Summary of the impact

Research at the University of Manchester on laser cleaning of Ti alloys has resulted in practical implementation of the technology at Rolls-Royce for the automatic preparation of surfaces prior to electron beam welding. This has been applied to 24 different aero-engine component types including compressor drums across most current engine families. This has resulted in close to 100% `first time right' aero-engine component welds. The technology is also being adopted by BAE Systems to replace chemical cleaning during airframe manufacture. The elimination of manual and chemical cleaning processes results in savings of several million pounds per annum.

Summary of the impact

A range of techniques based on laser physics and developed since 1993 by the group of Prof Telle in our analytical laser spectroscopy unit (ALSU) has led to:

• Founding a spin-off company, Applied Photonics which produces remote-sensing products employing laser spectroscopy to detect the chemical composition of unknown samples aimed at the military and nuclear energy industry. This technology has allowed multi-million pound savings on the operational costs of nuclear plants due to their functionality in normally inaccessible radioactive environments thus avoiding the need for a power station shutdown.
• Establishing a laboratory in the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) dedicated to the stewardship of UK's nuclear weapons stockpile and chemical explosives by detecting isotopic abundances in uranium samples and analysing the composition of munitions deteriorating in desert environments;
• Assisting the design and development of a new product line of Spectrum Technologies, a market-leading company which removes specialised enamel insulation from conductors used in the aerospace industry.

Summary of the impact

Commercialisation of high optical quality diamond by Element Six Ltd (2010 on) and of diamond- enabled lasers by M Squared Lasers Ltd (2012 on) has been made possible by underpinning research on laser engineering and optical characterisation at the University of Strathclyde. [text removed for publication] Markets for this material include thermal management of lasers to enable higher powers and high-performance laser output windows. [text removed for publication]

Summary of the impact

Laser cleaning is now a standard technique of great value in the conservation process to which research conducted at Loughborough University made a significant contribution. This work played a major part in introducing laser cleaning to conservators across Europe and further afield and was instrumental to the preservation and restoration of world heritage sites such as the Acropolis at Athens and important works of art including pieces by Henry Moore and Jacob Epstein. In addition to the cultural impact, the availability of laser cleaning techniques has: improved public services and understanding of, and engagement with, the conservation process (live restoration of artefacts); improved health (of restoration workers); influenced conservation practitioners (through an enhanced skill-set).

Summary of the impact

Research in solid state lasers and non-linear optics in the Department of Physics has led to the creation of innovative laser companies in Glasgow serving global scientific and industrial markets. World-leading products have opened up applications in biomedical imaging, security, defence, pollution monitoring, material processing and fundamental spectroscopy. The companies Coherent Scotland Ltd and M Squared Lasers Ltd can trace a direct link to the research in the Department of Physics and are the central theme of this case study. Since 2008, these two companies have created an estimated 600 person years of employment and £135M of sales from products underpinned by research undertaken at Strathclyde. The wider cluster of companies, researching, designing and developing laser products, including Thales Optronics and more recently the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, which has a close working relationship with the University, has made Glasgow one of the leading European centres for innovative laser manufacture.

Summary of the impact

Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) locking, developed into a practical technique by researchers at the University of Glasgow, is the ubiquitous method for the precise frequency control of stable laser systems. This control is central to laser products from companies such as Toptica and Newport, and has an estimated global annual market in excess of £5M. The PDH stabilisation technique is essential for the operation of the time standards maintained in all of the world's Governmental Metrological Standards Laboratories (e.g. NPL, NIST, BIPM) and finds applications in inspection tools in the semiconductor industry and deep UV lasers for UV-Raman spectroscopy.

Summary of the impact

This is an example of early economic impact where research on various aspects of laser engineering has resulted in the development of inexpensive, compact, efficient and user-friendly laser sources. An example is the incorporation of quantum dot structures into semiconductor laser architectures, with these replacing much larger and more expensive systems, with a range of applications in areas such as microscopy, biomedical diagnosis and therapy. This work has led to the generation of key know-how and patents that have been subsequently licensed as well as resulting in a variety of laser-related products being brought to market. Additionally, it has resulted in extra staff being employed at one of our partner companies.

Summary of the impact

Cascade Technologies is a rapidly expanding technology company that contributes significantly to the UK economy. The company, a spin out from the Physics Department, manufactures gas sensors based on Strathclyde research that are used for environmental monitoring, security monitoring and process monitoring. From 2008 to 2013 the company has expanded to employ 50 people and sales have increased from £0.9 million to £6.4 million. From 2008 the company's products are used on a number of commercial shipping fleets to monitor emissions, and from 2010 until 2011 have been used to increase traveller safety at Glasgow airport

Summary of the impact

Impact: Economic gains / altered business practices.

Research on ultrafast lasers has led to the development of new products and services and has been pivotal in the development of a whole field of new technology.

Significance: The research underpins the product development of a range of world leading companies including Femtolasers, Newport Spectra-Physics and Menlo Systems.

Reach: The companies that use the technology represent all of the leading players in the solid-state femtosecond laser field, a marketplace worth more than $250M annually.

Beneficiaries: The impact presents economic gains to the companies involved and underlies many applications in e.g. biology and medicine, providing significant benefits to the public at large.

Attribution: The research was performed by Professor Sibbett's group.

Summary of the impact

Research in the laser photonics area has led to the formation and continuing development of two spin-out companies, Lynton Lasers Ltd and Laser Quantum Ltd, with annual turnover of £5.3m and >£12m respectively, and direct economic impact of [text removed for publication] over the REF period. Laser Quantum Ltd manufacture and market OEM diode pumped solid state lasers and Ti:sapphire lasers, which are incorporated in the products of major international companies in the scientific and entertainment sectors. Lynton Lasers Ltd manufacture and market medical devices for the cosmetic and aesthetic surgery market. Their products and services have underpinned the business of [text removed for publication] over the REF period. With an average cost of between [text removed for publication] over the REF period.