EuroLED 2008

The Institute of Photonics was invited by EPSRC to join their stand at EuroLED in Coventry on 4th and 5th of June. Exhibiting alongside us, was our Basic Technology programme partner Imperial College London, represented by Dr Gordon Kennedy. Gordon demonstrated the patented striped illumination system used in confocal microscopy. The Institute showed working examples of a 64 by 64 element microLED array and some quantum dot colour conversion from UV to green. The stand generated a lot of interest and we made some excellent new contacts for future collaborations. Thanks to all those who stopped by for some interesting conversation.

Open Day, 11 September 08

With over a hundred attendees from academia and industry, the IoP Open Day on 11th September was a great success. Thanks to all who came along, especially our guest speakers, Dr Frank Turnbull, Chief Engineer, Honeywell and Prof Dr Peter Loosen Vice Director Fraunhofer ILT. The Institute holds this event every two years so we look forward to September 2010.

For PDF files of the presentations please click the approriate name below:

Tim Holt- The Institute of Photonics

Dr Erdan Gu- High performance plasma etching for developing high-quality diamond optical and electronic devices

Dr Alan Kemp- Taking the heat, taking the strain: taking advantgae of diamond in solid state laser engineering

Dr Amanda Wright- Applications of photonics to the life sciences

Prof Peter Loosen- Fraunhofer ILT

For he’s a jolly good Fellow

Prof. Martin Dawson has recently been elevated to the rank of Fellow of the Optical Society of America. He was commended for his ‘wide-ranging contributions to III-V semiconductor material science and to optically pumped and Ultrafast laser technology.’"The distinction of fellow at OSA is reserved for those members of the optics and photonics community who are at the top of the profession,” said Elizabeth Rogan, OSA’s executive director. “All new fellows fit this distinction and have offered valuable insights and contributions to the ongoing understanding of optical science. OSA congratulates them on their accomplishments.”

Tim Holt, Chief Executive of the Institute of Photonics, added, "This honour for Martin arrived shortly after his FRSE, and further demonstrates that the quality of his work is recognised by the international photonics community."

IOP Christmas Party 2007

The Institute Christmas Party was held a little early this year, but that didn’t mean there was any holding back. We slipped on our dancing shoes and partied heartily. Enjoy. We did…

Two Poster Bath

Dr Jen Hastie and Dr Amanda Wright have just returned from a 2-day EPSRC Research Fellows Seminar at the University of Bath. Around 150 Fellows of various Fellowships presented posters on the subject of their Fellowship.

Jen was awarded First Prize and Amanda was awarded Second Prize. 'Works of scientific art!

Really well done to both. ' commented Tim Holt

SPIE Visitors

Ahead of the SPIE Optical Systems Design conference at the SECC Glasgow, the IoP welcomed around 40 international visitors and presented various aspects of our recent work and novel ways of working with industry. Thanks to Dr John-Mark Hopkins, Dr Nicolas Laurand and Prof. John Girkin for their entertaining presentations. Thanks als to the Scottish Optoelectronics Association for sponsoring lunch.

Election to Fellow IEEE, Novemebr 2008

Recognizing the achievements of its members is an important part of the mission of the IEEE. Each year, following a rigorous evaluation procedure, the IEEE Fellow Committee recommends a select group of recipients for one of the Institute’s most prestigious honors, elevation to IEEE Fellow.

The IEEE Board of Directors, at its meeting on 12 November 2008, elevated Prof Martin Dawson to IEEE Fellow, effective 1 January 2009, with the following citation:

for contributions to compound semiconductor optoelectronics

Martin is already a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 

Since joining the IoP in March 1996, from Sharp Laboratories Europe in Oxford Martin has helped the Institute grow to over 50 staff and students.  He has built a substantial team with interests in materials, devices and applications, focussing on III-V optoelectronic devices and materials science, particularly on developing novel surface-normal emitters including VCSELs, VECSELs and micro-LEDs. Tim Holt, Chief Executive of the IOP, commented, "This is yet another noteable honour for Martin, and is thoroughly deserved recognition of his leading work."

Hat-trick of awards for dental innovators, December 2008

A team of dentists and physicists from the Universities of Dundee and Strathclyde have scooped a hat-trick of awards after developing new technology which has the potential to replace x-rays in dentistry.

The Infrared Imaging system developed by Professor Nigel Pitts and Dr Chris Longbottom at Dundee and Professor John Girkin and Dr Simon Poland at Strathclyde, won three prizes at the Medical Futures Innovations Awards, held in London last night (Dec 2nd).

They won the overall Dental and Health Innovations Award, the Best Diagnostic in Dental and Oral Health Award, and the NHS Technology Innovation Award. The awards bring a package of business support to the team to further develop the project. The team are currently testing the device and looking for funding to take it further.

Dr Christopher Longbottom, Professor John Girkin, Professor Nigel Pitts and Dr Simon Poland have used a miniature camera and tiny mirrors to produce images of teeth but without the risks associated with X-rays, especially in children.

The Infrared Imaging system works by using infrared light to produce images of teeth, bones and gums similar to X-rays. The team behind it say it may have wider applications including, for example, measuring bone density. The competition judges said they were 'highly impressed' by the potential of the technology and hoped it would progress to proof of concept.

Andy Goldberg, founder of Medical Futures, said, 'The potential of this technology is enormous and demonstrates the importance of collaboration between clinicians who know about unmet healthcare needs and scientists who have the skills to develop the technology to meet these needs.'

As well as the critical recognition and endorsement of an award, the team will receive a bespoke package of support to help turn ideas into viable propositions that appeal to investors.

The awards aim to overcome the challenge historically faced in the UK of being great at innovating but poor at getting ideas to the marketplace.

July 2006

Chris’s thesis was titled ‘Applications of Micropixellated InGaN LED Arrays’. These LEDs, consisting of 16x16 and 64x64 arrays of 20µm emitters, were fabricated from InGaN/GaN and InGaN/AlGaN wafers to emit at wavelengths of 459nm (blue), 500nm (green), or 368nm (UV). These micro-LED arrays have great potential as microdisplays or lab-on-a-chip microsystems for exciting multiple biological samples. Chris’s work also included micro-LED/light emitting polymer devices for efficient colour conversion from UV LED light into blue, green, red, and white wavelengths.

Tony’s thesis, "GaInNAs devices and materials for fibre-optic communications" was concerned with the design, fabrication and characterisation of GaInNAs-based optical materials and devices. GaInNAs, which can be lattice-matched to GaAs, is a dilute-nitride semiconductor alloy which is suitable for optical-fibre telecommunications applications and has a number of advantages over currently used InP-based materials. These include excellent high-temperature performance and far greater suitability for VCSEL production.

The Chief Executive of the IOP, Tim Holt commented ‘We continue to attract high quality students, like Chris and Tony, who appreciate that our close ties with industry and our focus on applied and strategic research gives them they edge when they go on to look for employment in industry.  Photonics is an all pervasive technology and opportunities are opening up across many industry sectors, from biological imaging to defence and communications. ‘ 

Congratulations to Lynne Morton who won a prize for her poster “1W CW Red VECSEL Frequency-Doubled to Generate 120mW in the Ultraviolet”

Institute wins Strategic Research Development Grant

The Institute of Photonics is leading a consortium comprising Glasgow University, Heriot Watt and the Institute for System Level Integration (ISLI) in ' The Scottish Consortium in Integrated Micro-Photonic Systems' project.

This £1.3 million grant is funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) - please click here to see press release for more details.

Supa photonics launch event - May 31st 2005
To view programme click here requires Acrobat Reader
further information on SUPA available here

Ask the expert... the applications team are invited by Edinburgh University to attend the science festival...	1-10 april 2005
Amanda Wright & John Girkin challenged the public to align a laser beam through a fibre optic at the Royal Museum & Museum of Scotland. Kids of every age particpated at Edinburgh University's 'meet the scientist' stand. Amanda & John were asked by Edinburgh University to participate in the 'ask the expert' stand as part of the edinburgh international science festival: see www.sciencefestival.co.uk for event details
	Amanda proves that physics can be fun!
laser beam travelling through fibre optic	close up of fibre optic
	click here for more information on the applications team

Optics.org Intercavity adaptive-optic control of lasers

World-leading Scottish and Canadian Researchers Meet in Canada to "Talk Photonics"

OTTAWA, September 10, 2003 – Representatives from Scotland's innovative optoelectronics industry arrived in the nation's capital today to further solidify trade linkages between Canada and Scotland. This follows a visit from Scottish University specialists in photonics with leading Canadian academic researchers at an optoelectronics workshop held at the Nortel Institute at the University of Toronto earlier this week. The mission will involve a week of visits to key organisations and companies in both Toronto and Ottawa to share innovative new research projects and to explore opportunities for working together. A similar visit of Canadian researchers and optoelectronics companies to Scotland is planned for 2004. The selection of Ottawa for this mission is a natural – the region is home to the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre and hosts the largest concentration of photonics companies in the country. In addition, Ottawa Global Marketing, a division of the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI), has been working with the Canadian High Commission in London to promote Canada as the gateway to NAFTA. "This mission serves as an ideal opportunity for Canadian and Scottish organizations to identify potential areas of collaboration that could lead to increased trade between the two countries," said Mike Darch, Executive Director of Ottawa Global Marketing. "Ottawa's reputation as a world leader in the field of photonics has gained international recognition over the past few years – having this international delegation come to Ottawa further demonstrates this." The mission is being organized by the Scottish Optoelectronics Association; the industry association that supports and promotes optoelectronics in Scotland. Other key supporters include: Scottish Development International, the international arm of Scotland's economic development agency; and in Canada, by the Nortel Institute, Photonics Research Ontario and the British High Commission in Ottawa. "Both Canada and Scotland aspire to global success in optoelectronics," said Iain Ross of the Scottish Optoelectronics Association. "It is by being involved in missions such as this – including a return mission in 2004 – that the best researchers and companies from both nations can build strategic working relationships that will carry their research and development forward to meet the technology and business challenges of the future." This initiative builds on a successful visit that was made to Toronto and Ottawa in June 2002, which highlighted strong joint interest in leading optoelectronic research in the two countries. Lorna Jack, North America Director for Scottish Development International believes that there are real possibilities for partnership that will enhance each regions photonics industry. "Undoubtedly the mission represents the cream of Scotland's research talent in optoelectronics," said Jack. "The researchers come from departments, which have achieved excellent results in the latest research assessments of UK universities. We are keen to foster our international linkages and this mission will be a key element in our ongoing program." Several Scottish companies are looking to further enhance their links with Canadian organizations. This will be the key focus of their visit as they are intent on working closer with the best in the business in Canada.

The Physics Congress 2003: 23 - 27 March, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

The Institute of Physics “Physics Congress” was held at Heriot Watt University from Sunday 23rd March until Thursday 27th March. Running for the Monday and Tuesday of that week was an exhibition, held in the James Watt Centre of Heriot Watt.

The Institute had a stand at this exhibition and the highlight of the event was the first showing of the world’s largest gallium nitride (GaN) microLED array. The array comprised of 64 x 64 individual GaN emitters, each emitter about 20 microns in diameter. The array used a matrix addressing scheme so that emitters could be turned on and off individually, one advantage of this simple addressing scheme would be to allow alphanumerics to be displayed on the array. Drive electronics for the array were developed in conjunction with PRP Optoelectronics Ltd, based in Towcester, to whom our thanks go for all their efforts. This particular array shown at the Congress emitted blue light at 470 nm. Other devices are under construction at the Institute which will emit in the UV/violet and green. Also, even larger array formats are being developed. These arrays have potential applications in areas as diverse as very bright micro-displays, biosensors and optical communication devices. The microLED project is being funded by the Scottish Enterprise Proof of Concept programme.

To round up an exciting week for the Institute’s microLED work, at the Congress on the Thursday, Professor Martin Dawson, who leads the work at the Institute on these microLEDs, gave a talk on 'Advanced Gallium Nitride LED Technology for Micro-Displays and Optical Biochips” . The talk, sponsored by IEEE/LEOS, described the background to the microLED work at the Institute and described potential markets for such devices.

Professor Martin Dawson was invited to give a technology briefing on GaN micro-LEDs at a CONNECT breakfast briefing held in Glasgow on the 28th of November 2002. Click on link to view pdf of presentation, click link for video (slide 32).

At a half-day reception held at the House of Commons on 9th December, Strathclyde University 3rd Year Physics Ph.D student Jennifer Hastie was judged Runner Up, out of 155 entrants, in the competition for the "2002 UK Medal and Prize for Excellence in Engineering by a Younger Researcher". The meeting was organised by "SET for BRITAIN" as a showcase for the research in Engineering, interpreted broadly, being performed by Britain's younger engineers from UK University, Industrial and Public Sector Laboratories. Sponsor and Joint Host for the event was Claire Curtis-Thomas M.P. Hon PhD MBA BSc CEng FIMechE FIEE FCGI FINstCES. Organiser and Joint Host was British scientist Dr Eric Wharton of SET for BRITAIN.

Jennifer with chair of the judges Bernard Langley

	The event was also supported by in-kind assistance and donations from EPSRC, The Institute of Quality Assurance, CPE, ROLLS-ROYCE plc, NERC, The Royal Academy of Engineering, EMTA, SBS and CCLRC. The event attracted entrants from all over the UK, including those from more than fifty universities and a number of other corporate and public sector labs. All had to make a poster presentation to assembled dignitaries, which included M.P.s and poster judges.
The Institute of Photonics at the University of Strathclyde was represented by two Ph.D students, Christel Rousseau, in her final year of her Ph.D, and Jennifer. Jennifer's award and prize of £250 was sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Jennifer's research involves the development of a new kind of high-power semiconductor laser, called a vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL), for a range of applications in instrumentation, engineering and biomedicine. Jennifer's studentship is supported by EPSRC. While she is based in the Institute of Photonics, she undertakes her work through a collaboration between the Institute and the Photonics Research Group in the Department of Physics. This is the second major award for Jennifer this year - in April she was also awarded the IEE Medal in Photonics for her presentation at the EPSRC-sponsored PREP 2002 Meeting. We offer Jennifer our warmest congratulations.

Honours Conferred on University Day

University Day marks the anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter to the University of Strathclyde in 1964. It is traditionally a day to honour the Strathclyde community - by presenting the academic officers and professors appointed during the past year - and by conferring honorary degrees on those deemed to have made a significant contribution to the community at large. This year, Martin Dawson, Associate Director of the Institute, was appointed a Research Professor of the University as a result of the outstanding research he has accomplished while at the Institute of Photonics. This award is not only a great honour for Martin personally and his work, but also reflects the quality of the research being carried out at the Institute. All of us at the Institute congratulate Martin on his achievements and his appointment. Others awarded honours on University Day 2002, were:- Yacub Ali OBE, entrepreneur and long time supporter of the University, became an honorary Doctor of the University.The Honourable Lady Cosgrove, Judge of the Supreme Court, was made an honorary Doctor of Laws Dr Yvette Jaggi, President of the Swiss Arts Council, Pro Helvetia, received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree Professor Julia Goodfellow CBE, Chief Executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, was made an honorary Doctor of Science Professor Dugald Cameron OBE, currently Visiting Professor in the Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management, became an honorary Doctor of Science

Institute of Photonics scores another Proof of Concept award

One of the recent Proof of Concept awards was made to a project based in the University's Institute of Photonics. This project aims to produce dense arrays of gallium nitride visible-wavelength micro-LEDs, where each individual emitter has dimensions of only a few microns - around one hundredth of a millimetre each, compared to typically one third of a millimetre for conventional LEDs. These micro-LEDs will be the springboard for a new generation of miniaturised, high-performance and high-resolution displays, representing a radical departure from the established format of LEDs where the active area per device is typically a thousand times larger.
The project seeks to demonstrate the advantages of this new format of devices through improvements in power consumption, focusability, speed, efficiency, viewing angle, brightness, reduced temperature sensitivity, and lifetime, largely due to the small active volume and small emission area. Furthermore, it seeks to demonstrate the commercial potential of these arrays for a range of advanced, integrated micro- and nano-photonic devices for applications as diverse as communications, signal and image processing.
One application for similar devices, which has been demonstrated by a research group in Germany, is that of an intra-ocular vision aid which can restore limited vision to patients suffering from blindness caused by an opaque cornea. The micro-LED array is implanted behind the damaged cornea and projects an image onto the person's healthy retina.
The established large-area gallium nitride LEDs are the basis of a $1billion annual market currently, showing growth rates of 50% per annum; the micro-LEDs are expected to have similarly huge market potential, opened up by the broad new range of applications they enable.
The programme of work involves building on the expertise, know-how and IP developed by the Institute of Photonics at the University of Strathclyde over several years' research into the growth and processing of advanced gallium nitride structures and devices. A range of research collaborations has also supported this work - with the University's Department of Physics & Applied Physics, with the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering at the University of Glasgow, and with the Compound Semiconductor Technologies initiative, (now known as the Photonix initiative).
This recent award is the second Proof of Concept grant for the research team, the other being concerned with developing 1300-1500nm wavelength high-power optically-pumped semiconductor lasers for applications in telecommunications. Both are led by Professor Martin Dawson, who was promoted to Professor and Associate Director of the Institute of Photonics in 2001.
For more details about Proof of Concept awards, please visit
http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/proofofconceptfund

"I'm very pleased to be establishing this collaboration with PRO," said Dr Ness. "For the Institute of Photonics, collaborations with like-minded organisations are important both for developing research collaborations and sharing best practice".

"PRO and the Institute of Photonics have equivalent mandates to support the economic growth of our regional photonics sectors through support for research, incubation of new companies and commercialisation of leading-edge technologies," says PRO president and CEO, Dr. Gerard F. Lynch. "There's a tremendous advantage to both Canada and Scotland in identifying complementary strengths and collaborating on photonics development."

Photonics Research Ontario (PRO) is one of four Ontario Centres of Excellence, funded in part by Ontario's Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation, and supports over 150 researchers in seven Ontario Universities. PRO is dedicated to creating new photonics knowledge and technology, fostering the supply of highly qualified people at all levels, enhancing applications and commercialisation and establishing regional and international collaborations.
The PRO web site is www.pro.on.ca

Jennifer Hastie was recently awarded "Best Student Presentation in Photonics" prize at the recent PREP 2002 conference and exhibition held at the East Midlands Conference Centre at Nottingham University from 17 to 19 April 2002. The aims of PREP 2002 are to provide a forum for students and young researchers to present technical work to their peers, to offer a showcase for the high quality work being carried out in UK universities, an opportunity for technical discussion and networking and finally to demonstrate university research to industry.
Her presentation on "Thermal Management of AlGaAs VECSELs using Intracavity Sapphire and Silicon Carbide Heatspreaders" was judged the best out of 18 made in the Photonics session during the conference.
PREP is sponsored by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE - United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland Section), Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and The Institute of Physics.
Everyone here at the Institute congratulates Jennifer on her award, and it reflects on all the hard work and effort she has put in to prepare for this event. Click here for Jennifer's presentation.