How to make light work implementing your technology strategy
Research involving light based technologies (photonics) contributes to the function of many thing we use each day and often, take for granted like smartphones, high-speed Internet and wireless controllers. It is closely related to optics: technology harnesses light for the development of smaller, faster and more energy-efficient devices.
Photonics is an enabling technology for a new industrial revolution, impacting on a broad spectrum of industries: for example, manufacturing, ICT, medicine, energy and defence. Last year was designated the UNESCO International Year of Light and Light Based Technologies in recognition of the growing importance of photonics technologies for human life. Just as electronics was the basis for the dominant technology breakthroughs of the 20th century, the use of light (specifically photons) integrated with or replacing conventional electrical circuits, is on course to be the dominant technology for the 21st century as devices using lasers, fiber optics and optical detectors that depend on light to send signals, detect information and communicate are essential for data transfer for the internet, phones, TV and radio.
Over the next decade, the development of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) will make computer chips work faster with less energy. Solid-state lighting developed through photonics research could cut electricity usage from lighting in half in the U.S. by 2030, save $30 billion and reduce emissions equivalent to 40 million cars. The field of integrated photonics is about generating, controlling and detecting light to advance robotics, manufacturing, medical imaging, next-generation displays, defense technologies, biometric security, image processing, communications, astronomy and much more.
Earlier this year, a new $110m Integrated Photonics Institute for Manufacturing Innovation (IP-IMI) was established in the US intended to advanced the state-of-the-art in the design, manufacture, testing, assembly and packaging of complex photonic integrated circuits. The award marks a step forward in recognising the importance of photonics technologies for economic development. However as early as 2009, the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded a £7m Centre between UCL and the University of Cambridge for Doctoral Training in Photonic Systems Development (now called Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems - IPES), which I help manage.
The photo in the header above features a liquid crystal from the research of one of our Centre's PhD students at Cambridge. Each year we have about 20 top Masters or Research (MRes) students at UCL and Cambridge who work with up to 60 potential academic supervisors from across the two universities and with many companies to help 'make light work', literally(!) implementing company's technology strategies. Many go on to do their PhDs partly based in industry. Recently a London based startup company called Penteract28 working on information density holography which took 3 of our students on full time research projects from May - September this year said "We had a really good experience with the students we had over the summer and I am keen to get more in" (Darran Milne, Lead Physicist).
On 14th January 2016 in London we shall be holding our annual integrated photonics industry day. Every year, we invite our industry partners and other interested companies to come and find out more about our cutting-edge research and opportunities for collaboration. We look forward to welcoming your company too if you are interested in finding out more about how our students and staff can contribute to your photonics technology research and development and make a real difference to your company, for example, by offering industry linked projects.
You can register now here: https://ipescdtindustryday2016.eventbrite.co.uk.
Integrated Photonics and Electronic Systems: website
This year we have an interesting range of key note speakers. Andrew Lord, Head of Optical Research at BT speaking about the technology challenges and opportunities that integrated photonics presents for business. Carlos Lee, Director General of the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC) will be speaking about how photonics is transforming European manufacturing industry.