• 18 spin-out companies

    Entrepreneurial researchers have generated more than £100m and 
over 650 jobs

  • Unique combination 
of facilities

    Including a £120m cleanroom complex and 65 photonics laboratories

  • A diverse research community

    More than 300 staff and students representing over 40 nationalities

Overview

About the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC)

Founded in 1989, we are the largest academic photonics research centre in the UK and one of the world’s leading photonics centres.

Formerly known as The Zepler Institute (2018 to 2023), we are home to more than 120 academic and research staff, led by renowned experts in the field of photonics science and technology. We also have more than 100 postgraduate students and more than 55 technical and infrastructure support staff.

We manage more than 50 research laboratories and the unique Zepler Cleanrooms, which are equipped for:

  • optical fibre fabrication
  • silicon processing
  • nanofabrication
  • novel materials processing

The ORC has a rich legacy of transforming fundamental research into tangible industry impact. A notable example is Sir David Payne's pivotal role in developing the erbium-doped fibre amplifier, a technology that remains central to global communications.

We have contributed significantly to the growth of photonics applications, including communications technology that underpins the internet, laser technologies, photonic circuits and sensors.

We collaborate with numerous research groups, both within the University and worldwide.

Entrepreneurial colleagues have started spin-out businesses that create impact and contribute to scientific progression and wider economic prosperity.

Research focus and impact

We organise our activities around 4 main research groups, each led by a deputy director:

Each main research group is home to multiple sub-groups and carries out world-leading research backed by flagship research grants. We have a secured research income averaging around £50m. This accounts for more than 30% of UK Research and Innovation's total photonics research funding.

Major projects

Examples of current high-profile research projects include:

  • Smart Fibre-Optic High Power Photonics (HiPPo): Developing the next generation of reconfigurable, scalable, resilient, power efficient, disruptive 'smart' fibre laser tools for the upcoming digital manufacturing era
  • FASTNET: A Prosperity Partnership with Microsoft to develop hollow core low-latency fibres and cables for ultrafast next-generation optical networks
  • MISSION: Releasing the full potential of integrated Mid-Infrared (MIR) photonics

Research quality

The quality of our research was illustrated by our results in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). The research we submitted made a significant contribution to the General Engineering Unit of Assessment, which was rated 4th in the UK for Grade Point Average (GPA) and Power. 97% of the University’s engineering research has been deemed world-leading, meaning we are influential on a global scale.

Research impact

Our research has had a huge impact on society and people's lives. We also make a major contribution to the UK’s £15.2 billion photonics industry. Many major technological developments, from the internet to revolutionary manufacturing processes, are a direct result of our innovation.

Examples include:

  • using sensor technology to mitigate the environmental impact of the oil and gas industry
  • using artificial intelligence to develop self-driving lasers, removing the risk of human error and increasing productivity
  • new diagnostic and medical technologies, improving lives and creating a multi-million-dollar global market
  • pioneering high power fibre lasers, widely used in telecommunications, manufacturing, medicine and science

Facilities

We manage an extensive range of facilities, including the Zepler Cleanrooms complex and 50 laser laboratories.

Zepler Cleanrooms

The 1,600 square metre Zepler Cleanrooms are a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary centre, with facilities for materials and device research in electronics, photonics and nanotechnology.

They offer a unique range of capabilities, for use by both academia and industry, including the world's highest Accelerating Voltage Direct Writing Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) System. This is the first of its kind outside Japan, making the Zepler Cleanrooms the most advanced academic lithography capability in Europe.

Other capabilities include:

  • processing up to 200 millimetre wafer scale in our nanofabrication facility and integrated photonics cleanroom
  • fabricating hollow core and rare earth doped fibres in our fibre facility
  • glass-making and fibre-drawing in our novel and compound glass facility
  • growing high-quality silica on planar substrates to form waveguide structures in our flame hydrolysis deposition facility

We also provide access to lab areas suitable for the processing of materials from solution in our hybrid materials and devices facility.

Laser laboratories

These span wavelengths from the ultra-violet (UV) to Mid-Infrared (MIR) and up to power levels into the kilowatt regime.

The laboratories house a wide range of diagnostic equipment for characterisation of optical sources. They also contain a range of state-of-the-art equipment for fabrication and integration of optical fibre components, such as fibre Bragg gratings, to enable laser and optical source development.

Our students are part of a diverse and passionate community led by renowned experts in the field of photonics.

For UK and EU PhD students, we offer a number of fully-funded studentships providing an annual stipend of over £20,000 plus £4,200 to visit conferences worldwide.

Our research approach is multidisciplinary. You could be working with lasers, metamaterials, optoelectronics, silicon photonics, fibre optics, hollow core fibres and more advanced materials.

Our research areas include:

  • fundamental photonics
  • light generation and manipulation
  • optical fibres
  • optical materials
  • integrated photonics
  • biophotonics

Our students have gone on to have successful careers in industry, as policy-makers and as leaders in academia.

Our courses

Contribute to the field of photonics and optoelectronics by completing a postgraduate research degree.

Research and industry

Learn more about our research and how we’re working with industry.

Our research community

Explore the many sub-groups that work within our 4 main research groups.

People

The ORC is an inspiring and inclusive research community.  The achievements of our impressive staff speak for themselves, and have transformed the photonics landscape.
Head of School

Work with us

  • Jobs at Southampton

    Check the University’s job listings to find opportunities within the Optoelectronics Research Centre.

Contact us

Talk to us, we’re happy to help

You can contact us by:
Optoelectronics Research Centre, Building 46, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJ
We’re open Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00 GMT

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