The Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), led by Professor David Payne, CBE, FRS, FREng, is one of the world’s leading research institutes in photonics and laser technology, with roots dating back nearly 50 years to the birth of lasers and optical communications.
The ORC has contributed greatly to the remarkable growth of photonics, including the optical telecommunication technology that underpins the Internet. Our mission is to blend focused, applications-led research with fundamental studies on the generation, transmission and control of light.
On the basis of its publications, the ORC is ranked as one of the top five university groups worldwide in the field of electronics and electrical engineering. Our staff publish over 100 publications in major journals, and give more than 20 invited presentations at major laser and photonics conferences annually.
The EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Photonics, based at the ORC, works with industry to develop the next generation of fibre materials and technology platforms, training a new generation of engineers and fuelling growth in photonics-related manufacturing. We also host an EPSRC Portfolio Partnership in photonics and a programme grant in nanophotonics and metamaterials.A full list of staff publications, awards and honours is available at www.southampton.ac.uk/orc.
Applications and enquiries:
Contact the ORC
www.southampton.ac.uk/orc
www.orc.southampton.ac.uk/phdprogram.html
MSc in Photonics: www.orc.soton.ac.uk/MScprogramme.html
Academic staff: 25
Postgraduate research students: 70
RAE rating: Electronics and electrical engineering: sixth in UK; physics: joint fifteenth in UK (2008). Research submitted jointly with other Faculties.
Score: 3.20
Location: Highfield Campus
Internal links: Biological Sciences; Chemistry; Electronics and Computer Science; Mathematics; Faculty of Medicine; Physics and Astronomy
External links: Numerous national and international links with industry, research laboratories and academic institutions
Resources: Brand new state-of-the-art building containing unrivalled facilities including: purpose-built photonics laboratories; optical fibre fabrication and characterisation facilities; clean rooms for planar and integrated optics, biophotonics and nanophotonics; and a suite of ultrafast laser facilities
Spin-out companies: ChG Southampton Ltd; Mesophotonics Ltd; SPI Lasers plc; Stratophase Ltd
Student profile: Kate Sloyan (25)
Kate is studying for a PhD in ORC’s Pulsed Laser Deposition Group and is President of the Optical Society of America Student Chapter Committee.
"I became interested in photonics during my degree. It’s so versatile – you can focus on fundamental aspects of the way light works, or use lasers and optics to engineer solutions to everyday problems. I enjoy my work and make full use of the great facilities on offer here. My supervisors encourage me to think things through for myself but are very helpful and supportive."
Find out more: www.southampton.ac.uk/orc