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Faculty of Engineering and Computing
Photonics100: listed IPIC’s Prof Liam Barry and Dr Frank Smyth of Pilot Photonics

Prof. Liam Barry honoured in inaugural Photonics100 list

Electro-Optics Magazine recently launched the inaugural Photonics100 list of the most innovative people in Photonics. We are delighted to see Prof. Liam Barry (IPIC@DCU) and Dr. Frank Smyth (Pilot Photonics), an IPIC Industry Partner included in the list. This listing honours those that are the driving force behind the evolution of photonics technologies.

The team in DCU led by Prof. Barry has been developing innovative comb laser technologies for almost two decades. These technologies played a key role in the formation of Pilot Photonics in 2011 and the company has now developed miniaturised comb lasers based on photonic integration that it is using to target high-growth, mass markets.

“Our journey towards the photonic integration of our technology started through a series of meetings and early projects with IPIC researchers back in 2014. Unlike most comb lasers our technology is well suited to monolithic photonic integration which means that single-chip PICs enhanced with comb laser capabilities can be mass produced at wafer scale today. This opens up large opportunities in the telecoms, satellite comms, and aerospace markets.” commented Dr. Smyth, CTO at Pilot Photonics.

The research teams in DCU and Pilot continue to innovate collaboratively in the comb laser space and are now focussed on energy-efficient data centre and satellite communication technologies through an IPIC targeted project, a Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund project, and an EU Training Network Programme.

Commenting on the inaugural Photonics100 list, Prof. Barry from IPIC@DCU noted that "the inclusion of Irish based researchers is clear evidence of the innovative work being carried out in Photonics in Ireland, and puts the country in a strong position to benefit both socially and economically from the growth in the photonics sector over the coming decades".