The Centre for Photonics and Photonic Materials
Department of Physics
The CPPM is formed by around 30 academics, postdoctoral researchers and PhD students
from the Department of Physics at Bath, who work together in an interactive and
collaborative environment. Much of our work is based in our state-of-the-art fabrication
facilities and our extensive optical laboratories, which are equipped with a wide range of
laser sources and optical test gear. We also do extensive numerical modelling of both linear
and nonlinear optical effects in bulk and guided wave optics.
The CPPM provides an outstanding environment for performing cutting-edge research in
photonics, whether as a PhD student, a postdoctoral researcher or a visiting scientist. Current
research funding of over £4 million enables us to generate significant scientific results. The
academic output over the last three years is encapsulated in more than 60 papers published in
peer-reviewed journals and many invited and keynote presentations, including most of the
important conferences in Optics and Photonics.
Further details are given on our web pages (www.bath.ac.uk/physics/groups/cppm).
The Department of Physics
The results of the nation-wide research assessment exercise (RAE 2008) show that research
in Physics at Bath is nationally leading. The results can be analysed in several different ways,
but Bath is consistently within the top few Physics Departments in the United Kingdom. For
example, in the Times Higher RAE subject ratings Bath Physics is placed fifth, nationwide.
The Times and the Guardian both place Bath in second place behind Lancaster.
Head of the Department of Physics, Professor Simon Bending, said “We have a combination
of ground-breaking research, excellent links with industry, one of the best placement schemes
in the country and outstanding teaching leading to high student achievement and
employment. Above all, we’re a friendly department with common interests in physics and in
getting all our people to perform at the top of their game.”
RESEARCH PROGRAMMES IN PHYSICS
Recent developments within the Department of Physics have focussed experimental research
into two main areas of excellence, Nanoscience and Photonics and Photonic Materials, and
these are linked closely to our excellent Theory group. Our intention is to capitalise on the
synergy between these fields and to maintain a world-leading centre of research and teaching
in these interlinked areas. In addition, the Department will continue to maintain its strong
presence in the field of remote sensing, with special attention to Underwater Acoustics,
through the Centre for Research in Space, Atmospheric and Oceanographic Science involving
the departments of Physics and of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.
During the last few years the Department has increased in size, with several new
appointments (the staff are listed in Appendix 2) and a heavy investment in the research and
teaching infrastructure, notably through the construction of several new laboratories.
Facilities for research are therefore excellent (see Appendix 1). In particular, the Department
has facilities at the international level for nanofabrication and nanomanipulation, photonic
crystal fibre fabrication and characterisation (areas in which it is a world leader), magnetooptical studies, positron beam studies, scanning probe microscopes for optical and magnetic
imaging, nano-silicon, and high-performance computing. A new building alongside our
historical home provides purpose-built laboratory and cleanroom space for photonics
research. This is next to a nanofabrication laboratory suite (opened in 2004) which has
considerably enhanced the University's capabilities in this expanding field, with considerable
potential for cross-disciplinary activity.
Much of our work involves external collaboration (current programmes involve interaction
with over 100 other universities or other research laboratories, both within the UK and
abroad). In addition, a spin-off company (Microsulis) has emerged from our research, and the
Department has close links with a number of other commercial organisations. This has led to
a range of patents in Photonics, optoelectronics, semiconductor heterostructure fabrication
and in the medical applications of microwaves.
Further details are given on our web pages (www.bath.ac.uk/physics/).
The University of Bath
The University of Bath is one of the UK’s leading universities, with an international
reputation for research and teaching at the highest academic standard. It has a small, friendly
campus near the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath.
Its research is internationally-respected, and its students are in demand by employers because
of the high quality of the teaching offered here.
We have a distinctive approach that emphasises the education of professional practitioners
and the promotion of original inquiry, as well as innovation in partnership with business, the
professions, public services and the voluntary sector. In the many annual university league
tables the University is ranked top ten. This year we were as high as third in some tables, and
recorded the highest student satisfaction ratings of any University. The University of Bath
was The Times and The Sunday Times ‘University of the Year’ 2011/12 and ‘Best Campus
University’ 2014.
For further information about the University, please see our Facts and Figures page.
University of Bath Campus
The University’s campus at Claverton was begun in 1964, in preparation for the University
receiving its Royal Charter in 1966. The small, safe campus is a short distance from the
centre of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage city. The University is currently working on
projects worth over £100 million as part of a construction programme that continues beyond
2014. This includes more than 700 new student rooms, a £10M arts centre and a new teaching
building with a total capacity for 2000 students.
University of Bath Future Strategy
The University’s future strategy includes ensuring that its research and teaching are of the
highest quality. It will devote more resources to strategic planning and develop stronger
collaborative links, internationally, nationally and regionally, with other universities, further
education colleges, businesses, the professions, the public services and the voluntary sector.
As one of the top universities in the country for sport, Bath works in partnership with
National Governing Bodies to host elite athletes on campus. We proudly supported the 2012
Olympic and Paralympic Games, hosting the Paralympics GB team and international athletes
from a number of different countries.
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF BATH
Appendix 1. Leading research facilities.
(i) Optical fibre fabrication facility
This is a world-leading facility for the production of photonic crystal fibres. It enables
the Centre for Photonics and Photonic Materials to maintain its position at the
international forefront. Funded by JIF at £1.7M, it has relocated to a purpose-built
laboratory in a new building connected to the Department. Associated with the tower is
a series of laboratories for optical studies of fibres and other photonic materials. A new
drawing tower was added to this facility in 2012
(ii) Nanofabrication laboratory
This is a 200 m2 class 1000 cleanroom housed in a stand-alone building, funded through
SRIF, with £244k parallel funding from the Royal Society/Wolfson Foundation (total
funding £1.1M). The facility, which contains a further £1M of device processing
equipment, came on stream in 2004 and has considerably enhanced the Department's
capability in a range of cross-disciplinary fields. Process tools include photolithography,
electron beam lithography, plasma etching and deposition, ion beam sputtering, thermal
and electron beam evaporation, spin coating, scribing and wire bonding. In addition there
are facilities for scanning probe microscopy (AFM/MFM/STM), SPM nanomanipulation,
surface profiling and optical microscopy.
(iii) Nanoscience laboratory
This laboratory was refurbished in 2002 and provides facilities for nanomagnetism,
superconductivity and molecular electronics.
(iv) Advanced Computational Facilities
The University has recently installed an 800-core high-performance computing facility,
with high-speed interconnects for parallel computing.
(v) Magneto-optical spectroscopy.
The magneto-optical spectroscopy laboratory was constructed in 1998 and has been is
continually developed with over £1M in external funding.
(vi) Centre for Graphene Science
The Centre for Graphene Science Bath node is focused on bottom-up approaches to
investigating and exploiting Graphene, for which it uses low-temperature scanning
tunnelling and atomic force microscopy equipment (Omicron LT-STM/AFM) installed
in a dedicated laboratory area.
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF BATH
Appendix 2. Academic Staff List
Professors
Simon J. Bending
David M. Bird
Timothy A. Birks
Paul G. Coleman
Jonathan C. Knight
Philip S. Salmon
Dmitry V. Skryabin
Alison B. Walker
Nigel B Wilding
Readers
Enrico Da Como
Robert Jack
William J. Wadsworth
Senior Lecturers
Steven R. Andrews
Philippe Blondel
Simon Crampin
Steven R. Davies
Sergey N. Gordeev
Richard James
Frances R. Laughton
Alain R. Nogaret
Paul A. Snow
Daniel Wolverson
University of Bath Prize Fellow
Marcin Mucha-Kruczynski
Lecturers
Andrey Gorbach
Adelina Ilie
Peter Mosley
Peter Sloan
Kei Takashina
Stephen Wells
Teaching Fellows
Gary Mathlin
Alessandro Narduzzo
Technical Manager
Alan George