Welcome and opening remarks

Louise Jones
Knowledge Transfer Manager, Energy Systems (United Kingdom)
Session Chair

10:15
Compound semiconductors for photonic applications in energy and the environment

Iwan Davies Group Technical Director, IQE (United Kingdom)

IQE has been at forefront of the compound semiconductor industry for more than 30 years and is clearly recognised as the leading global supplier of advanced wafer products and wafer services to the semiconductor industry. Using both MOCVD and MBE reactors, it has pioneered the supply of custom-designed epitaxial wafers for a number of device applications for over 30 years. IQE’s global business has been dependent on a broad range of electronic and photonic epitaxial device structures; serving wireless and optical telecommunications, sensing, energy, medical, industrial and consumer markets amongst others. Compound Semiconductors are a key enabling technology to meet net zero supporting e.g. LED energy efficient lighting, solar cell power generation and high voltage power electronics for electric vehicles and wind turbines. It is therefore of vital importance such technologies contribute to the development of new knowledge and techniques in relation to energy efficiency and harvesting and the detection of harmful gases which potentially lead to environmental damage.

Iwan Davies obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Imperial College, London and his Ph.D. on MOVPE Studies in Compound Semiconductors from the University of Manchester, and is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. With 40 years-experience in the epitaxial growth by MOVPE of arsenide/phosphide III-V and selenide II-VI semiconductors, he has co-authored over 100 publications covering a very broad range of optoelectronic devices and material systems. Following a period of research and development at Plessey Research (Caswell) Ltd., he has managed the growth and characterization of epi-wafers, research & development, plant operations, product engineering, and chemical, safety & environmental systems during the last 34 years at IQE. He is currently IQE plc Group Technology Director, representing the company on numerous European associations, including Photonics 21 (Board of Stakeholders), European Photonics Industry Consortium, Aeneas and Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). He leads IQE plc in UK National and European Research Projects, supervises ~10 UK-based PhD studentships and has supported numerous EPSRC, NRN Wales, Centres for Doctoral Training and Knowledge Transfer Partnership projects with UK universities.

10:35
Mid-IR 2.0: Technology disruption in the environmental monitoring industry

Adnan Quazi Hamamatsu Photonics (United Kingdom)

Mid-infrared technologies facilitate various kinds of environmental monitoring applications. Hamamatsu photonics have been spearheading a 2.0 revolution in the Mid-IR with environmentally friendly detectors and high energy efficiency LEDs. This presentation will give a deep dive into these interesting developments.

Adnan Quazi studied Physics at Hertfordshire University with a focus on QCL laser technology. He is a Senior Sales Engineer at Hamamatsu Photonics with a specialisation in Mid-IR technologies.

10:55
Building on the strength of photonics in Wales

Louise Jones Knowledge Transfer Manager, Energy Systems (United Kingdom) Session Chair

Louise Jones led the Photonics and Additive Manufacturing at Innovate UK KTN and is active within Wales assisting in delivering a Photonics launchpad in North Wales. She is keen to see how photonics can be shaped in Wales through the recently formed dedicated network, Photonics Connected and will share successes, case studies and applications beyond where we would see Photonics applied. Innovate UK funds and works with the Innovate UK KTN to create powerful connections, shape future innovation communities for its programmes and enhance technology expertise through their substantial nationwide network, excellent industry expertise facilitating collaborations, marketing news and case studies, and skills development capability. Active within Photonics by leading the delivery of briefing events, helping companies win funding and form collaborations covering a range of applications for Photonics.

Louise Jones has a background and PhD in the fine chemicals industry with catalytic converter manufacturing and coating experience. Louise was a commercial project manager in two Universities delivering commercial collaborative projects between industry focused around solar energy development and manufacturing and photonics applications into other sectors. Louise currently leads on Energy Systems at the KTN focusing on Distributed generation and grid and the mix of renewables (including solar) that can integrate into energy systems. Louise is responsible for facilitating technological collaborations across industry and spanning the research community in the field of electrical energy systems. Louise also works extensively in Wales supporting innovation regardless of sector. Louise is the chair of the Leadership council for Photonics Connected, the network for the photonics community in Wales.

11:15
Applied research and consultancy in laser technologies to support low carbon transport and energy solutions

Sullivan Smith Automotive Programme Manager TWI Ltd. (United Kingdom)

TWI has been active in the field of laser technology since the 1960’s. In this time TWI has provided industry with R&D and consultancy in the field of laser cutting, welding and surfacing across a huge range of materials and applications. In recent years TWI has helped develop numerous solutions linked to low carbon transport and green energy solutions. Examples of this work includes providing laser joining solutions for electrical propulsion in the automotive and aerospace sectors for the joining of battery cell components, battery busbar interconnections and battery housing welding, helping the industrialisation of laser welded motor winding/hairpin connections, welding process monitoring and control using various sensor types and smart data handling, robot mounted laser cutting for the safe and controlled decommissioning of legacy nuclear facilities.

Sullivan Smith joined TWI (The Welding Institute) in 2011 where he holds the position of Automotive Programme Manager. Prior to that he was employed by Tata Steel from 1998 through to 2011, working in resistance welding R&D and customer technical support for the European automotive industry. Sullivan’s specialization is in resistance welding and mechanical fastening processes. His main tasks have been to provide technical support to the European automotive and general manufacturing sectors. Much of his experience is in the area of joining of dissimilar materials including; dissimilar metals, metals to polymers/composites. Sullivan represents BSI (British Standards Institute) on several ISO committees (international Standards Organisation) in the area of resistance welding and is the chairperson of the ISO committee for mechanical fastening. In the field of electrification, Sullivan has worked with all major joining processes including; spot arc, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, laser welding, soldering, wire bonding and percussive arc welding for the creation of welded connections in electrical devices, such as; battery modules, sensors, motor windings, bus bar connections. Sullivan has worked across industry providing consultancy and process development support to small component manufacturers all the way up to large OEMs. Much of TWI’s client work is confidential and details cannot be shared publicly.

11:35
Laser micromachining for energy

Bruce Valentine OpTek Systems (United Kingdom)

This talk will focus on Optek's processing technologies and market trends. OpTek Systems, headquartered in Abingdon, UK, with facilities in Europe, Asia and North America, is a global provider of precision laser micromachining solutions, delivered as both production equipment and sub-contract laser processing services. In the Energy space Optek works in areas such as high-speed drilling of fuel cells and batteries, laser milling of features in super-hard tooling materials, scribing of photovoltaic materials, cutting and drilling of quartz, glass and foils and Fiber-optic processing for energy sensor systems.

Bruce Valentine is the Global Managing Director of OpTek systems, and has a MBA from Cranfield University. He has worked in international component design and system manufacturing since 1989, and has a background in RF, Microwave and Fiber Optics. He has worked on major regional and global defence, space and industrial programs during his career. Since joining in November 2021, Bruce is responsible for OpTek’s activities and facilities in Massachusetts, South Carolina, Donguan and the UK.