Compact Solid-State Lasers
Our research
The team is interested in compact solid-state laser engineering, in particular new approaches to compact laser design and advanced thermal management. We have ongoing interests in the direct diode-laser pumping of Ti:sapphire lasers and the application of diamond to solid-state laser engineering. We have a focus on laser designs that can make high-performance lasers more manufacturable, more efficient, or more user-friendly for future applications such as sensing and quantum technologies.
Who we work with
We work closely with Prof Jennifer Hastie and her team at the Institute of Photonics, particularly on lasers for quantum technology applications and the thermal engineering of semiconductor disk lasers. Working with Jennifer’s team and under her leadership of the lasers for quantum technology theme at the Institute, we also coordinate our work with the National Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Timing.
Our work focuses on industrially applicable solid-state laser research, so we work closely with industrial partners including the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow (Fh-CAP). At any given time our team typically includes one or two industrial Engineering Doctorate students based at Fh-CAP and/or partner companies.
We have a long-standing collaboration with Element Six Ltd on laser applications of their state-of-the-art synthetic diamond. Coherent Scotland, GTAT, and Arctos Lasertechnik are industrial partners on our EPSRC funded work on the direct diode-laser pumping of Ti:sapphire lasers.
We also collaborate with a number of academic groups, in recent years this has included Dr Mick Lengden’s team at Strathclyde’s Centre for Microsystems and Photonics, Prof. Johan Nilsson’s team at Southampton’s Optoelectronics Research Centre, and Prof. Mircea Guinea’s team at Tampere University of Technology in Finland.
Our projects & grants
|
Project |
Duration |
Funding body |
Funding level £ |
|
Diode-pumped Ti:sapphire lasers: a manufacturable platform for precision photonics. |
Aug 2020 to Oct 2024 |
EPSRC |
935,000 |
|
Strategic research for SMEs: Helping small companies to access doctoral level engineering |
Mar 2018 to Feb 2021 |
RAEng |
75,000 |
|
Fibre-Laser Pumped Diamond Raman Lasers for Lidar and Clear Plastics Welding |
Oct 2016 to Apr 2020 |
EPSRC |
729,656 |
|
Fast Switching Dual Wavelength Raman Laser |
Apr 2017 to Mar 2020 |
EPSRC |
20,000 |
|
MonoDiaL: Monolithic Diamond Raman Laser (H2020 ERC PoC) |
Nov 2016 to Apr 2018 |
European commission – Horizon 2020 |
110,672 |
|
National Quantum Technology Hubs: Sensors and Metrology - One of four national hubs aimed at driving quantum technology towards the market as part of a large governmental initiative. The hub is led by the University of Birmingham with Glasgow, Nottingham, Southampton, Strathclyde and Sussex as partners. Prof Jennifer Hastie is the Strathclyde lead on this project. The Compact Solid-State Lasers Team collaborates with Jennifer and the High Brightness Semiconductor Disk Lasers team on some of the laser engineering aspects of the project. |
Dec 2014 to Nov 2019 |
35,500,000 |
|
|
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Diamond Science & Technology - the centre is led by the University of Warwick with Strathclyde, Aberystwyth, Oxford, Imperial, Bristol, Cardiff and Newcastle as partners |
Apr 2011 to Sep 2022 |
4,521,000 |
|
|
The Fraunhofer UK/RAEng Research Chair in Advanced Laser Engineering |
Feb 2014 to Jan 2019 |
RAEng and Fraunhofer UK |
449,000 |
|
Low cost, ultrafast laser sources for biological imaging |
Oct 2013 to Sep 2015 |
TSB (collaborative project with M Squared Laser Ltd and Fraunhofer CAP) |
18,712 |
|
DIAL (diamond lasers: revolutionsing laser engineering) - ERC starting grant |
Oct 2011 to Sep 2016 |
1,283,354 |
|
|
Diamond Raman lasers |
Oct 2008 to Mar 2012 |
627,792 |
|
|
Low cost, high performance lasers: Novel applications of disk laser approaches |
May 2007 to Sep 2010 |
386,986 |
|
|
Advanced disk lasers: a new horizon in solid-state and semiconductor laser design |
Jan 2007 to Dec 2009 |
326,665 |
|
|
RSE/Scottish Executive Personal Research Fellowship: Advanced disk lasers: a new horizon in solid-state and semiconductor laser design |
Oct 2005 to Sep 2008 |
124,089 |