Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/L31678/01
Title:	10 GB/S BIT ERROR RATE TEST FOR PHOTONIC SYSTEMS RESEARCH
Principal Investigator:	Bennion, Professor I
Other Investigators:	Doran, Professor NJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Electronic Engineering
Organisation:	Aston University
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 April 1997	Ends:	31 March 2000	Value (£):	190,770
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Optical Communications
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The underlying theme of this proposed research programme is an investigation of the physical processes and mechanisms vital to the development and application of a multiclad, diode-pumped, high power Yb fibre amplifier as a highly efficient, ultra compact, multipurpose source, with widely variable and selectable optical characteristics which will make it particularly attractive and preferable as the source in numerous photonics applications. We will examine the mechanisms which affect the superfluorescent emission from the source and optimise the geometry of pumping, pump wavelength, spectral filtration, both active and passive, to produce a high power, broad bandwidth source which will be widely applicable to OCT. An extremely important feature of this development, as is applicable to all the sources, is the high wall plug efficiency and small footprint of the complete systems to be developed. The superfluorescent source will be directly employed in an OCT apparatus for real time image analysis with a depth resolution of <10 ?m. We will investigate a novel mechanism of the controlled Q switching of high power fibre lasers and the application of this source for the self generation of an ultraboard infra red continuum (1-2.5 ?m), which could be employed in remote sensing. This source will also be nonlinearly converted to enable compact, broad band white-light (all wavelengths visible) generation. Seeded power amplifiers at cw-GHz rates and inputs from single frequency to femtosecond duration should fully demonstrate the flexibility and efficiency of the Yb fibre-based master system.
Key Findings
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Organisation Website:	http://www.aston.ac.uk