Displays

• Micro-displays
• Televisions 2D and 3D
• Holographic displays
• Advertising, indoor and outdoor messaging systems
• Low-power displays
• Projection and light shutters
• Low-resolution and High resolution displays

Optical Communications

• Internet: Voice over IP, music, email, Web, eCommerce
• Fibre To The premises (FTTx): Video on Demand, VoIP, Telemedicine
• Secure communications: Quantum computing and Quantum Cryptography
• Optical fibre: RF signal processing and transmission

Optical Data Storage

• CD and DVD media recorders and now Blu-ray
• Workstation and PC network data storage

Consumer Products

• Mobile phones: displays, cameras and LEDs
• Flat panel high definition LCD TVs: displays and backlights
• Portable music and video players: displays
• Digital camera: displays, image sensor and flash
• Entertainment: displays, data storage, communications
• Body scanning for the fashion and clothing industries

Photonics in Advanced Materials

• Polymer fibre
• High performance polymers
• Liquid crystals
• Organic electro-optic materials
• Printable opto-electronic materials
• Inorganic photonic materials
• Thin films ITO materials
• Crystal waveguides

Biotechnology

• Novel glass
• Silica
• Microstructured fibres
• Photoelastic materials
• Organic barrier and dielectric materials

Photonics in Energy & Lighting

• Architectural, amenity, signage, messaging systems, signal, commercial and residential lighting, emergency lighting and signage: Organic Light Emitting Diodes, Inorganic Light Emitting Diodes
• Photovoltaics
• Solar cells
• Sensing for process optimization
• Fuel analysis
• Energy infrastructure security

Biophotonics

• Diagnostics: non invasive imaging
• Treatment: laser surgery (cutting, drilling), Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), Photo (Light) Therapy
• UV curing of adhesives used in orthopaedic surgery and dentistry
• Scanning for bespoke orthotics
• Pathogen detection: Raman spectroscopy
• Drug development
• Biometrics
• Microscopy (confocal, FLM etc)
• Endoscopy
• Genomics/proteomics
• Biosensors: Pulse Oximetry
• Cellular and Clinical imaging: OCT, 4D studies, Tomography
• Chemical & biohazard sensing (viral identification)

Photonics in Manufacturing & General Engineering

• UV curing for adhesives
• IR heating
• Laser cutting, welding, drilling and marking
• Laser micromachining
• Non-contact metrology and reverse engineering
• Material processing including surface hardening
• Scanning and positioning
• Laser recalibration systems
• Rapid prototyping
• Surveying

Sensing

• Structural health monitoring in civil engineering and other fields
• Security and intrusion
• Chemical agents
• Biological agents
• Smart industrial and power utility monitoring
• Biophotonic/medical applications
• Positioning and control
• Traffic monitoring
• Remote sensing: typically employing multi-spectral techniques or passive IR sensors

Imaging

• Quality control and automated inspection
• Automated component recognition and identification
• Thermal imaging
• Security certification
• Document scanning

Maintaining the Photonics Skill Pool

Photonics is the convergence of Chemistry, Physics, Electronics and Optics and each of these sciences is currently well supported in the region’s Universities. However, the very bedrock of Photonics starts with education in the pure sciences at school.

Physics and Chemistry are particularly well attended subjects, have high attraction rates from both UK and overseas students, and West Midlands Universities still boast full courses in both subjects. However, the retention of science graduates pertinent to the needs of the Photonics Industry is still an issue and needs to be addressed urgently.

Improving the Interface between the Science Base & Industry

As has already been noted, the West Midlands photonics academic research community has an impressive reputation – not just in the UK but internationally. For this to become of economic value to the region and the country there need to be enhanced mechanisms for capturing the research outcomes and transferring them to industry. To date the UK has not been able to capture value at the university / industry interface due to a significant culture gap: industry drivers are quick low-cost outcomes whereas the university driver is deep understanding and journal publications. There is also a significant difference in the perception of the value of the research and this difference can often result in technology transfer not being carried out to industry.

Developing Resources

The Photonics sector needs to develop skills and experience at all levels, from graduate and post graduate to intermediate, highly skilled technicians. Current moves to third stream funding will change the way Universities interact with Industry and it is not clear whether this will deliver positive outcomes. Without adequate resources in terms of skills, experience and finance, West Midlands companies will find it difficult to compete on a national and international basis.

Investment Environment

The UK benefits from active equity markets including the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). However it has a substantially weaker venture capital (VC) community than some other countries such as the USA. During the technology boom of the late 1990s, many UK VCs invested in photonics companies focussed on the optical communications sector but lost money when that market corrected itself in 2001/2002 promoting a pessimistic view of the industry across the investment community. In order to sustain an active and vibrant regional Photonics ecosystem through the creation of highly innovative start-ups, a confident investment community is essential. It will be important to develop a new mechanism to re-engage and re-educate the community on the wealth of new opportunities in all areas of photonics.