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Next generation of hybrid lasers
Novel, compact and versatile lasers operating at visible wavelengths are the focus of a major, new £3.8 million collaboration between four institutions.
The four-year project, between the Universities of Strathclyde, St Andrews and Edinburgh and Imperial College, London, will see the development of lasers, consisting of organic semiconductor structures - effectively lasing plastics - which are interfaced to control electronics via familiar blue/green light-emitting diode (LED) technology.
These lasers are poised to have a major impact in areas as diverse as biosensing, communications and instrumentation.
The project is being supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The research will see close research collaboration between the departments involved: the Institute of Photonics and Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry at Strathclyde; the School of Physics & Astronomy at St Andrews; the School of Engineering and Electronics at Edinburgh, and the Department of Physics at Imperial.
Professor Martin Dawson of the University of Strathclyde, the co-ordinator of the project, said: "We are delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to continued UK leadership in organic and hybrid organic/inorganic optoelectronics.
"Organic semiconductor lasers are very attractive new light sources for research and commercial applications, and my colleagues at Imperial College London and the University of St. Andrews have been world leaders in developing the basics of this technology. The challenge now is to produce these devices in compact and robust form under electronic control, and the collaborators in my own University and at the University of Edinburgh are perfectly placed to contribute the interfacing and complementary technologies needed.
"Our near-term goal is to produce components consisting of single-emitter organic lasers on blue LEDs in a form suitable for volume manufacture. Longer-term goals are to demonstrate optoelectronic interfaces and integrated circuits involving multiple laser and LED elements.
"This is a very strong partnership with an ambitious and exciting research agenda, and we look forward to major progress during the course of the grant".
The Principal Investigators at each of the partner institutions are Prof Martin Dawson, University of Strathclyde; Prof Ifor Samuel, University of St Andrews; Dr Robert Henderson, University of Edinburgh; Prof Donal Bradley, Imperial College London
For further information contact Simon Andrews, Business Development Manager, Institute of Photonics, University of Strathclyde T: 0141 548 4402; E: simon.andrews@strath.ac.uk