Distinguished for his research on ultrafast laser science and technology, Professor Wilson Sibbett started his research studies in the development of picosecond electron-optical streak cameras and thier evaluation using a range of mode-locked, flashlamp-pumped lasers. This work led to the first demonstration of a linear diagnostic technique that offered direct sub-picosecond time resolution. This was followed some time later by his pioneering work on coupled-cavity (also called additive-pulse) mode locking and, in 1989, by his group's discovery of the technique of Kerr-lens (or self) mode locking that heralded a new era of practical and efficient femtosecond lasers. Although, first observed as an exploitation of the optical Kerr effect in titanium-doped sapphire, the general applicability of the "KLM" technique has opened up many new avenues of ultrafast laser science and related applications as well as enabling the commercialization of user-compatible femtosecond lasers that cover a wide range of frequency tunability . His research can be said to have made pioneering and revolutionary impacts in this area of photonics. Wilson's current research activities at St. Andrews, undertaken by the "W-Squad", are split roughly 50/50 between developing techniques in the photobiology area and work on ultrafast communication technology and material sciences.
Tom Brown received a BSc. degree from Imperial College in 1993. Following a spell working for DRA Farnborough he moved on to the Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton where he completed a PhD in crystal waveguide lasers and amplifiers. After his PhD Tom worked in IT development for a leading investment bank before moving to St Andrews to study semiconductor non-linear optics. He was appointed as a SUPA Biophotonics lecturer in the School of Physics & Astronomy in 2005, where he is currently involved in research into various biophotonics related projects.
David received a Bachelors degree in Physics from the University of Warwick in 2001. After a period in industry he then undertook the MSc in Photonics and Optoelectronic Devices in 2003/04, which was run jointly by the University of St Andrews and Heriot Watt University.
Since then he has obtained a PhD from St Andrews developing practical sources of terahertz radiation based on nonlinear optics (which have been successfully commercialised), and has worked as a Postdoctoral research fellow in the Nonlinear Optics Group. In 2010 David joined the Ultrashort-Pulse Laser Research Group and now works on the development of near infrared laser systems with controllable pulse characteristics.
Klaus received an Engineering degree from the FH Muenchen working on a
regenerative fs-amplifier for his thesis. After completing the MSc course in
Laser physics at Heriott-Watt University he went on to work in industry on high
power Nd:YAG Lasers as well as Extended Cavity Diode Laser systems. In 2007 he
completed his PhD at St Andrews University looking at the nonlinear dynamics of
optically bound matter in a dual fibre optical trap. Currently his research
interested focuses on intracavity pulse design and its characterisation.
Christine is a graduate from the University of St. Andrews, and is currently studying for a Ph.D in the Ultrafast laser group under Dr. Tom Brown and Professor Wilson Sibbett. She gained both her Batchellors and Masters degree from the University of St. Andrews where she undertook multiple projects with the nonlinear optics group with a particular emphasis on applied THz technology. She travelled to ETHZ, Zurich, in order to complete her MSc project which dealt with Photonic crystal, Quantum-cascade THz lasers.
Ian White gained his B.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Cambridge, England, in 1980 and 1984. He was then appointed a research fellow and assistant lecturer at the University of Cambridge before moving to become Professor of Physics at the University of Bath in 1990. In 1996, he moved to the University of Bristol, becoming Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 1998.
He returned to the University of Cambridge in October 2001 as Van Eck Professor of Engineering and is currently Chair of The School of Technology and Head of Photonics Research.
He was the Systems theme co-ordinator of the Ultrafast Photonics Collaboration IRC, which sought to develop multi-terabit optical systems as well as chair of the channel model sub-task-force foe the IEEE 802.3 aq Ethernet standard. Professor White's current research interests are in the area of high speed communication systems, local area networks using optical links, optical datacommunications, laser diodes for communications and engineering applications and RF over fibre systems.
Richard Penty's first foray into the world of optical communications was via a sponsorship with the National Coal Board for whom he designed a 1Mb/s optical line card. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in Engineering and Electrical Sciences in 1986 and a PhD for research into nonlinear optical fibre devices in 1990. Richard was then an SERC IT research fellow at Cambridge until taking up a lectureship in physics at the University of Bath in 1990. In 1996 he moved to the University of Bristol as a lecturer in electrical and electronic engineering subsequently being promoted to Professor of Photonics. In 2001 he moved to the Cambridge University Engineering Department and was elected to a fellowship of Sidney Sussex College in 2002.
Richard's research interests include optical data communications, MMF systems (digital and analogue), high-speed optical communications systems, wavelength conversion and WDM networks, optical amplifiers, optical non-linearities for switching and routing applications, RF over fibre and high power semiconductor lasers. Richard is the co-author of in excess of 400 refereed papers and receives many invitations to speak at conferences. He was a founder of Zinwave Ltd. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the IET Optoelectronics journal.
Vojtech obtained a B.Eng in Electronics and Communication technology from the Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic in 2006. He then went onto study a M.Sc. in Data Communications at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Vojtech is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on ultrafast pulse generation with a particular interest for high power applications.
Xuhan obtained a B.Eng. degree in optoelectronic information engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China in 2009. He then joined the Centre for Photonic Systems at the University of Cambridge to pursue his PhD. His research interests focuses on high power ultrafast pulse generation and superradiance from diode lasers.
Martin joined the Institute in March 1996. He obtained a Ph.D in Laser Physics from Imperial College, London, in 1985, followed by postdoctoral work in the USA in the group of Professor A.L. Smirl, first at North Texas State University and subsequently at the University of Iowa. His work there involved ultrafast spectroscopy of semiconductors and femtosecond laser development. He returned to the UK in 1991 to join Sharp Corporation's new research laboratory (SLE) in Oxford as a Senior Researcher, working on semiconductor spectroscopy and diode laser development. His interests at the Institute focus on III-V optoelectronic devices and materials’ science, particularly on developing novel surface-normal emitters and modulators including VCSELs, VECSELs, micro-LEDs and SESAMs. Martin is a Senior Member of IEEE/LEOS, of which he was Scottish Chapter Chairman from 2000 – 2003. He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was promoted to Professor in October 2001.
Stephane is Associate Team Leader (full lecturer equivalent) at the Institute of Photonics. He graduated in Optics and Optoelectronics in 1998 from the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Physique de Marseille (ENSPM, Marseille, France) and received in PhD. in June 2002 from the Université de Franche Comté for his work on “Tunability and mode-locking of fibre lasers for telecommunications using integrated LiNbO3 components”. He joined the Institute of Photonics in December 2000, his primary research interests focus on novel semiconductor materials, vertical cavity devices (vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers, SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirrors, Vertical Cavity Amplifiers) and their applications. He currently serves as Chair of the Scottish Chapter of IEEE/LEOS.
David Burns received a PhD from the University of St.Andrews in 1990 for work centred on ultrashort pulse generation from long wavelength semiconductor lasers and erbium doped fibre lasers. He then worked as a post-doctoral research fellow with Prof Wilson Sibbett at the University of St. Andrews on various aspects of optical pump sources and ultrashort pulse generation from semiconductor and all-solid-state lasers. He joined the Institute in 1996 to work on femtosecond pulse Cr:LiSAF lasers. Since then his work has centred on the design and development of novel SBR saturable absorbers for femtosecond lasers and high average power picosecond lasers; the design, development and characterisation of a range of novel Bragg mirror based optically pumped semiconductor lasers; construction of user friendly/turn-key, high specification laser sources for both industrial and in-house use. More recently, he has been involved in developing adaptive optic control systems to extend the parameter range of high brightness, high average power lasers. Since February 2002, David has been the Research Team Leader responsible for the Institute's All-Solid-State Laser Engineering team.
Vasili obtained his Engineer diploma in Optics Design from Belarus National Technical University (Minsk, Belarus) in 1999. From 1999-2007 he worked as a Researcher and a Senior researcher in the International Laser Centre ( Minsk, Belarus). In 2005 he completed his PhD study on “ Nonlinear optical properties of Lead sulphide nanoparticles in glassy matrices” . His research interests include ultrafast spectroscopy of semiconductor quantum dots, lasers passive mode locking and Q-switching.
Vasili joined the Institute in January 2008 to work on Modular Ultrafast Sources project. He is currently a member of the Solid-State Laser Team led by Dr David Burns.
Sharon obtained a B.Eng. degree in Electronic Engineering with Optoelectronics from the University of Glasgow in 1998. Since then has completed an MSc in Information Systems at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen in 2000 and an MSc in Photonics and Optoelectronic Devices jointly at St Andrews University and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh in 2005.
Sharon joined the Institute of Photonics in October 2007 to pursue her PhD. in the III-V Optoelectronic Devices Group and is involved in this collaborative project of Modular Ultrafast Sources with St Andrews and Cambridge. Her research interests focus on the development of Semiconductor Disk lasers and their applications for ultrafast photonics.
Loyd joined the Institute in October 2008 as a PhD student. His research will focus on the characterisation of diode-pumped solid-state waveguide lasers and VECSEL-pumped fibre lasers.
He obtained his B.Eng. (first class with honours) degree in Microelectronics and Photonics from St. Andrews and Dundee Universities. As part of this course he specialised early on in the fields of optics, lasers and microelectronic chip design. Loyd has a broad range of past research experience and interests, including: field emission displays, polymer optoelectronics, holographic data storage and fibre optics. He has also spent some time working for Rolls-Royce Controls Systems, Derby.