Sunday, August 31, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Agriculture

Aston University researcher receives £1 million grant to revolutionize miniature optical devices

May 16, 2024
in Agriculture
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Professor Misha Sumetsky
74
SHARES
672
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

An Aston University researcher has received more than £1 million to deliver optical devices that are so small they sit on the surface of an optical fibre which can be used in manufacturing, IT and agriculture.

Professor Misha Sumetsky

Credit: Professor Misha Sumetsky

  • Miniature optical devices to be developed for use across manufacturing, IT and agriculture  
  • Grant has been given by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 
  • Devices so small they are measured in picometres – a picometre is one trillionth of a metre.

An Aston University researcher has received more than £1 million to deliver optical devices that are so small they sit on the surface of an optical fibre which can be used in manufacturing, IT and agriculture.

The £1,167,290 grant has been given by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for the Picometer Surface Nanoscale Axial Photonics (PicoSNAP) project. 

The award will be used to develop Surface Nanoscale Axial Photonics (SNAP) technology which enables the fabrication of miniature photonic devices.

Traditionally, the precision of microscopic devices has been constrained by the size of atoms, with fabrication technologies plateauing at several nanometres – a nanometre being one billionth of a metre. 

However, PicoSNAP technology, which was pioneered by Professor Misha Sumetsky of Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT), has enabled devices to be scaled down even further so they can be measured in picometres – a picometre is one trillionth of a metre.

The spread of light in SNAP devices differs to regular optical fibres, because light spirals along the perimeter of the fibre and slowly moves along its length, instead of travelling through the core

At the moment SNAP devices are not suitable to go to market, so the project will explore making them ready for practical applications across industries ranging from information technology to precision manufacturing and sensing.

Professor Sumetsky is aiming to develop a reliable manufacturing process to enable production of the devices that is both ultra-accurate and easy to reproduce. If successful, the project will not only bring in a new revolutionary technology but also deliver miniature optical devices with performance not previously possible to achieve, and ready for practical applications.

He said: “The lack of reliable, scalable manufacturing processes with picometre precision remains a major obstacle, and SNAP technology has the potential to address this need with its exceptional precision and performance.

“The goal of this project is the development of the process, which requires  insight into the depth of associated physical phenomena, as well as the design and fabrication of new microdevices critical for the future communication, optical signal processing, microwave and sensing technologies, for applications ranging from food industry to fundamental science.   

“We envision a high demand for the miniature optical devices we plan to design and fabricate in this project.
“This grant underscores how Aston University’s strategy is driving impactful research that addresses real-world challenges.”

The project will start in September 2024 and is expected to end in August 2028.

The announcement coincides with UNESCO Day of Light which marks the role light plays in science, culture and art, education and sustainable development. It is held on 16 May every year, the anniversary of the first successful operation of a laser.
 



Share30Tweet19
Previous Post

Researchers wrestle with accuracy of AI technology used to create new drug candidates

Next Post

Military physicians give high-ranking military patients preferential treatment over lower-ranking patients

Related Posts

blank
Agriculture

Merremia vitifolia: Uncovering Antipyretic Potential Scientifically

August 31, 2025
blank
Agriculture

Factors Influencing Climate-Smart Farming in Botswana

August 31, 2025
blank
Agriculture

Climate-Resilient Approaches for Sustainable Rice and Potato

August 30, 2025
blank
Agriculture

Comparative Yield of Summer Cereals Under Resource Stress

August 30, 2025
blank
Agriculture

Flower Shapes Reveal Pollen Diversity in Marigolds

August 30, 2025
blank
Agriculture

Irrigation Patterns Impact Rice Growth in Burkina Faso

August 30, 2025
Next Post
Military physicians give high-ranking military patients preferential treatment over lower-ranking patients

Military physicians give high-ranking military patients preferential treatment over lower-ranking patients

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27542 shares
    Share 11014 Tweet 6884
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    955 shares
    Share 382 Tweet 239
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    642 shares
    Share 257 Tweet 161
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    509 shares
    Share 204 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    313 shares
    Share 125 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Japanese Patients’ Preferences for Lipid-Lowering Injections
  • Scaling Evidence-Based Health Interventions in Africa: A Dialogue
  • GPER: Key Role in Metabolism and Disease Management
  • UBAP2L Deficiency Limits Colorectal Cancer Growth and Resistance

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Blog
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,182 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading