Leonardo Zornberg

About Leonardo Zornberg

Photonics Engineer | Integrated Circuit Laser DevelopmentI began my research career as a Chemical Engineer at Caltech. I was quickly drawn to the field of optical nanomaterials, where chemistry and materials science intersect with physics—often in a visible way. This fascination is rooted in using light to power modern technology, or even literally operating within the visible spectrum.My PhD focused on this interest, specifically researching optical interactions in self-assembling nanoparticle systems. Post-graduation, I worked as a Photonics Engineer in both free-space optical/RF communications and, most recently, photonic integrated circuits (PICs).Throughout my career, I\'ve consistently sought to understand how small-scale features dictate the behavior of large-scale systems: how light and chemicals interact to form structures, and how those structures are engineered to manipulate light.While the formal disciplines have changed, my core fascination remains: small scales, interesting physics, and tangible results.

Experience

1. Senior Photonics Design Engineer, Laser

   Lightmatter

   May 2025 — Present · Mountain View, CA, US

   Research and development of lasers in photonic integrated circuits

Education

• Caltech

  Chemical Engineering

  2012 — 2016

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Materials Science

  2016 — 2021