Center Research Overview

Major services delivered can be summarized as i) highly skilled graduates, ii) a state-of-the-art facility to support photonics R&D in the region, iii) leading edge research and expertise in photonics integration, iv) a corporate affiliates program proactively seeking collaborations with regional entities and v) regular meetings, seminars, trade-shows to help promote photonics and bring together the photonics community.

The Center is part of the Carolinas MicroOptics Triangle (a nationally recognized photonics cluster (http://photonicsclusters.com/usamap.html) and the NC Photonics Consortium, both of which are bringing a focus to the strengths and capabilities of the photonics community throughout the Carolinas.

Optics, or "photonics" is widely recognized as a major enabling technology for a host of high-technology industries. Integration and low cost manufacturing of photonic components and devices plays a key role in enabling next generation products for entertainment, communications, computing, transportation, homeland security and defense. Several studies over the last few years have confirmed this a government initiatives in fiber to the home, photonics in transportation and grid computing are all areas in which the Center can have an impact. The National Research Council has reported that optics is rapidly becoming an important focus for new business in the global economy, with both large and small businesses emerging as significant players. A ten-fold growth in the optical communication industry is predicted over the next five years as a major investment is underway in fiber to the "X" (FTTX) technologies and new consumer services emerge that demand considerable bandwidth capacity. In addition, the concerns over homeland security have greatly increased the need for sensor technologies of many kinds in which optics also plays a major role. These are two specific areas in which the Center has active research programs, and which are important to the region. NC is still home to a large number of fiber and cable manufacturers and the state is becoming increasingly tuned in to defense-and medical related R&D, especially in the chem-bio sensing and imaging arenas.

Thanks to congressional support for the Center, strong ties have now been established with DARPA MTO and we are seen as a resource for photonic fabrication, integration and test. These fund also consolidated several research projects with Duke University and Digital Optics Corporation which further expands our presence in the State and beyond. The Center for Precision Metrology and Manufacturing with its internationally recognized expertise in nanoprecision engineering is a strong complementary factor in building the image of the Optics Center as a NC and national resource in advanced photonic integration. The merging of optics and electronics at the nanoscale, and the need for optical fabrication and manipulation technologies that operate at the nanoscale, provide an obvious niche for us at UNC-C which we can promote beyond the State. More recently, the beginnings of what will hopefully be a long term Collaborative Research Agreement, with the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, MD, builds precisely on these same strengths, as they look to us for sensors and source research capabilities that compliment theirs. These strategic alliances need to be nurtured and grown over time.

In the new building, the Center will offer a range of services in seven user facilities which will be available to faculty, students and external partners. They are well equipped and further purchases of key items will continue this year. The facilities have been set-up as a recharge unit in order to provide a revenue stream for maintenance and support of the equipment promote a culture of engagement with the community and increase efforts to acquire external funding to support research endeavors.

The regional impact of the Center extends beyond NC and the collaboration formed with Clemson and Western Carolina University anchors a much richer photonics capability and broader economic advantage to western NC and upstate SC. The Carolinas MicroOptics Triangle (CMOT) has organized itself to act as one unit with regard to interaction with industry and has embarked on several joint projects which build on the strengths of each university's optical expertise.