Light Times

Issue 1 | 2014

Largest Photonics Institute opens in Southampton | page 4Optical sensing research leads to earlier cancer detection | Page 10Interview: ORC Deputy Director David Richardson | page 16

Light TimesNews from the Optoelectronics Research Centre.

Open for business: making multidisciplinary research more accessible

2 Light Times | issue 1 2014

Welcome to Light Times, the magazine for the

Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University

of Southampton.

It has perhaps never been easier to collaborate with

world-class researchers and to access capability across

the UK photonics sector. The launch of two new

initiatives; the UK’s largest photonics and electronics

institute here in Southampton and the new national

photonics portal at UKPhotonics.org is enabling

UK firms to discover the solutions to technology

challenges faced by society today. Find out more on

This issue features the first in a series of interviews

with directors and leading programme investigators

at the ORC. We talk to Deputy Director David

Richardson about his work and get the latest on

his team’s research into fibres for high speed data

transmission.

We also bring you up to date with our research

highlights, events, student successes, awards and

published research.

To keep abreast of our latest news please visit

www.orc.southampton.ac.uk

We welcome your feedback, so please get in touch

and let us know what you would like to see in future

editions of Light Times.

Deanna Standen | Editor, Light Times [email protected]

In this issue

1

5

pages 4 and 6 respectively.

3Light Times | issue 1 2014

1. Zepler Institute launch This multidisciplinary research centre brings together world-leading expertise in photonics, advanced materials, quantum technologies and nanoscience Page 4

2. Biosensor breakthrough New optical sensing research could lead to faster detection of cancer biomarkers Page 10

3. Interview Light Times speaks to ORC Deputy Director, Professor David Richardson about his work as a director and researcher at the cutting edge Page 16

4. Lifetime data storage enters a new dimension

Nanostructured glass, ORC scientists have experimentally demonstrated five dimensional digital data by femtosecond laser writing Page 20

5. Speed of light Researchers at Southampton’s ORC

to within touching distance of the speed of light Page 22

2

3

4 are bringing data transmission rates

Using


Open for business UK’s largest photonics and electronics

institute launches in Southampton

Professor Sir David Payne heads up the new Zepler Institute.


Led by Professor Sir David Payne, one of the world’s most referenced and influential researchers, the Institute builds on the University’s pioneering discoveries in photonics and electronics that form the backbone of today’s global communications infrastructure.

For decades, researchers at Southampton have developed the fibre optic technology that lays the foundations of the Internet, while also being at the global forefront of quantum technologies and even energy harvesting; pioneering devices that use motion to power wireless sensors and mobile electronics. High power fibre lasers for cutting and welding are another widely recognised Southampton development, as well as special fibres that navigate airliners.

The ZI builds on that reputation, using its multidisciplinary approach to unlock new research domains and develop cutting edge technologies that enable numerous market sectors vital to economic growth, including aerospace, telecommunications, energy, healthcare, manufacturing and the environment.

To mark the occasion and in celebration of his recently-awarded Knighthood for services to photonics, Professor Payne delivered a special lecture entitled ‘50 Years of Photonics at the University of Southampton.’ He was joined by Guest of Honour, Vint Cerf, considered one of the ‘fathers’ of the Internet. Uniting these two eminent speakers was especially fitting, as global access to the internet relies almost entirely on Professor Payne’s invention, the erbium-doped fibre amplifier (EDFA) which made possible the worldwide

information superhighway and high-speed telecommunication networks.

Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Dean of Physical Sciences and Engineering at Southampton, commented: “The formation of the Zepler Institute ensures that the University of Southampton continues to make pioneering breakthroughs and discoveries that will meet society’s global communication challenges. It also puts us in a leading position to develop the future of the Internet, which is the infrastructure for the World Wide Web.

“For 60 years Southampton researchers have been at the forefront of the global revolution in digital communications, leading the world in web and Internet science, technology and applications,” Professor Hall continued.

Global access to the Internet relies almost entirely on David Payne’s invention of the fibre amplifier. David explained: “EDFAs have fuelled the explosive growth of the internet due to their ability to amplify huge amounts of data. More than one billion Internet users now exchange over 2,000 Petabytes of data every month. Our lives today would be unimaginable without it”

The ZI is named after Professor Eric Ernest Zepler who founded the Department of Electronics and Computer Science at University College Southampton (now University of Southampton) in 1947: the first university Electronics Department in this country. Professor Zepler made an outstanding and pioneering contribution to radio receiver development as well as to the teaching of electronics. His family attended the launch.

The new Zepler Institute (ZI), launched in September,

is a unique multidisciplinary research centre that brings

together world-leading expertise in photonics, advanced

materials, quantum technologies and nanoscience.

From glass to Google

Vint Cerf, Google’s Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist joined researchers from the ZI and Director Professor Sir David Payne as a VIP speaker in the day’s special programme of talks and lectures.

Opening the event, leading academics from the Institute’s core research groups showcased highlights from the entire spectrum of ZI research; from fundamental physics to providing solutions to real world problems in healthcare, manufacturing, communications, defence, renewable energy and the environment.

Vint, who is considered one of the ‘fathers’ of the Internet, was introduced by web pioneer Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Dean of Physical Sciences and Engineering. His lecture, ‘The Unfolding of the Internet’ documented the rapid evolution of telecommunications infrastructure and was followed by Professor Payne who presented ‘50 Years of Photonics at the University of Southampton’ to mark the launch and his recent knighthood for services to photonics.

To download presentations from the day and to find out more, visit www.zeplerinstitute.com/launch.


Hosted by the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Photonics at the University of Southampton, the site was launched to coincide with Horizon 2020 where the EU Commission is announcing calls for photonics research projects.

UK Photonics.org is a knowledge-driven portal that makes use of semantic web technologies to draw together the breadth of UK photonics research capability including: organisations, techniques, people and equipment, to facilitate collaboration in this growing industry.

The site works by collating information from a host of sources including universities and industry sites such as the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC). Data on the site is dynamic and is automatically refreshed from source. The fl exible nature of the underlying technology allows for the easy integration of additional data sources and portal content will be continually enriched with on-going collaboration.

The UK’s photonics industrial sector is worth £10.5bn to the UK economy and employs some 70,000 people in over 1500 companies. Comprising a majority of SME’s, many companies have neither the fi nancial resources nor knowledge about how to access the incredible capability and facilities available in, among other places, many UK universities. The new portal aims to address

this by making the search and selection of the UK’s world-class photonics sector much more accessible.

The site details a vast array of state-of-the-art equipment and expertise within the UK that organisations can exploit to help them design, develop and test technologies that will keep the UK at the vanguard of the global photonics industry.

Dr Gilberto Brambilla, Director for the EPSRC Centre based in Southampton, said:

“This national photonics gateway is the fi rst port of call for anyone who has a question concerning photonics in the UK.

“The site will enable users to match their requirements to expertise or capabilities off ered by UK photonics organisations: we’ve drawn together the best sources and made this information accessible. It’s the perfect starting point to fi nding your next collaboration opportunity.”

Susan Peacock, EPSRC Information and Communications Technologies ICT Portfolio Manager, said: “This site is important as it will give UK companies and research prominence across Europe. Photonics is central to many modern day technologies and is a sector that is continuing to grow, with new applications emerging that off er solutions to many global societal challenges, including medical technologies for health, and security.”

Visit the portal at www.ukphotonics.org.

New national photonics

portal launches A new national web portal for photonics has been launched

in December with a key aim of mapping the UK’s activity

in the sector so that industry and academia can discover

resources and collaborators more easily than ever before.


Finding collaborative partners and specialist capability in the UK’s photonics sector just got easier


Celebrating the achievements of ORC students

Student success

ORC student awarded Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship

ORC student, Amol Choudhary, has been awarded a 2013 Scholarship by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics for his potential contributions to the field of optics, photonics, or related field.

Amol is a third year PhD student in the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton (UK) working on the development of multi-GHz mode-locked waveguide lasers for applications in optical frequency metrology and bio-photonics.

In 2008, he received an Erasmus Mundus scholarship to pursue MSc in Photonics from Gent University and Vrije University in Belgium and University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He completed his B.Eng in Electronics and Communications from the Delhi College of Engineering, University of Delhi, India where he was also the president of the SPIE student chapter in 2007.

“This SPIE scholarship is a great honour and will be beneficial for my current research at the Optoelectronics Research Centre” says Amol.

Amol is one of 139 outstanding individuals awarded a total of $351,000 in scholarships this year. Each scholarship is awarded based on its potential contribution to optics and

photonics, or a related discipline.

Professor David Shepherd, Director of Physical Sciences and Engineering’s Graduate School, adds: “I am very pleased to see Amol’s hard work and undoubted potential recognised in this way and I’m sure that this award will be of great benefit to his future research career.”

Award-winning applicants were evaluated, selected and approved by the SPIE Scholarship Committee, chaired by SPIE volunteer Kevin Leonard.

To date SPIE has distributed over $3.5 million dollars in individual scholarships. This ambitious effort reflects the Society’s commitment to education and to the next generation of optical scientists and engineers around the world. SPIE scholarships are open to full- and part-time students studying anywhere in the world. All scholarship applications are judged on their own merit based on the experience and education level of the individual student.

Limin received the Young Scientist Award at the 3rd International Conference on Optofluidics 2013, in Hong Kong, for his invited presentation Optofluidics in Photonics Crystal Fibres. The award is sponsored by scientific publisher Springer and online scientific community Lab-on-a-Chip.

Limin’s supervisor Dr Anna Peacock said: “The simplicity and flexibility of the all-fibre microcells that Limin has developed will open up new explorations in nonlinear optofluidic interactions. I am thrilled to see his hard work being rewarded and we hope to see continued success in this emerging research area.”

Limin’s work builds on the ORC’s long successful history in fibre optics. He said: “The first successful optofluidic optical fibre experiment was carried out by ORC Director Professor Sir David Payne at Southampton in 1972. We hope our work will continue to make the ORC a pioneer in optofluidic fibre optics.”

ORC post-doctoral research fellow Limin Xiao has been recognised for his outstanding research with an international award.

Young Scientist award for ORC research fellow


PhD students, Bruce Ou and Milos Nedeljkovic from the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton, have been selected to attend the prestigious Global Young Scientists Summit organised by the Singapore National Research Foundation.

Bruce and Milos are among five students selected from across the University to attend the conference.

“We’re proud to have them representing the Optoelectronics Research Centre, and to have their work recognised by this selection” said Goran Mashanovich, Milos’ supervisor.

Milos said: “I’m greatly looking forward to learning from such eminent scientists from a wide array of fields, and I’m excited to have the chance to visit some of Singapore’s world class research centres.”

Bruce added: “It is my great honour to attend this world class summit and I am grateful to my supervisor Professor Nikolay Zheludev for nominating me.”

The Global Young Scientists Summit is a gathering of young researchers (primarily PhD students and post-docs) from all over the world, with internationally eminent science and technology leaders (‘speakers’) in Singapore.

Taking place on the 19th-24th January 2014, the multi-disciplinary summit will discuss the latest advances in science and technology – specifically; chemistry, physics and medicine to mathematics, computer science and engineering, and how research may be harnessed to address major global challenges.

Invited speakers are globally recognised scientific leaders, who are recipients of awards such as; the Fields Medal, Millennium Technology Prize, Nobel Prize, and Turing Award.

“It is fantastic that two of our PhD students have been selected to attend such a prestigious event and is a reflection of the high quality of research produced by our students at the ORC.

“We look forward to sharing their knowledge and discoveries with them on their return from the conference.”

Global science summit student participants selected.


PhD student Ioannis Katis applies the dye to the paper-based sensor


Senior Research Fellow Dr Collin Sones and Professor Rob Eason are working with colleagues from Medicine and the Institute of Life Sciences – Dr Spiros Garbis, Professor Peter Smith and Professor Saul Faust - to develop laser-printed paper-based sensors that can be used to detect biomarkers in cancer patients and see how they are responding to their chemotherapy treatment.

The team has been awarded over £230,000 EPSRC funding to explore whether Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) printing of biological materials can be used to develop the sensor device on paper.

The research aims to develop paper-based sensors that are robust, inexpensive, user-friendly, disposable, and easy to deliver wherever the patient might be.

These sensors would be telemedicine-enabled allowing transfer of valuable clinical diagnostic information between patients and their care team through the use of mobile phones. These personalised tests will be possible while maintaining security and anonymity of their results through laser-printed 2D bar codes of biological material that change colour depending on the result.

Collin said: “The funding is recognition of the impact laser-printed, paper-based biosensors will be able to make towards saving human lives by making possible rapid, remote and real-time diagnosis of many targeted diseases. The paper-based sensors would

enable diagnosis at an early stage, from a patient’s bedside in the comfort of their own home, without the need for either specialised equipment or trained medical personnel.

“This research is a very important step for the ORC. It is a completely new area for us and is the beginning of our collaborative cross-disciplinary work with our colleagues in Medicine and the Institute of Life Sciences. Once we prove that laser printing works, and we can develop a paper-based sensor, then this has the potential to revolutionise medical treatment as the technology can be used to make devices for a whole range of other conditions.”

The biomarkers for breast cancer have already been identified and validated in a pilot study by academics in Medicine and the Institute of Life Sciences. These are now being used to study the response of patients receiving chemotherapy.

If successful, these paper-based sensors would prove invaluable in rapidly testing for detection and diagnosis of conditions including cancer and infectious diseases such as influenza, HIV and tuberculosis. They would allow the rapid testing for these conditions in a safe, inexpensive and flexible way that would have enormous benefits in time, cost and improvement of patient care.

The team are now looking for industry partners to commercialise this innovative new technology.

New optical sensing research

could lead to faster detection

of cancer markersPioneering research by the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) that

could transform the care of cancer patients or people with infections in their

own homes has received a significant grant from the Engineering and Physical

Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).


Latest developments - people places events

The awards recognise an outstanding level of achievement, commitment and dedication within the categories of scientifi c publication, public engagement, managing staff , teaching, proposal writing and knowledge transfer and commercialisation.

Dr Ben Mills from the Optoelectronics Research Centre was recognised in the category of managing staff , for his research output and lab management skills. Ben is the manager of the Femtosecond Applications of Science and Technology (FAST) lab, a multi-user facility where a variety of ultrafast laser experiments are performed:

“I am really pleased to receive this award in recognition of my achievements as the manager of the FAST lab facility,” says Ben.

“It has involved striking a careful balance between running the facility, seeking out and partaking in cross-disciplinary projects, and conducting my own independent research. I would like to thank the Faculty and my line manager, Professor Rob Eason, for giving me the opportunity to work at the forefront of ultrafast laser science, and more specifi cally, laser machining using digital multi-mirror device technology.”

Dr Senthil Ganapathy won his award for teaching and for his major contribution to the new course on Photonic Materials in the ORC’s new MSc in Photonic Technologies.

The full list of winners from the ORC is:

Scientifi c research and publication

– Dr Alexander Heidt (ORC)

– Dr David Thomson (ORC)

Managing staff

– Dr Ben Mills (ORC)

Teaching

– Dr Senthil Ganapathy (ORC)

Knowledge transfer and commercialisation

– Dr Corin Gawith (ORC)

This is the fi rst Dean’s Awards to take place in the University and it will now become an annual event.

The award categories and the idea for the awards themselves resulted from the University becoming a signatory of the Concordat, which supports the careers of early career researchers.

The awards were presented by the Dean of FPSE, Professor Dame Wendy Hall.

ORC staff recognised for outstanding contribution

Six academic members from

the ORC at Southampton

have been recognised at

the Physical Sciences and

Engineering Dean’s Awards

for Early Career Researchers

reception.

News in brief

Dr Ben Mills receives his award from Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering


Professor David Richardson and Dr Radan Slavik along with collaborative partners, Dr Shu Namiki, Research Director at AIST, Japan’s National Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and Professor Toshihiko Hirooka of Tohoku University, were congratulated on co-organising this year’s Post European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) workshop in September.

Hosted jointly by the EPSRC Funded Photonics Hyperhighway programme and Japanese Programme, Victories, the workshop brought together world-leading researchers in the fi eld of optical communications. Key speakers included: Professor Nakazawa from the Research Institute of Electrical Communication at Tohoku University, Japan and Professor Leuthold, head of the Institute of Electromagnetic Fields (IFH) at ETH, Switzerland.

The workshop was opened by Professor Sir David Payne and Dr Shu Namiki and attended by some 60 delegates.

Dave Richardson said: “Our Japanese colleagues organise a similar workshop every year following the ECOC conference, which is one of the most signifi cant events of the year in the fi eld of Optical Communications. ECOC was held in London in 2013 and we were honoured that our Japanese colleagues selected Southampton out of the many possible options within the UK for their meeting

– highlighting the international reputation of the ORC and our longstanding friendly relations with the Japanese photonics community.”

“We received very positive feedback from the attendees and our staff and students very much enjoyed the opportunity to talk with our visitors and to showcase their research and facilities. We hope that this may lead to future opportunities to collaborate and work together”, concluded Radan Slavik.

Post ECOC Workshop Success

Electrical signals dictate optical properties

ORC have created a metamaterial with optical properties that can be controlled by electric signals.

Photonic metamaterials are artifi cial materials created by precise and extremely fi ne structuring of conventional media using nanotechnology. They off er numerous new applications from cloaking to radically improved solar cells. However, the properties of metamaterials are usually fi xed.

Dr Eric Plum, Research Lecturer at the ORC, explained: “We have found a fast and reliable way of coordinating the motion of

thousands of metamaterial building blocks. We shift them by distances a thousand times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. These minute rearrangements are suffi cient to radically change the transmission and refl ection characteristics of the metamaterial. We do this by engaging the same force that sticks a small piece of paper to a comb after brushing. In essence we dictate the movement of metamaterial building blocks with electrical signals, and we can do this very fast.”

Southampton’s Centre for Photonic Metamaterials is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and is at the forefront of this development. Director, Professor Nikolay Zheludev said: “Thanks to nanotechnology we need not depend only on natural materials; we can now engineer optical properties and change them at will. Light-enabled technologies are vital to the twenty-fi rst century, and photonic metamaterials will have a broad impact”.

This work is now published in Nature Nanotechnology. To read the full article visit: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NNANO.2013.25

ORC database number 5741 J. Y. Ou, E. Plum, J. Zhang and N. I. Zheludev An electromechanically reconfi gurable plasmonic metamaterial operating in the near-infrared Nature Nanotechnology (2013)

Electromechanically reconfi gurable photonic metamaterial


Latest developments - people places events

News in brief

The conference, held November 12th, was associated with a large EPSRC grant entitled “UK Silicon Photonics” (UKSP), led by Graham at Southampton and based around a consortium including the Universities of St Andrews, Leeds, Warwick, Heriot Watt and McMaster (Canada), as well as industry partner PLX. Key speakers included Professor Lionel Kimerling from MIT, Professor Roel Baets from Gent, Professor Mike Wale from Oclaro, Mark Thomson from Bristol and Professor David Richardson of the ORC, as well as consortium speakers. The conference was attended by some 120 delegates from high profile academic and industry partners and hailed a great success.

Graham said: “I have been inundated by positive comments about the event. We had an excellent set of presentations from renowned international experts, as well as an opportunity to showcase some of the results of the UKSP project, and to show the delegates working silicon photonics devices and a high speed silicon photonics transmission link in our laboratories.

“Moving my group to Southampton has enabled us to be extremely productive because we have excellent fabrication facilities on site, and this was key in enabling us to achieve so much within the project.”

Graham Reed was recently awarded the Crompton Medal for Energy at this year’s IET Achievement Awards. His pioneering research spans over a 25 year period and he is responsible for initiating research in the field of Silicon Photonics within the UK.

Silicon first for Southampton

Professor Graham Reed

and his team at the ORC

have hosted the first Silicon

Photonics conference at the

University of Southampton by

the group since their move to

Southampton in 2012.


Over several days at two of the UK’s largest public science, engineering and technology fairs, Kevin MacDonald, Eric Plum, Jianfa Zhang, Tapashree Roy, Oleksandr Buchnev, João Valente and Tim Raybould shared their excitement about novel artifi cial materials and science in general with hundreds of children - the UK’s prospective scientists and engineers of the future.

Part of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s (EPSRC) Advanced Materials exhibit, our metamaterials research shared the spotlight with work on graphene and gallium nitride (presented by colleagues from the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge).

The recent surge in interest in science nationally, has seen an increase in applications to physics courses of more than 17%. Events such as the Big Bang Fair and Cheltenham Science Festival – combined with outreach activity at schools and increased media

interest in the advances that science and engineering bring, are fuelling the demand.

Similarly, metamaterials research has grown very rapidly over the past decade. Seen as an enabling technology of the future, Southampton’s Centre for Photonic Metamaterials is at the forefront of this development, with thanks to continued support from the EPSRC.

Research Manager Dr Kevin MacDonald said: “With the control and application of light central to so many current and emerging technologies, metamaterials providing optical properties beyond those of natural media will have a broad impact in the 21st century. The Big Bang Fair and Cheltenham Festival have been fantastic opportunities to engage with the general public and in particular with the next generation of scientists and engineers.”

ORC researchers from the Nanophotonics and Metamaterials group

have been introducing school children, teachers and parents to their

cutting edge research in the area of photonic metamaterials at the Big

Bang Fair and the Cheltenham Science Festival.

Metamaterials outreach goes with a bang


Leadership perspectives.The interview


Light Times speaks with Professor

David Richardson, Deputy Director

of the Optoelectronics Research

Centre (ORC) about his role and how

he became interested in photonics.

Q You joined the Optoelectronics Research Centre in 1989 – what drew you specifi cally into photonics?

I was previously working in the fi eld of fundamental physics; on precise tests of time reversal symmetry with neutrons and on topological phase in quantum mechanics - fascinating science but a little far removed from the everyday day life of most of us. Around the same time measurements of topological phase were also being undertaken in optical fi bres. This piqued my interest in photonics and after deliberation I decided on a change in fi eld and took a postdoctoral position here at Southampton. I was either the fi rst or second recruit to the ORC and I have remained here ever since. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have made the switch as it has allowed me freedom to evolve my research and has enabled me to engage with a very wide range of application areas, which always keep life interesting.

Q Tell us a little about your role in the ORC.

I am a Deputy Director of the ORC, a role I have held for the past 14 years. Managing the ORC has not been without its challenges, not least due to the Mountbatten Building fi re in 2005 and the changing funding landscape. Despite these challenges it is very pleasing to see the ORC setting the photonics research agenda on so many fronts. In terms of my own immediate research activities, I run groups working on optical fi bre communications, high power fi bre lasers and microstructured fi bre technology. Given these diverse activities my attention might turn on a given day from understanding glass fl ow and properties on the nanoscale, through the design and fabrication of radically new fi bre types, to the realisation of ever more powerful and functional lasers for industrial materials processing - life is certainly never short of problems to work on! A lot of my eff ort at


present is focussed on developing novel optical communications devices and networks capable of transporting and processing unprecedented volumes of data traffi c.

Q You are technical coordinator for a major EU funded project, Mode-Gap, what is the aim of the project?

Mode-Gap is a hugely ambitious project focussed on developing radically new forms of fi bre technology capable of supporting 100x the data carrying capacity of current single-mode fi bre systems, which have now been optimised in the laboratory to operate at close to the fundamental information theory limit (nonlinear Shannon limit) of around 100 Terabit/s (1014 bit/s). The highest capacity commercial systems now being installed can operate at 10 Terabit/s and the ~30-40% growth in annual data traffi c is such that there is fear of a so called “capacity crunch” in ~5-10 years that will constrain future growth of the internet. In the face of this concern, Mode-Gap proposes to develop multimode transmission techniques for long-haul communications that allow multiple simultaneous independent data pathways through the fi bre rather than the single path used to date. Moreover, in the ultimate embodiment, it proposes to use hollow core, photonic bandgap fi bre (HC-PBGF) rather than solid silica fi bres to transmit the signals, since propagating the signal in air eliminates the nonlinearity which limits data transfer in solid fi bres, and off ers the potential for lower signal attenuation. Fortunately the EU bought into our vision despite it being so radical at the time of submission, and we have been hard at work with our partners to realise the project goals for the past three years. We have made excellent progress with many of the key principles and objectives already demonstrated. Twelve months of the project remain to reduce the fi bre losses and to demonstrate the ultimate scalability of the approach.

Q You’ve had recent success at both the Optical Fibre Communications (OFC) and European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) Post-deadline Sessions – what papers did you present?

In our fi eld, the Post-deadline Sessions at OFC and ECOC provide the focus for presenting the

latest advances in Optical Communications. Getting papers accepted for presentation in these sessions is hugely competitive, with the bulk of papers presented by the largest and best-funded industrial labs (e.g. Alcatel Lucent Bell Labs (USA), NTT (Japan), NEC (USA) etc.). We have done exceptionally well for a University in these sessions over the years, but probably never quite as well as in the last couple of years due to our work in Mode-Gap. For example, at ECOC 2012 we authored/co-authored 3 papers (~10% of the presentations). These included a world record data capacity (73Tbit/s) over an amplifi ed multimode transmission line (with Coriant), the fi rst demonstration of amplifi ed data transmission at 2000nm in a HC-PBGF, and the fi rst demonstration of a Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) transmission system at 2000nm (a potential new broadband, low-loss transmission window for optical communications). At OFC 2013 we had 2 further post deadline papers - the fi rst demonstrating multimode transmission in a PBGF and the second a new method to generate high spectral effi ciency coded signals. These papers all represented key milestones in the realisation of the ultimate Mode-Gap project goal of demonstrating a route to x100 the data carrying capacity of single mode fi bre systems.

Q What’s next?

In the short term, we will be concentrating on developing new technologies for ultrahigh capacity optical communication systems operating at the Petabit/s level and working closely with various partners both within industry and academia to maximise the reach and impact of our work. Coinciding with this, we will be looking to advance our high power laser research both in terms of performance and the range of applications that we apply it to – especially to the medical/health care sectors. We are also part of a growing and increasingly strong consortium (ICAN), looking to combine the output of up to a million pulsed fi bre lasers into a single beam as a means to build a new generation of particle accelerators beyond the Large Hadron Collider. As far as ambitious projects are concerned this makes Mode-Gap look like a stroll in the park.


The Integrated Disruptive Components for two micron Fibre Lasers (ISLA) project has received €2.9m funding from the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme to develop the fi bre and component technology for high power two-micron fi bre lasers opening up the prospect of whole new areas of laser applications.

Currently state-of-the-art one micron fi bre lasers have had a tremendous impact on many areas of laser technology from cutting steel to medical and sensing applications. However, the upper limits of one micron lasers are fast being reached as the extreme optical intensity in the fi bre core approaches the fundamental limits of the glass.

The ISLA project will develop high power fi bre lasers operating in the two micron wavelength band allowing the fi bre core size to be increased leading to the possibility of a huge increase in laser power before the fundamental limits are reached.

They believe that two micron fi bre lasers will off er a clear route to higher power with excellent beam quality. Moreover, these lasers can be built using established silica fi bre technology.

“There are many potential advantages to two micron radiation,” said Professor Andy Clarkson, of the ORC.

– The maximum permissible exposure for the human eye is many times greater for two micron compared to one micron laser radiation reducing the need for expensive safety measures in the industrial environment.

– Cutting and processing transparent plastics is greatly improved as they absorb two micron radiation better than one micron.

– Many bio-medical applications including laser scalpels, glaucoma treatment and skin wrinkle reduction are being investigated.

The ORC is working with Trinity College, Dublin; Oclaro, in Switzerland; Rofi n-Sinar Laser, in Germany; Time-Bandwidth Products, in Switzerland; and Vivid Components, in Germany. The project is led by Gooch and Housego, in Torquay, UK and is due to run until the end of September 2014.

The project has also set up an ISLA Advisory Group (IAG) that aims to build relations between organisations with an interest in two micron lasers. Already the IAG has attracted signifi cant attention from more than 50 organisations showing the growing commercial and academic interest in the development of two micron

Vision of the future.The Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) is part of an

international consortium investigating the development of

two micron fi bre lasers.


Coined as the ‘Superman’ memory crystal’, as the glass memory has been compared to the “memory crystals” used in the Superman fi lms, the data is recorded via self-assembled nanostructures created in fused quartz, which is able to store vast quantities of data for over a million years. The information encoding is realised in fi ve dimensions: the size and orientation in addition to the three dimensional position of these nanostructures.

A 300 kb digital copy of a text fi le was successfully recorded in 5D using an ultrafast laser, producing extremely short and intense pulses of light. The fi le is written in three layers of nanostructured dots separated by fi ve micrometres (one millionth of a metre).

The self-assembled nanostructures change the way light travels through glass, modifying polarisation of light that can then be read by the combination of an optical microscope and a polariser, similar to that found in Polaroid sunglasses. The research is led by Jingyu Zhang from the University’s Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) and conducted under a joint project with Eindhoven University of Technology.

“We are developing a very stable and safe form of portable memory using glass, which could be highly useful for organisations with big

archives. At the moment companies have to back up their archives every fi ve to ten years because hard-drive memory has a relatively short lifespan,” says Jingyu.

“Museums who want to preserve information or places like the national archives where they have huge numbers of documents, would really benefi t.”

The Physical Optics group from the ORC presented their ground-breaking paper at the photonics industry’s renowned Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO’13) in San Jose. The paper, ‘5D Data Storage by Ultrafast Laser Nano structuring in Glass’ was presented by the during CLEO’s prestigious post deadline session.

This work was done in the framework of EU project, Femtoprint.

Professor Peter Kazansky, the ORC’s group supervisor, adds: “It is thrilling to think that we have created the fi rst document which will likely survive any cataclysm that mankind might face. This technology can secure the last evidence of civilisation: all we’ve learnt will not be forgotten.”

The team are now looking for industry partners to commercialise this ground-breaking new technology.

Entering a new dimension.

5Data storage in glass Using nanostructured glass, scientists at the Southampton’s ORC have, for the

fi rst time, experimentally demonstrated the recording and retrieval processes

of fi ve dimensional digital data by femtosecond laser writing. The storage

allows unprecedented parameters including 360 TB/disc data capacity, thermal

stability up to 1000°C and practically unlimited lifetime.



ORC researchers create

high-capacity ‘speed of

light’ optical fi bre

By exploiting a characteristic of hollow-core optical

fi bres, researchers at the University of Southampton’s

Optoelectronic Research Centre claim to have

brought data transmission rates within touching

distance of the speed of light.


In recent years, fi bre optic cables have transformed the delivery of internet services due to their ability to transmit data over greater distances and at faster speeds than traditional copper wire.

In a new research paper published in the Journal ‘Nature Photonics’, researchers at the ORC reported that they have developed a hollow, air-fi lled fi bre that transmits light far quicker in the absence of material that previously slowed it down.

A conventional fi bre is made from two types of glass. At its centre lies a thin silica glass core that carries the light and is surrounded by a thicker layer of glass cladding, which is coated in polymer and then cabled for protection. Because the cladding has a lower refractive index than the core, light is continually refl ected back and forth in one direction down the core. This guidance mechanism, referred to as total internal refl ection, slows the light down and means it propagates at roughly 70 per cent of its full potential speed in a vacuum.

A hollow-core fi bre replaces the core and cladding with a single surround made of a fi ne mesh of struts made of silica glass, which confi nes the light in a hollow air-carrying region in the centre of the fi bre. This allows light to propagate 31 per cent faster than in a conventional fi bre, the researchers showed, and shortens the time it takes to travel from one end to another, known as latency.

“One way to increase the speed of the light in the fi bre is to ensure that it is propagating in air rather than glass,” explains Professor David Richardson, Deputy Director of the ORC.

“We’ve developed a fi bre where the light is confi ned by another guidance mechanism that results from light refl ection at the multiple air:glass interfaces within the fi bre cladding. This more complex mechanism, referred to as bandgap guidance, allows the light to be guided in an air rather than glass-core.”

The ORC is not the fi rst to have produced hollow-core fi bres. However, Professor Richardson says its researchers improved the characteristics of the fi bre allowing it to carry light over a range of wavelengths using multiple spatial patterns of light vibration known as modes.

“The structure of conventional fi bres typically only supports one fi bre mode. Hollow structures generally support multiple modes, and in our research we managed to demonstrate that by controlling the injection of the data signals into the fi bre, we could excite just a single mode, thereby readily allowing for high-fi delity data transmission.”

The researchers successfully demonstrated the fi rst high-capacity, low-latency data transmission experiment performed using a hollow-core fi bre. In this, they found that light propagated 31 per cent quicker than in a solid core fi bre, increasing from 70 per cent of its full speed in a vacuum to 99.7 per cent. To put this in context, this means that data


“We are optimistic that those loss

limits can be reduced to values

comparable with conventional fi bre,”

propagating in this fi bre would arrive 1.54 microseconds/per km earlier that it would in an equivalent length of conventional solid fi bre. Not only did the light almost travel at its fastest possible speed, but it did so with a very low loss of 3.5 dB per kilometre.

Exploiting more modes in a single fi bre strand, each a separate information channel, yielded even better results. Professor Richardson adds: “We have now launched independent data signals onto several modes of the fi bre. By using three modes we were able to increase the capacity threefold,” he says.

“We felt and feared that the hollow core structures wouldn’t support more modes without degrading signal quality, but by exploiting a few tricks borrowed from wireless communications this proved not to be the case.”

Researchers at the ORC, who were supported with funding both from the European Union MODEGAP project and the UK Government’s Photonics HyperHighway project to carry out the work, will now continue to push loss limits down further.

“We are optimistic that those loss limits can be reduced to values comparable with

conventional fi bre,” Professor Richardson adds. “If theory is believable, then we should be able to get them even lower than that, which would be signifi cant.” Eventually, the technology could see commercial adoption in a range of sectors.

For traders, the low latency aff orded by the hollow-core fi bre would prove valuable in the race to get information fi rst. Next-generation number-crunching super computers in data centres, too, could benefi t from the combination of low latency and faster data transmission rates, which Richardson says reached up to 73.7 Terabits per second during tests carried out with Nokia Siemens in a German test lab earlier this year.

“For the technology to be adopted commercially, many issues still need resolving, such as how you reliably splice the fi bres together and terminate the ends of the fi bres to stop moisture getting into the holes and producing such fi bres in high volume,” explains Professor Richardson. “At this stage, it’s still very early in the research phase and we’ve just proven that the cables can work over kilometre scale distances, not hundreds of kilometres.”


Awarded in recognition of his research breakthrough: “realising Petabit/s communications using multiple spatial modes in optical fibres”, David and his team hope the research will lead to a better understanding of the fundamental data carrying capacity of optical fibres in order to create faster, cheaper and more power efficient internet services.

“I am delighted to receive this award in recognition of my on-going research activities, David says, “This is an exciting period of time in optical fibre communications: the growth of internet traffic is such that there are fears that our global communication networks will begin to get congested in future years. Consequently,

innovation is now required to develop a new generation of optical fibre technology capable of keeping pace with the ever-increasing bandwidth demands. Southampton has played a major role in all previous key phases of fibre communications development and I intend to ensure that we play a central role this time around as well.”

Jointly funded by the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the scheme aims to provide universities with additional support to enable them to attract science talent from overseas and retain respected UK scientists of outstanding achievement and potential.

ORC director receives

Wolfson Merit AwardProfessor David Richardson, Deputy Director of the

Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), has been

awarded a prestigious Wolfson Research Merit Award by

the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science.

Image: Optical microscope image of a fabricated air-core fibre similar to those employed to transmit high capacity data at the speed of light in a vacuum.

Courtesy of R. Sandoghchi


Journal papers published from

January 2013- December 2013

“The ORC has a spectacular history of innovation -

our researchers publish about 200 journal papers per

year and enjoy tremendous academic success”

Professor David Payne

B.Gholipour, J.Zhang, K.F.MacDonald, D.W.Hewak, N.I.ZheludevAn all-optical non-volatile bi-directional phase-change meta-switchAdvanced Materials 2013 Vol.25(22) pp.3050-3054

M.Feinäugle, C.L.Sones, E.Koukharenko, B.Gholipour, D.W.Hewak, R.W.EasonLaser-induced forward transfer of intact chalcogenide thin films: resultant morphology and thermoelectric propertiesApplied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing 2013 Vol.112(4) pp.1073-1079

N.M.Bulgakova, V.P.Zhukov, Y.P.MeshcheryakovTheoretical treatments of ultrashort pulse laser processing of transparent materials: toward understanding the volume nanograting formation and ‘quill’ writing effectApplied Physics B 2013 pp.13

P.Wang, M.Ding, T.Lee, G.S.Murugan, L.Bo, Y.Semenova, Q.Wu, D.W.Hewak, G.Brambilla, G.FarrellPackaged chalcogenide microsphere resonator with high Q-factorApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102 pp.131110

M.Ding, M.N.Zervas, G.BrambillaTransverse excitation of plasmonic slot nano-resonators embedded in metal-coated plasmonic microfiber tipsApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102 pp.141110

M.A.Gouveia, T.Lee, R.Ismaeel, M.Ding, N.G.R.Broderick, C.M.B.Cordeiro, G.BrambillaSecond harmonic generation and enhancement in microfibers and loop resonatorsApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102 pp.201120

P.Wang, C.C.O’Mahony, T.Lee, R.Ismaeel, T.Hawkins, Y.Semenova, L.Bo, Q.Wu, C.McDonagh, G.Farrell, J.Ballato, G.BrambillaMid-infrared Raman sources using spontaneous Raman scattering in germanium core optical fibersApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102(1) pp.011111

D.Traviss, R.Bruck, B.Mills, M.Abb, O.L.MuskensUltrafast plasmonics using transparent conductive oxide hybrids in the epsilon near-zero regimeApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102(12) pp.121112

K.Debnath, F.Y.Gardes, A.P.Knights, G.T.Reed, T.F.Krauss, L.O’FaolainDielectric waveguide vertically coupled to all-silicon photodiodes operating at telecommunication wavelengthsApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102(17) pp.171106

Y.Hu, F.Y.Gardes, D.J.Thomson, G.Z.Mashanovich, G.T.ReedCoarse wavelength division (de)multiplexer using an interleaved angled multimode interferometer structureApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102(25) pp.251116

E.T.F.Rogers, S.Savo, J.Lindberg, T.Roy, M.R.Dennis, N.I.ZheludevSuper-oscillatory optical needleApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.102(3) pp.031108

O.Buchnev, J.Wallauer, M.Walther, M.Kaczmarek, N.I.ZheludevControlling intensity and phase of terahertz radiation with an optically thin liquid crystal-loaded metamaterialApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.103 pp.141904

J.McCarthy, H.Bookey, S.Beecher, R.Lamb, I.Elder, A.K.KarSpecially tailored mid-infrared super-continuum generation in a buried waveguide spanning 1750 nm to 5000 nm for atmospheric transmissionApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.103 pp.151103

G.Lepert, E.A.Hinds, H.L.Rogers, J.C.Gates, P.G.R.SmithElementary array of Fabry-Perot waveguide resonators with tunable couplingApplied Physics Letters 2013 Vol.103(11) pp.111112

G.Y.Chen, G.Brambilla, T.P.NewsonBirefringence treatment of non-ideal optical microfibre coils for continuous Faraday rotationElectronics Letters 2013 Vol.49(11) pp.714-715

C.Sima, J.C.Gates, M.N.Zervas, P.G.R.SmithReview of photonic Hilbert transformersFrontiers of Optoelectronics 2013

C.R.Head, H.Y.Chan, J.S.Feehan, D.P.Shepherd, S.U.Alam, A.C.Tropper, J.H.V.Price, K.G.WilcoxSupercontinuum generation with gigahertz repetition rate femtosecond-pulse fiber-amplified VECSELsIEEE Photonic Technology Letters 2013 Vol.25(5) pp.464-467

X.Yang, D.J.Richardson, P.PetropoulosA broadband flat frequency comb generated using pulse shaping-assisted nonlinear spectral broadeningIEEE Photonic Technology Letters 2013 Vol.25(6) pp.543-545

E.Jaberansary, T.M.Ben Masaud, M.Nedeljkovic, M.Milosevic, G.Z.Mashanovich, H.M.H.ChongScattering loss estimation using 2D Fourier analysis and modelling of sidewall roughness on optical waveguidesIEEE Photonics Journal 2013 Vol.5(3) pp.6601010

D.Hillerkuss, T.Schellinger, M.Jordan, C.Weimann, F.Parmigiani, B.Resan, K.Weingarten, S.Ben-Ezra, B.Nebendahl, C.Koos, W.Freude, J.LeutholdHigh-quality optical frequency comb by spectral slicing of spectra broadened by SPMIEEE Photonics Journal 2013 Vol.5(5) pp.7201011

P.Wang, G.Brambilla, M.Ding, T.Lee, L.Bo, Y.Semenova, Q.Wu, G.FarellEnhanced refractometer based on periodically tapered small core singlemode fiberIEEE Sensors Journal 2013 Vol.13(1) pp.180-185


D.J.Rowe, A.Porch, D.A.Barrow, C.J.AllenderMicrofluidic Microwave Sensor for Simultaneous Dielectric and Magnetic CharacterizationIEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 2013 Vol.61(1) pp.234-243

H.N.Rutt, J.SzelcNear-Field THz Imaging and Spectroscopy Using a Multiple Subwavelength Aperture ModulatorIEEE Transactions on Terahertz science and technology 2013 Vol.3(2) pp.165-171

D.S.Wu, R.Slavík, G.Marra, D.J.RichardsonDirect selection and amplification of individual narrowly spaced optical comb modes via injection locking: design and characterizationIEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology 2013 Vol.31(14) pp.2287-2295

C.Baskiotis, Y.Quiquempois, M.Douay, P.SillardLeakage loss analytical formulas for large-core low-refractive-index-contrast Bragg fibersJOSA B 2013 Vol.30(7) pp.1945-1953

K.Pradeesh, K.N.Rao, G.V.PrakashSynthesis, structural, thermal and optical studies of inorganic-organic hybrid semiconductors, R-PbI4Journal of Applied Physics 2013 Vol.113(8) pp.83523

C.Y.J.Ying, G.J.Daniell, H.Steigerwald, E.Soergel, S.MailisPyroelectric field assisted ion migration induced by ultraviolet laser irradiation and its impact on ferroelectric domain inversion in lithium niobate crystalsJournal of Applied Physics 2013 Vol.114 pp.083101

Y.Liao, E.Austin, P.J.Nash, S.A.Kingsley, D.J.RichardsonPhase sensitivity characterization in fiber-optic sensor systems using amplifiers and TDMJournal of Lightwave Technology 2013 Vol.31(10) pp.1645-1653

M.Ding, G.Brambilla, M.N.ZervasPlasmonic slot nano-resonators embedded in metal-coated plasmonic microfibersJournal of Lightwave Technology 2013 Vol.31(18) pp.3093-3103

Y.Liao, E.A.Austin, P.J.Nash, S.A.Kingsley, D.J.RichardsonHighly scalable amplified hybrid TDM/DWDM array architecture for interferometric fiber-optic sensor systemsJournal of Lightwave Technology 2013 Vol.31(6) pp.882-888

B.Mills, M.Feinäugle, N.Rizvi, R.W.EasonSub-micron-scale femtosecond laser ablation using a digital micromirror deviceJournal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 2013 Vol.23 pp.035005 Online at: stacks.iop.org/JMM/23/035005

S.-J.Qiu, F.Zhou, X.Feng, F.Xu, Y-Q.LuLead silicate fiber-based refractive index-independent temperature sensorJournal of Modern Optics 2013 Vol.60(10) pp.851-853

A.D.Parsons, R.T.Chapman, P.Baksh, B.Mills, S.Bajt, W.S.Brocklesby, J.G.FreyUltra-broadband support determination for extreme ultraviolet coherent diffractive imaging from a high harmonic sourceJournal of Optics 2013 Vol.15 pp.094009

K.Hammani, S.Boscolo, C.FinotPulse transition to similaritons in normally dispersive fibre amplifiersJournal of Optics 2013 Vol.15(2) pp.25202

T.Roy, A.E.Nikolaenko, E.T.F.RogersA meta-diffraction-grating for visible lightJournal of Optics 2013 Vol.15(8) pp.085101

E.T.F.Rogers, N.I.ZheludevOptical super-oscillations: Sub-wavelength light focusing and super-resolution imagingJournal of Optics 2013 Vol.15(9) pp.094008

L.G.Carpenter, H.L.Rogers, P.A.Cooper, C.Holmes, J.C.Gates, P.G.R.SmithLow optical-loss facet preparation for silica-on-silicon photonics using the ductile dicing regimeJournal of Physics D: Applied Physics 2013 Vol.46 pp.475103

A.Choudhary, J.Cugat, K.Pradeesh, R.Solé, F.Díaz, M.Aguiló, H.M.H.Chong, D.P.ShepherdSingle-mode rib waveguides in (Yb,Nb):RbTiOPO4 by reactive ion etchingJournal of Physics D: Applied Physics 2013 Vol.46(145108)

A.A.Reddy, A.Goel, D.U.Tulyaganov, S.Kapoor, K.Pradeesh, M.J.Pascual, J.M.F.FerreiraStudy of calcium-magnesium-aluminum-silicate (CMAS) glass and glass-ceramic sealant for solid oxide fuel cellsJournal of Power Sources 2013 Vol.231 pp.203-212

M.Schlösser, T.M.James, S.Fischer, R.J.Lewis, B.Bornschein, H.H.TelleEvaluation method for Raman depolarization measurements including geometrical effects and polarization aberrationsJournal of Raman Spectroscopy 2013 Vol.44(3) pp.453-462

M.Feinäugle, C.L.Sones, E.Koukharenko, R.W.EasonFabrication of a thermoelectric generator on a polymer-coated substrate via laser-induced forward transfer of chalcogenide thin filmsJournal of Smart Materials and Structures 2013 Vol.22(11) pp.115023

T.Lee, N.G.R.Broderick, G.BrambillaResonantly enhanced third harmonic generation in microfiber loop resonatorsJournal of the Optical Society of America B - Optical Physics 2013 Vol.30(3) pp.505-511

D.J.Thomson, F.Y.Gardes, D.C.Cox, J-M.Fedeli, G.Z.Mashanovich, G.T.ReedSelf-aligned silicon ring resonator optical modulator with focused ion beam error correctionJournal of the Optical Society of America B 2013 Vol.30(2) pp.445-449

S.Lee, L.A.Vazquez-Zuniga, D.Lee, H.Kim, J.K.Sahu, Y.JeongComparative experimental analysis of thermal characteristics of ytterbium-doped phosphosilicate and aluminosilicate fibersJournal of the Optical Society of Korea 2013 Vol.17(2) pp.182-187


A.C.Peacock, J.R.Sparks, N.HealySemiconductor optical fibres: progress and opportunities (Review)Laser & Photonics Reviews 2013 Wiley Online Library (Invited)

A.Choudhary, A.A.Lagatsky, Z.Y.Zhang, K.J.Zhou, Q.Wang, R.A.Hogg, K.Pradeesh, E.U.Rafailov, W.Sibbett, C.T.A.Brown, D.P.ShepherdDiode-pumped 1.5 micron waveguide laser mode-locked at 6.8GHz by a quantum dot SESAMLaser Physics Letters 2013 Vol.10 pp.105803

J.Zhang, K.F.MacDonald, N.I.ZheludevNonlinear dielectric optomechanical metamaterialsLight: Science and Applications 2013 Vol.2 pp.e96

A.Masoudi, M.Belal, T.P.NewsonA distributed optical fibre dynamic strain sensor based on phase-OTDRMeasurement Science and Technology 2013 Vol.24(8) pp.085204

M.Liu, R.Chen, G.Adamo, K.F.MacDonald, E.J.Sie, T.C.Sum, N.I.Zheludev, H.Sun, H.J.FanTuning the influence of metal nanoparticles on ZnO photoluminescence by atomic-layer-deposited dielectric spacerNanophotonics 2013 Vol.2(2) pp.153-160

F.Poletti, M.N.Petrovich, D.J.R.RichardsonHollow-core photonic bandgap fibers: technology and applicationsNanophotonics 2013 Vol.2(5-6) pp.315-340 (Invited)

C.Grivas, C.Li, P.Andreakou, P.Wang, M.Ding, G.Brambilla, L.Manna, P.LagoudakisSingle-mode tunable laser emission in the single-exciton regime from colloidal nanocrystalsNature Communications 2013 Vol.4 pp.2376

H.Chen, B.Zheng, L.Shen, H.Wang, X.Zhang, N.I.Zheludev, B.ZhangRay-optics cloaking devices for large objects in incoherent natural lightNature Communications 2013 Vol.4 pp.2652

B.J.Metcalf, N.Thomas-Peter, J.B.Spring, D.Kundys, M.A.Broome, P.C.Humphreys, X.-M.Jin, M.Barbieri, W.S.Kolthammer, J.C.Gates, B.J.Smith, N.K.Langford, P.G.R.Smith, I.A.WalmsleyMultiphonon quantum interference in a multi-port integrated photonic deviceNature Communications 2013 Vol.4(Art.1356)

J.Y.Ou, E.Plum, J.Zhang, N.I.ZheludevAn electromechanically reconfigurable plasmonic metamaterial operating in the near-infraredNature Nanotechnology 2013 Vol.8(4) pp.252-255

G.Mourou, W.S.Brocklesby, T.Tajima, J.LimpertThe future is fibre acceleratorsNature Photonics 2013 Vol.7 pp.258-261

F.Poletti, N.V.Wheeler, M.N.Petrovich, N.Baddela, E.Numkam Fokoua, J.R.Hayes, D.R.Gray, Z.Li, R.Slavík, D.J.RichardsonTowards high-capacity fibre-optic communications at the speed of light in vacuumNature Photonics 2013 Vol.7(4) pp.279-284

D.J.Richardson, J.M.Fini, L.E.NelsonSpace-division multiplexing in optical fibresNature Photonics 2013 Vol.7(5) pp.354-362

N.Vukovic, N.Healy, F.H.Suhailin, P.Mehta, T.D.Day, J.V.Badding, A.C.PeacockUltrafast optical control using the Kerr nonlinearity in hydrogenated amorphous silicon microcylindrical resonatorsNature: Scientific Reports 2013 Vol.3 pp.2885

V.A.Fedotov, A.V.Rogacheva, V.Savinov, D.P.Tsai, N.I.ZheludevResonant transparency and non-trivial non-radiating excitations in toroidal metamaterialsNature: Scientific Reports 2013 Vol.3(2967)

J.A.Milton, S.Patole, H.Yin, Q.Xiao, T.Brown, T.MelvinEfficient self-assembly of DNA-functionalized fluorophores and gold nanoparticles with DNA functionalized silicon surfaces: the effect of oligomer spacersNucleic Acids Research 2013 Vol.41(7) pp.e80

G.Y.Chen, T.P.Newson, G.BrambillaOptical Microfibers for Fast Current SensingOptical Fiber Technology 2013 Vol.19(6B) pp.802-807 (Invited)

J.Cugat, A.Choudhary, R.Solé, J.Massons, D.P.Shepherd, F.Diaz, M.AguilóAr+ion milling rib waveguides on nonlinear optical Yb,Nb):RTP/RTP epitaxial layersOptical Materials Express 2013 Vol.3(11) pp.1912-1917

A.Sposito, T.C.May-Smith, G.B.G.Stenning, P.A.J.de Groot, R.W.EasonPulsed laser deposition of high-quality μm-thick YIG films on YAGOptical Materials Express 2013 Vol.3(5) pp.624-632

J.Grant-Jacob, B.Mills, M.Feinäugle, C.Sones, G.Oosterhuis, M.B.Hoppenbrouwers, R.W.EasonMicron-scale copper wires printed using femtosecond laser-induced transfer with automated donor replenishmentOptical Materials Express 2013 Vol.3(6) pp.747-754

G.Roelkens, U.Dave, A.Gassenq, N.Hattasan, C.Hu, B.Kuyken, F.Leo, A.Malik, M.Muneeb, E.Ryckeboer, S.Uvin, Z.Hens, R.Baets, M.Nedeljkovic, G.Mashanovich, L.Shen, N.Healy, A.C.Peacock, X.Liu, R.Osgood, W.GreenSilicon-based heterogeneous photonic integrated circuits for the mid-infraredOptical Materials Express 2013 Vol.3(9) pp.1523-1536

J.W.Kim, W.A.ClarksonSelective generation of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG0n) mode output in a diode-laser pumped Nd:YAG laserOptics Communications 2013 Vol.296 pp.109-112

V.J.Hernandez, C.V.Bennett, B.D.Moran, A.D.Drobshoff, D.Chang, C.Langrock, M.Fejer, M.Ibsen104 MHz rate single-shot recording with subpicosecond resolution using temporal imagingOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(1) pp.196-203

M.Muneeb, X.Chen, P.Verheyen, G.Lepage, S.Pathak, E.Ryckeboer, A.Malik, B.Kuyken, M.Nedeljkovic, J.Van Campenhout, G.Z.Mashanovich, G.RoelkensDemonstration of silicon-on-insulator mid-infrared spectrometers operating at 3.8μmOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(10) pp.11659-11669

J.W.Szela, K.A.Sloyan, T.L.Parsonage, J.I.Mackenzie, R.W.EasonLaser operation of a Tm:Y2O3 planar waveguide

Optics Express 2013 Vol.21(10) pp.12460-12468 L.Shen, N.Healy, P.Mehta, T.D.Day, J.R.Sparks, J.V.Badding, A.C.PeacockNonlinear transmission properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon core fibers towards the mid-infrared regimeOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(11) pp.13075-13082

B.Mills, J.A.Grant-Jacob, M.Feinäugle, R.W.EasonSingle-pulse multiphoton polymerisation of complex structures using a digital multimirror deviceOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(12) pp.14853-14858

C.Sima, J.C.Gates, H.L.Rogers, P.L.Mennea, C.Holmes, M.N.Zervas, P.G.R.SmithUltra-wide detuning planar Bragg grating fabrication technique based on direct UV grating writing with electro-optic phase modulationOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(13) pp.15747-15754

C.Guan, J.Shi, M.Ding, P.Wang, P.Hua, L.Yuan, G.BrambillaIn-line rainbow trapping based on plasmonic gratings in optical microfibersOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(14) pp.16552

K.Hammani, M.A.Ettabib, A.Bogris, A.Kapsalis, D.Syvridis, M.Brun, P.Labeye, S.Nicoletti, D.J.Richardson, P.PetropoulosOptical properties of silicon germanium waveguides at telecommunication wavelengthsOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(14) pp.16690-16701

X.Feng, J.Shi, M.Segura, N.M.White, K.Pradeesh, W.H.Loh, L.Calvez, X.Zhang, L.BrillandHalo-tellurite glass fiber with low OH content for 2-5μm mid-infrared nonlinear applicationsOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(16) pp.18949-18954


A.A.Lagatsky, A.Choudhary, K.Pradeesh, D.P.Shepherd, W.Sibbett, C.T.A.BrownFundamentally mode-locked femtosecond waveguide oscillators with multi-gigahertz repetition frequencies up to 15 GHzOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(17) pp.19608-19614

B.Calkins, P.L.Mennea, A.E.Lita, B.J.Metcalf, W.S.Kolthammer, A.Lamas-Linares, J.B.Spring, P.C.Humphreys, R.P.Mirin, J.C.Gates, P.G.R.Smith, I.A.Walmsley, T.Gerrits, S.W.NamHigh quantum-efficiency photon-number-resolving detector for photonic on-chip information processingOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(19) pp.22657-22670

D.Jain, C.Baskiotis, J.K.SahuMode-area scaling with multi-trench rod type fiberOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(2) pp.1448-1455

G.B.G.Stenning, G.J.Bowden, L.C.Maple, S.A.Gregory, A.Sposito, R.W.Eason, N.I.Zheludev, P.A.J.de GrootMagnetic control of a meta-moleculeOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(2) pp.1456-1464

O.Buchnev, J.Y.Ou, M.Kaczmarek, N.I.Zheludev, V.A.FedotovElectro-optical control in a plasmonic metamaterial hybridised with a liquid- crystal cellOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(2) pp.1633-1638

A.M.Heidt, J.H.V.Price, C.Baskiotis, J.S.Feehan, Z.Li, S.-U.Alam, D.J.RichardsonMid-infrared ZBLAN fiber supercontinuum source using picosecond diode-pumping at 2 micronsOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(20) pp.24281-24287

Y.Jung, R.Chen, R.Ismaeel, G.Brambilla, S.-U.Alam, I.P.Giles, D.J.RichardsonDual mode fused optical fiber couplers suitable for mode division multiplexed transmissionOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(20) pp.24326-24331

P.S.Teh, R.J.Lewis, S.-U.Alam, D.J.Richardson200W Diffraction limited single-polarization all-fiber picosecond MOPAOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(22) pp.25883-25889

Z.Li, A.M.Heidt, N.Simakov, Y.Jung, J.M.O.Daniel, S.-U.Alam, D.J.RichardsonDiode-pumped wideband thulium-doped fiber amplifiers for optical communications in the 1800-2050 nm windowOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(22) pp.26450-26455

D.Jain, C.Baskiotis, J.K.SahuBending performance of large mode area multi-trench fibersOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(22) pp.26663-26670

T.Huang, X.Shao, Z.Wu, T.Lee, Y.Sun, H.Q.Lam, J.Zhang, G.Brambilla, S.PingEfficient one-third harmonic generation in highly Germania-doped fibers enhanced by pump attenuationOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(23) pp.28403-28413

M.N.Petrovich, F.Poletti, J.P.Wooler, A.M.Heidt, N.K.Baddela, Z.Li, D.R.Gray, R.Slavík, F.Parmigiani, N.V.Wheeler, J.R.Hayes, E.Numkam, L.Grüner-Nielsen, B.Pálsdóttir, R.Phelan, B.Kelly, J.O’Carroll, P.Petropoulos, S.-U.Alam, D.J.RichardsonDemonstration of amplified data transmission at 2 microns in a low-loss wide bandwidth hollow core photonic bandgap fiberOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(23) pp.28559-28569

L.Xiao, N.V.Wheeler, N.Healy, A.C.PeacockIntegrated hollow-core fibers for nonlinear optofluidic applicationsOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(23) pp.28751-28757

J.M.O.Daniel, W.A.ClarksonRapid electronically controllable transverse mode selection in a multimode fiber laserOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(24) pp.29442-29448

V.A.J.M.Sleiffer, H.Chen, Y.Jung, P.Leoni, M.Kuschnerov, A.Simperler, H.Fabian, H.Schuh, F.Kub, D.J.R.Richardson, S.U.Alam, L.Grüner-Nielsen, Y.Sun, A.M.J.Koonen, H.de WaardtField demonstration of mode-division multiplexing upgrade scenarios on commercial networksOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(25) pp.31036-31046

C.Corbari, A.Champion, M.Gecevicius, M.Beresna, Y.Bellouard, P.G.KazanskyFemtosecond versus picosecond laser machining of nano-gratings and micro-channels in silica glassOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(4) pp.3946-3958

M.Gecevicius, M.Beresna, J.Zhang, W.Yang, H.Takebe, P.G.KazanskyExtraordinary anisotropy of ultrafast laser writing in glassOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(4) pp.3959-3968

X.M.Bendaña, G.Lozano, G.Pirruccio, J.G.Rivas, F.J.García de AbajoExcitation of confined modes on particle arraysOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(5) pp.5636-5642

T.Roy, E.T.F.Rogers, N.I.Zheludevsub-wavelength focusing meta-lensOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(6) pp.7577-7582

M.A.Hughes, R.M.Gwilliam, K.Homewood, B.Gholipour, D.W.Hewak, T.H.Lee, S.R.Elliott, T.Suzuki, Y.Ohishi, T.Kohoutek, R.J.CurryOn the analogy between photoluminescence and carrier-type reversal in Bi- and Pb-doped glassesOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(7) pp.8101-8115

Z.Li, A.M.Heidt, J.M.O.Daniel, Y.Jung, S.-U.Alam, D.J.RichardsonThulium-doped fiber amplifier for optical communications at 2 micronsOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(7) pp.9289-9297

Y.Jung, Q.Kang, V.A.J.M.Sleiffer, B.Inan, M.Kuschnerov, V.Veljanovski, B.Corbett, R.Winfield, Z.Li, P.S.Teh, A.Dhar, J.K.Sahu, F.Poletti, S.-U.Alam, D.J.RichardsonThree mode Er3+ ring-doped fiber amplifier for mode-division multiplexed transmissionOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(8) pp.10383-10392

M.Kulishov, B.Kress, R.SlavíkResonant cavities based on Parity-Time-symmetric diffractive gratingsOptics Express 2013 Vol.21(8) pp.9473-9483

A.M.Heidt, Z.Li, J.K.Sahu, P.C.Shardlow, M.Becker, M.Rothhardt, M.Ibsen, R.Phelan, B.Kelly, S.-U.Alam, D.J.Richardson100 kW peak power picosecond thulium-doped fiber amplifier system seeded by a gain-switched diode laser at 2 micronsOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(10) pp.1615-1617

A.Masoudi, M.Belal, T.P.NewsonDistributed dynamic large strain optical fiber sensor based on the detection of spontaneous Brillouin scatteringOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(17) pp.3312-3315

C.Sima, J.C.Gates, C.Holmes, P.L.Mennea, M.N.Zervas, P.G.R.SmithTerahertz bandwidth photonic Hilbert transformers based on synthesized planar Bragg grating fabricationOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(17) pp.3448-3451

P.Wang, L.Bo, C.Guan, Y.Semenova, Q.Wu, G.Brambilla, G.FarellLow-temperature sensitivity periodically tapered photonic crystal-fiber-based refractometerOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(19) pp.3795-3798

G.Hesketh, P.HorakReducing bit-error rate with optical phase regeneration in multilevel modulation formatsOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(24) pp.5357-5360

V.Shahraam Afshar, M.A.Lohe, T.Lee, T.M.Monro, N.G.R.BroderickEfficient third and one-third harmonic generation in nonlinear waveguidesOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(3) pp.329-331

S.Jain, T.C.May-Smith, A.Dhar, A.S.Webb, M.Belal, D.J.Richardson, J.K.Sahu, D.N.PayneErbium-doped multi-element fiber amplifier for space-division multiplexing operationsOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(4) pp.582-584

C.Sima, J.C.Gates, H.L.Rogers, P.L.Mennea, C.Holmes, M.N.Zervas, P.G.R.SmithPhase controlled integrated interferometric single-sideband filter based on planar Bragg gratings implementing photonic Hilbert transformOptics Letters 2013 Vol.38(5) pp.727-729


Work with us There is a long history of discovery and innovation at the ORC and we are well aware that collaborations with other organisations have been fundamental to our success.

We are always open to new and interesting collaborations where a combination of expertise is mutually beneficial.

If you are part of an academic or industrial research organisation with a national or international reputation, then we would be very interested in hearing from you.

The areas that we are currently working on can be fully explored through the research section of our website. However, we are also interested in exploring new areas, and not all of our most recent directions will have made it onto our website.

If you are interested in joining the vibrant and friendly team at the ORC please contact us at [email protected]

“Our world-leading research teams are

shaping the future, working with a wide range

of industries to develop new technologies for

communication, healthcare, transport, energy

and the environment.”

Dr Eric Plum (Photographer Andy Vowels)


Keep in touchMany of our alumni move around a lot and it is difficult to keep a record of where everybody is. If you have recently moved, or are about to, we would be grateful if you could email [email protected] with your new contact details or register online at www.orc.southampton.ac.uk/alumni.html

Join us on LinkedIn to receive details of forthcoming reunions and ORC events. Log in to LinkedIn and search for Optoelectronics Research Centre.

Visit usOur open days provide the opportunity to find out more about the PhD and MSc programmes and funding, tour our state-of-the-art laboratories and clean rooms and meet some of our vibrant team of research staff and students.www.orc.southampton.ac.uk/visitus.html

PhD student Tapashree Roy (Photographer Andy Vowels)

The Mountbatten building (Photographer Andy Vowels)

Study with us Photonics has helped to change the world in extraordinary ways; powering the internet, navigating airliners, correcting vision and protecting the environment.

Our world-leading research teams are shaping the future, working with a wide range of industries to develop new technologies for communications, healthcare, transport and energy.

We are looking for the photonics pioneers of the future to join our vibrant research community. Our postgraduate students are an integral and vital part of the research staff at the ORC. Some of the world’s leading scientists are based at the ORC and as a PhD student, or as a new MSc student, you’ll have the opportunity to work with them in our state-of-the-art facilities and make some history.

For further details please visit: www.orc.southampton.ac.uk/phdprogram.html

www.orc.southampton.ac.uk/mscprogramme.html

About the ORC The Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton is one of the largest university-based research groups entirely devoted to optoelectronics in the world and has maintained a position at the forefront of photonics research for over four decades.

Its long and well-established track record in the fields of optical fibres, lasers, waveguides, devices and optoelectronic materials has fostered innovation, enterprise, cross-boundary and multi-disciplinary activities.

Please visit our website for more news, technological breakthroughs, research updates and people profiles www.orc.southampton.ac.uk

For further information and enquiries please email [email protected]

www.orc.southampton.ac.uk

[email protected]+44(0)23 8059 4521

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