About the project
This project will develop advanced ultrafast thulium fibre lasers using in-house fabricated soft-glass fibres with engineered normal dispersion. By exploiting nonlinear amplification and pulse compression, it aims to generate high-energy femtosecond pulses around 1.7–1.8 µm, enabling next-generation three-photon microscopy for high-resolution and deep-penetration biomedical imaging.
Ultrafast lasers operating around 1.7–1.8 µm offer significant potential for three-photon microscopy, enabling deep-tissue imaging with improved optical penetration and reduced out-of-focus photodamage. However, existing laser technologies can be expensive, complex and difficult to optimise for different imaging requirements. Developing compact, robust and cost-effective ultrafast sources with high pulse energy and short pulse duration remains an important challenge.
This project aims to develop a new generation of ultrafast thulium fibre lasers using in-house fabricated soft-glass fibres with engineered normal dispersion. By tailoring the fibre composition and optical properties, the research will investigate how dispersion, gain dynamics and nonlinear pulse propagation can be exploited to achieve broadband amplification and ultrashort pulse generation.
The project will explore gain-managed nonlinear amplification and advanced pulse-compression techniques to overcome limitations associated with conventional fibre amplifiers, including gain narrowing and restricted pulse-energy scaling. Numerical modelling and experimental investigations will establish the physical mechanisms governing pulse evolution and identify optimal operating conditions for generating high-quality femtosecond pulses in the short-wave infrared.
The intended outcomes include:
- the development of novel soft-glass thulium-doped fibres
- new understanding of nonlinear amplification in engineered dispersion regimes
- experimental demonstrations of advanced ultrafast laser sources suitable for biomedical imaging
The resulting technology will be evaluated in collaboration with biomedical researchers to establish its potential for three-photon microscopy and deep-tissue imaging. By integrating innovative fibre fabrication, nonlinear photonics and biomedical applications, this project will establish new approaches to ultrafast laser development. It could enable more accessible and versatile imaging systems for neuroscience, cancer research and other biomedical applications, while strengthening the UK's capabilities in advanced photonics and life-science innovation.
The School of Optoelectronics (ORC) is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
