This platform grant will underpin integrated photonics research in advanced laser sources, photonic circuits, and sensors, at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton, leveraging the recent investment of >£100M in the new Mountbatten Fabrication Complex. Photonic materials and device research has been the key driver of many disruptive advances in telecommunications, healthcare, data storage, display and manufacturing, and this platform grant will provide the group with the horizon and stability to build upon its international standing to explore new high-risk, high-reward research avenues. Integrated photonic materials and devices of the future will play a huge role in the next generation of cheaper, faster, greener, disposable, miniaturised and more versatile systems based on silica and silicon, glasses, crystal and polymer hosts, in both channel and planar geometries. The broad range of expertise within our group and our access to the unequalled brand-new planar fabrication facilities will allow us to fully explore this diverse research area. Impact will be realised through applications in compact kW-class waveguide lasers (new manufacturing techniques), pollution sensors (monitoring climate change), optical amplifiers and switches (high-speed data control), early threat detection devices (homeland security), and fast universally accessible disease screening (point-of-care medical diagnostics). Applications for the photonic materials, processes and devices developed during this platform grant will play a key role in fields of interest to society, Industry as well as university-based research and development, and will be pursued in collaboration with both existing and newly-identified partners during the programme.

In process industry, environmental and medical applications, it can be important to measure the concentration of many gas species simultaneously and rapidly, to give real-time information. Examples include; - Measurement of combustion feedstocks and effluent gases, important in the drive for reduced carbon emissions. - Detection of hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide in the natural gas industry and biogas generation industries - Detection of toxic species in industry, such as ammonia and hydrogen fluoride - Breath gas diagnostics, to diagnose and anage diseases such as asthma, diabetes, renal disease, cystic fibrosis and others. - Measuring short-lived gas species, to improve urban air quality and understand important atmospheric processes affecting climate change. These activities present a significant measurement problem to industrial users. Industrial gas detection is dominated by complex and expensive laboratory equipment with sampling that precludes real-time measurement and can even affect the composition of the sample through condensation and / or reaction in the sample pipework. Small ultra-low-cost devices are also available, however these do not offer the stability nor the gas species specificity needed for industrial applications. Many gases of interest absorb light at specific and characteristic wavelengths in the near infrared region of the spectrum (1.3 - 2.5 microns). Using a suitable laser source whose emission is at known and controlled wavelengths, this property forms the basis of a powerful method to detect gases and measure their concentrations.Our new approach to optical gas detection, based on development of a new class of optical sources, will enable both multi-species detection as well as detection of unstable species, both of which are difficult to impossible with existing technology. Demonstration of these sources will initially include detection of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, then lead on to measurement of unstable species such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia..

In process industry, environmental and medical applications, it can be important to measure the concentration of many gas species simultaneously and rapidly, to give real-time information. Examples include; - Measurement of combustion feedstocks and effluent gases, important in the drive for reduced carbon emissions. - Detection of hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide in the natural gas industry and biogas generation industries - Detection of toxic species in industry, such as ammonia and hydrogen fluoride - Breath gas diagnostics, to diagnose and anage diseases such as asthma, diabetes, renal disease, cystic fibrosis and others. - Measuring short-lived gas species, to improve urban air quality and understand important atmospheric processes affecting climate change. These activities present a significant measurement problem to industrial users. Industrial gas detection is dominated by complex and expensive laboratory equipment with sampling that precludes real-time measurement and can even affect the composition of the sample through condensation and / or reaction in the sample pipework. Small ultra-low-cost devices are also available, however these do not offer the stability nor the gas species specificity needed for industrial applications. Many gases of interest absorb light at specific and characteristic wavelengths in the near infrared region of the spectrum (1.3 - 2.5 microns). Using a suitable laser source whose emission is at known and controlled wavelengths, this property forms the basis of a powerful method to detect gases and measure their concentrations.Our new approach to optical gas detection, based on development of a new class of optical sources, will enable both multi-species detection as well as detection of unstable species, both of which are difficult to impossible with existing technology. Demonstration of these sources will initially include detection of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, then lead on to measurement of unstable species such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia..

Currently, special fibres are a crucial enabling technology that communicates worldwide, navigates airliners, monitors oil wells, cuts steel, and shoots down missiles (and even mosquitoes!). New classes of special optical fibres have demonstrated the potential to extend the impact of optical fibres well beyond the telecommunications arena, in areas as diverse as defence, industrial processing, marine engineering, biomedicine, DNA processing and astronomy. They are making an impact and commercial inroads in fields such as industrial sensing, bio-medical laser delivery systems, military gyro sensors, as well as automotive lighting and control - to name just a few - and span applications as diverse as oil well downhole pressure sensors to intra-aortic catheters, to high power lasers that can cut and weld steel. Optical fibres and fibre-related products not only penetrate existing markets but also, more significantly, they expand the application space into areas that are impossible by conventional technologies. To fulfil this potential and further revolutionise manufacturing, there is a strong need to continue innovating and manufacturing market-worthy fibres, in order to sustain the growth in the fast expanding fibre-based manufacturing sectors.From its inception in the 1960s, the UK has played a major role in shaping the optical fibre industry, and the highly regarded Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton is at the forefront. Our vision is to build upon the rich expertise and extensive facilities that are already in place to create a world-class, industry-led Centre for advanced manufacturing processes for new photonic components and materials that will fuel the growth of UK companies, enabling them to expand their product portfolio, enhance competitiveness and increase their market penetration and overall share. We will liaise closely with UK and other European Research Centres to advance further the fibre and related material technology, as well as increase the application space. The Centre is expected to play a key role in job and wealth creation in the expanding and highly competitive advanced technology and manufacturing sector. The UK industrial sector accounts for a production volume in photonics of EUR 5.2 billion, which corresponds to 12% of the European volume, and 2.3% of the world market. Particularly notable about the photonics industrial sector is that it comprises a majority of SMEs, who typically do not have the economies of scale nor the financial resources to invest heavily in infrastructure on their own. Use of the Innovative Manufacturing funding mechanism, complemented by industrial user-provided direct and in-kind contributions of ~4M (similar in amount to that sought from EPSRC for the establishment of this IMRC) , will supply the seed funding and focus needed to research and develop the next generation fibre material and technology platforms, which in turn will fuel the growth in photonics related manufacturing. The establishment of such a manufacturing research centre, working closely with existing key high-tech photonic UK companies as well as emerging companies and new start-ups, will make a substantive difference to their ability to develop and gain larger penetration in their respective markets. The IMRC strategy will follow multiple strands taking a number of initiatives to continuously expand and strengthen the initial research portfolio by moving it further up in the innovation and value-added spectrum. During its lifetime, the IMRC will make concerted efforts to further increase the user number and level of engagement.