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NMISA Presentation 13 April 2015
The Light Stuff Improving Quality of Life with Photonics
Adriaan van Brakel
(012) 841 4242
NMISA © Copyright 2015
Introduction
Safe
Reliable
Fair Efficient
Healthy
Innovative Reproducible
Measurements for
Quality of Life
NMISA © Copyright 2015
Future role of NMI
• Looking ahead, preparing the way for pervasive technology
e.g. 1955: invention of the atomic clock
2015: GPS, mobile phones, internet, …
• New products, services and processes
• Quality, quantity and performance
• Access to fair global markets
• No barriers to successful trade
• Measurement confidence
• How do we prepare for future metrology challenges?
NMISA © Copyright 2015
• Services delivered from NMIs will gradually be
superseded by self-calibrating, portable standards
facilitating in situ traceability.
• NMI services will become focused on providing
support to end users that are seeking to achieve
traceable measurements in difficult situations.
• This will involve a shift from a traditional
‘traceability’ based model towards a problem
solving approach that will exploit the applied
measurement know-how of staff.
Excerpt from: NPL’s Metrology for the 2020s:
www.npl.co.uk/2020vision
NMISA © Copyright 2015
Influencing factors
• Redefinition of the SI units
No more physical artefacts;
Towards fixed values of physical and atomic constants.
• Emerging sensor technologies
Maturity of quantum, bio- and nano-technologies;
Cost-effectiveness.
• Increased computing power and capability
New analysis techniques and paradigms;
Large amounts of data and images from different sources.
• Multi-scale, multi-physics simulation and modelling Supported by validated data
• More demanding end-user needs and expectations
On-line and networked services
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Societal challenges
Innovation
Scientific discovery
R&D growth
Manufacturing
“Big science”
Sustainability
Low-carbon economy
Monitoring the planet
Energy efficiency
Diversity of supply
Security
Citizens’ well-being
Healthy population
Key resources
Key infrastructure
Reference: NPL’s Metrology for the 2020s [www.npl.co.uk/2020vision]
NMISA © Copyright 2015
Why photonics?
• 2015 is the UNESCO International Year of Light
… and light-based technologies:
http://www.light2015.org/Home.html
• Energy Photovoltaics
Lasers in inertial-confinement fusion
• Economic impact Current global market of $ 340 billion
Projected global market of $ 680 billion in 2020
• Light in the built environment 20% of global electricity consumption
• Connecting the world
Global fibre-optic networks enable the internet
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Industry examples
Advanced manufacturing
Structural monitoring
Chemical & bio-analysis
Medical
diagnostics
Transport systems
Communications
Aerospace exploration
Defense Photonics
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NMISA Photonics Lab (I)
• People
Part of Time, Frequency and Fibre Optics Section
Currently 4 staff members and 1 software engineer in the section
Postgraduate students, post-docs and interns to be added
• Infrastructure and equipment
Class 7 cleanroom with temperature and humidity control
MenloSystems Ti:Sa femtosecond laser-based frequency comb
NP Photonics narrow linewidth, high power fibre laser (125 mW)
Photonics control equipment, e.g. acousto-optic modulators
Photonics diagnostic equipment, e.g. wavemeter, beam profiler
• Fields of research interest
Communications
Frequency sources
Photonics sensors
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NMISA Photonics Lab (II) • Applications
Portable optical frequency standard
Modulation schemes for next-generation networks
High power optical fibre responsivity
Time and frequency transfer over fibre
Fibre optic chemical and medical sensors
Novel sources (frequency, fibre lasers, …)
• Strategy and search for measurement solutions
Market survey of South Africa’s ICT industry
NMISA and industry-driven measurement challenges
• Collaboration partners
National: SKA-SA, HartRAO, Telkom, NLC, UP, Wits, UJ, NMMU,
International: NMIs (KRISS, NICT, NMIA, NPL, DFM, ...)
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Societal challenges
Innovation
Scientific discovery
R&D growth
Manufacturing
“Big science”
Sustainability
Low-carbon economy
Monitoring the planet
Energy efficiency
Diversity of supply
Security
Citizens’ well-being
Healthy population
Key resources
Key infrastructure
Reference: NPL’s Metrology for the 2020s [www.npl.co.uk/2020vision]
NMISA © Copyright 2015
Innovation
• Manufacturing in factories of the future
Smart design and on-demand manufacturing
Waste and energy reduction
Photonics solution 1: additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping
Photonics solution 2: diode lasers locked to quantum standards
(low cost interferometers providing NMI accuracy, traceability)
• R&D for solving “big science” challenges
Exploring the universe
Formulation of theory combining particle physics and gravity
Photonics solution 1: accurate deep space navigation using
optical lattice clocks (stability > 10-17)
Photonics solution 2: single-photon measurements leading to
ultimate network security: quantum key distribution over fibre
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Sustainability
• Monitoring the state of the planet Measuring essential climate variables
Tracking mitigation strategies
Monitoring global environment
Photonics solution 1: LIDAR systems for atmospheric monitoring
Photonics solution 2: fibre-optic gas sensors for detecting harmful
hydrocarbons
• Maintaining energy efficiency and supply diversity
Diversified power generation and storage
Intelligent and efficient transport systems
Sustainable energy supplies
Photonics solution 1: Photovoltaics to harness solar energy
Photonics solution 2: Ultra-high power lasers for fusion
Photonics solution 3: LIDAR navigation in autonomous vehicles
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Security
• Ensuring a population of healthy citizens
Point-of-care testing and diagnosis
Non-invasive imaging methods
Advanced therapies and drug delivery
Photonics solution 1: Non-linear spectroscopy (e.g. Raman)
Photonics solution 2: Multi-analyte photonics bio-sensors
• Managing key infrastructure and resources
Protection and improved lifespan of key infrastructure
Security and quality of food and water
Sustainable management of key resources
Photonics solution 1: distributed fibre-optic sensors for real-time
structural monitoring
Photonics solution 2: fibre sensors for testing soil and groundwater
NMISA © Copyright 2015
Postgraduate bursaries available: www.nmisa.org/Opportunities/Pages/Vacancies.aspx
• Two years’ full-time masters study at NMISA, from 2016
• R 120 000 per annum, as well as tuition fees
• Work-back period is equivalent to study period
• Contact me for more details: [email protected]
