrMn thin films
BS Physics, 2026
Hometown:
Working on: Magneto-transport measurements of Co/Pt IrMn thin films
Previous students
Jack Hawks
BS Biophysics 2025
Hometown: New Hampshire
Worked on: optimization of magnetic nanoparticles for medical applications
BS Biophysics 2025
Hometown: New Hampshire
Worked on: optimization of magnetic nanoparticles for medical applications
Bryce Iverson
BS Physics 2024
Hometown:
Worked on: Superparamagnetic blocking transition of magnetite NPs via field cooling
BS Physics 2024
Hometown:
Worked on: Superparamagnetic blocking transition of magnetite NPs via field cooling
Tori Wagner
REU student 2023, visiting from Colorado School of Mines
Hometown: Golden, CO
Worked on: Characterizing the superparamegnetic blocking transition in magnetite nanoparticles
REU student 2023, visiting from Colorado School of Mines
Hometown: Golden, CO
Worked on: Characterizing the superparamegnetic blocking transition in magnetite nanoparticles
Riley Brinkerhoff
FRI student, visiting BYU-Idaho
Hometown: Rexburg, ID
Worked on: Co thickness dependency for magnetic domains in single Co layers
FRI student, visiting BYU-Idaho
Hometown: Rexburg, ID
Worked on: Co thickness dependency for magnetic domains in single Co layers
Kayson Reardon
BS Physics,2023
Hometown: St George, UT
Worked on: Magnetic morphologies in Co/Pt thin films
BS Physics,2023
Hometown: St George, UT
Worked on: Magnetic morphologies in Co/Pt thin films
Corey Hawkins
BS Physics, April 2023
Hometown: Nashva, New Hampshire
Senior Thesis: Dynamics of Magnetic fluctuations in nanoparticle assemblies
BS Physics, April 2023
Hometown: Nashva, New Hampshire
Senior Thesis: Dynamics of Magnetic fluctuations in nanoparticle assemblies
Colby Walker
MS Physics, December 2022
Hometown: California
BS Physics, BYU-I, April 2017
Masters Thesis: Illumination effects in exhchange-bias induced magnetic memory
Currently: Working as System Test Engineer at Raytheon, Andover site, Massachussets
MS Physics, December 2022
Hometown: California
BS Physics, BYU-I, April 2017
Masters Thesis: Illumination effects in exhchange-bias induced magnetic memory
Currently: Working as System Test Engineer at Raytheon, Andover site, Massachussets
Michael Vaka
BS Applied Physics, December 2022
Hometown: Hauula, Hawai
Senior Thesis: MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
BS Applied Physics, December 2022
Hometown: Hauula, Hawai
Senior Thesis: MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
Kira Johnson
BS Applied Physics, April 2022
Hometown: Rexburg, Idaho
Capstone Project: MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
BS Applied Physics, April 2022
Hometown: Rexburg, Idaho
Capstone Project: MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
Aaron Gentillon
BS Applied Physics, April 2022
Hometown: West Valley, Utah
Capstone project: Remanent MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
BS Applied Physics, April 2022
Hometown: West Valley, Utah
Capstone project: Remanent MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
Caleb Olssen
BS Physics
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Worked on: Magneto-transport measurements on Co/Pf IrMn films
BS Physics
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Worked on: Magneto-transport measurements on Co/Pf IrMn films
Mingyang Li
Graduate student
Hometown: California/ China
BS Physics, Northern Arizona University, April 2021
Worked on: Superparamagnetism and superferromagnetism in Fe3O4 nanoparticle assemblies
Graduate student
Hometown: California/ China
BS Physics, Northern Arizona University, April 2021
Worked on: Superparamagnetism and superferromagnetism in Fe3O4 nanoparticle assemblies
Joshua Hancock
BS Physics
Hometown: Ramona, California
Worked on: MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
BS Physics
Hometown: Ramona, California
Worked on: MFM imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
Parker Greenwell
RET student, summer 2021
Hometown: Orem, Utah
Worked on: Remanence imaging of Co/Pt nanosystems
RET student, summer 2021
Hometown: Orem, Utah
Worked on: Remanence imaging of Co/Pt nanosystems
Karolyn Mocellin
BS Applied Physics, Aug 2021
Hometown: Nouvelle Caledonie, France
Worked on: MFM/VSM imaging of Co/Pt nanosystems
BS Applied Physics, Aug 2021
Hometown: Nouvelle Caledonie, France
Worked on: MFM/VSM imaging of Co/Pt nanosystems
Daniel McPherson
BS Applied Physics, April 2021
Hometown: Alpine, Utah
Senior Thesis: Time correlation mapping
BS Applied Physics, April 2021
Hometown: Alpine, Utah
Senior Thesis: Time correlation mapping
Godofredo Fajardo
BS Business/Physics 2020
Hometown: Connecticut
Worked on: Visualizing Domain morphologies evolution in Co/Pt ferromnagnetic films
BS Business/Physics 2020
Hometown: Connecticut
Worked on: Visualizing Domain morphologies evolution in Co/Pt ferromnagnetic films
Carson Richards
BS Mechanical Engineering, April 2020
Hometown: Orem, Utah
Worked on: Studying the influence of magnetic history on magnetic domain morphologies in Co/Pt ferromnagnetic films
BS Mechanical Engineering, April 2020
Hometown: Orem, Utah
Worked on: Studying the influence of magnetic history on magnetic domain morphologies in Co/Pt ferromnagnetic films
Misael Campos
REU student, Summer 2019
Visiting from: Princeton University
Hometown: California
Worked on: Co/Pt films remanent imaging
completed: a BS in Applied Physics & Electrical Engineering at Princeton University, 2021
completed: a Masters in Electrical & Computer Engineering at Princeton University, 2022
Currently:Working as Research Assistant at the Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, since Aug 2022
REU student, Summer 2019
Visiting from: Princeton University
Hometown: California
Worked on: Co/Pt films remanent imaging
completed: a BS in Applied Physics & Electrical Engineering at Princeton University, 2021
completed: a Masters in Electrical & Computer Engineering at Princeton University, 2022
Currently:Working as Research Assistant at the Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, since Aug 2022
Adam Christensen
REU student, Summer 2019
BS Physics, August 2019
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Senior Thesis: SMOKE / EHE setups
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at University of Texas at Austin
REU student, Summer 2019
BS Physics, August 2019
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Senior Thesis: SMOKE / EHE setups
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at University of Texas at Austin
Mason Parkes
BS Physics, August 2019
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Senior Thesis: Magnetic scpeckle correlations and illumination effects
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at Auburn University
BS Physics, August 2019
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Senior Thesis: Magnetic scpeckle correlations and illumination effects
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at Auburn University
Alexander Cahoon
BS Applied Physics, April 2019
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Capstone project: Mechanical and Electrical upgrading of the SMOKE apparatus
BS Applied Physics, April 2019
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Capstone project: Mechanical and Electrical upgrading of the SMOKE apparatus
Mason Christianson
BS Physics, 2022
Hometown: Texas
Worked on: Blocking temperature of superparamagnetic nanoparticles
BS Physics, 2022
Hometown: Texas
Worked on: Blocking temperature of superparamagnetic nanoparticles
Braedon Jones
BS Physics, 2021
Hometown: California
Worked on: Magnetic imaging
BS Physics, 2021
Hometown: California
Worked on: Magnetic imaging
Dustin Payne
BS Physics, 2019
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Worked on: Imaging magnetic domains in thin films
BS Physics, 2019
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Worked on: Imaging magnetic domains in thin films
Jacob Livingston
BS Physics, 2019
Hometown: Naperville, Illinois
Worked on: Speckle-correlation spectroscopy
BS Physics, 2019
Hometown: Naperville, Illinois
Worked on: Speckle-correlation spectroscopy
Shelby Klomp
REU student, summer 2018
Visiting from: Gustavus Adolphus College
Hometown: Mapplewood, Minnesota
Worked on: Fabricating and characterizing magnetite nanoparticles
Graduated: BA Physics, June 2020, Gustavus Adolphus College
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at Northwestern University
REU student, summer 2018
Visiting from: Gustavus Adolphus College
Hometown: Mapplewood, Minnesota
Worked on: Fabricating and characterizing magnetite nanoparticles
Graduated: BA Physics, June 2020, Gustavus Adolphus College
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at Northwestern University
Luis Ortiz-Flores
REU student, summer 2018
Visiting from: University of Puerto Rico
Hometown: Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Worked on: Magnetic domain morphologies in ferromagnetic films
Graduated: BA Physics, May 2019, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at University of Connecticut
REU student, summer 2018
Visiting from: University of Puerto Rico
Hometown: Yabucoa, Puerto Rico
Worked on: Magnetic domain morphologies in ferromagnetic films
Graduated: BA Physics, May 2019, University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at University of Connecticut
Kamden Jones
BS Physics Teaching, 2018
Hometown: Utah
Worked on: Fitting magnetic scattering profiles
BS Physics Teaching, 2018
Hometown: Utah
Worked on: Fitting magnetic scattering profiles
Dunn Westhoff
BS Physics, Chinese minor, 2018
Hometown: Washington state
Worked on: Fitting magnetic scattering profiles
BS Physics, Chinese minor, 2018
Hometown: Washington state
Worked on: Fitting magnetic scattering profiles
Lauren Hindman
BS Physics, 2018
Hometown: Philomath, Oregon
Worked on: Imaging magnetic domains in 60 A thick Co/Pt films
BS Physics, 2018
Hometown: Philomath, Oregon
Worked on: Imaging magnetic domains in 60 A thick Co/Pt films
Stephen Kotter
BS physics, August 2018
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Worked on: Optimization of magnetic scattering profiles
Currently: In Law school at the University of Georgia
BS physics, August 2018
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Worked on: Optimization of magnetic scattering profiles
Currently: In Law school at the University of Georgia
Brittni Newbold
BS physics, April 2018
Hometown: Tooele, Utah
Worked on: Magnetic ordering in magnetite nanoparticle assemblies
Completed: MS in Physics at BYU in 2020
BS physics, April 2018
Hometown: Tooele, Utah
Worked on: Magnetic ordering in magnetite nanoparticle assemblies
Completed: MS in Physics at BYU in 2020
Jeremy Metzner
REU student, Summer 2017
Visiting from: University of New Mexico
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Worked on: Magnetic imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
Completed: BS in Physics at University of New Mexico in 2018
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics (Quantum computing) at the University of Oregon in Eugene
REU student, Summer 2017
Visiting from: University of New Mexico
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Worked on: Magnetic imaging of Co/Pt multilayers
Completed: BS in Physics at University of New Mexico in 2018
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics (Quantum computing) at the University of Oregon in Eugene
Berg Dodson
BS physics, August 2017
Hometown: Oregon
Worked on: Imaging magnetic domains in Co/Pt thin films
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at BYU
BS physics, August 2017
Hometown: Oregon
Worked on: Imaging magnetic domains in Co/Pt thin films
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at BYU
David Montealegre
REU student, Summer 2016
Visiting from: Iowa State University, Physics
Hometown: Iowa
Worked on: 30 and 40 A Co/Pt films remanent imaging
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at University of Iowa
REU student, Summer 2016
Visiting from: Iowa State University, Physics
Hometown: Iowa
Worked on: 30 and 40 A Co/Pt films remanent imaging
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Physics at University of Iowa
Dalton Griner
BS physics, August 2016
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
Worked on: Fabricating Fe3O4 nanoparticle, and measuring synchrotron XMCD and XRMS data
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Medical Physics at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
BS physics, August 2016
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
Worked on: Fabricating Fe3O4 nanoparticle, and measuring synchrotron XMCD and XRMS data
Currently: Preparing a PhD in Medical Physics at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
John Bradley Wood
BS Mechanical Engineering, August 2016
Hometown: Arizona
Worked on: Processing magnetic speckle data on exchange bias films and synchrotron measurements
BS Mechanical Engineering, August 2016
Hometown: Arizona
Worked on: Processing magnetic speckle data on exchange bias films and synchrotron measurements
Matthew Healey
BS Applied Physics, June 2016
Hometown: California
Worked on: measuring magnetic domain patterns via VSM and MFM
Went on to: Law school at University of California, Davis
Currently: Patent lawyer in Salt Lake City
BS Applied Physics, June 2016
Hometown: California
Worked on: measuring magnetic domain patterns via VSM and MFM
Went on to: Law school at University of California, Davis
Currently: Patent lawyer in Salt Lake City
Dallin Smith
BS physics, April 2016
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
Worked on: Fabricating Fe3O4 nanoparticle, and measuring synchrotron XMCD and XRMS data
Currently: Preparing a MS in Physics at University of Utah
BS physics, April 2016
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
Worked on: Fabricating Fe3O4 nanoparticle, and measuring synchrotron XMCD and XRMS data
Currently: Preparing a MS in Physics at University of Utah