Pilot Manufacturing with Ultrafast Laser Plasma Implantation (ULPI)

The Ultrafast Laser Plasma Implantation (ULPI) equipment will provide a pilot level research and manufacturing capability for advanced functional materials and surfaces, between the atomic and microscopic scales, . For this Leeds patented technique, we use lasers with a pulse duration in the femtosecond range which is capable of producing high density and high kinetic energy plasma for implantation into a substrate, as opposed to methods to produce surface coatings. The demonstration of concepts, IP and specifications for the pilot ULPI equipment have been developed through ongoing research at Leeds, using equipment originally designed for coatings via femtosecond pulsed laser deposition (fs-PLD), which was RCUK funded (EP/D048672/1). The strategic equipment proposal is aimed at creating a world first small-scale manufacturing capability for ULPI, surpassing many conventional surface modification techniques such as ion-exchange. Furthermore, ULPI can open new doors in the manufacture of advanced materials, where previously no options were available, for example with integrated photonic circuits on glass with active and passive functionalities.

ULPI enables implantation of fs-laser generated plasma species into a variety of glass, semiconductor, metal and ceramic surfaces from custom ion/plasma source materials. These layers can be formed between 10's of nanometres to several micrometres in depth with well-defined sharp interfaces with substrates. This equipment will enable multi-functional hetero-epitaxial materials engineering, which will support not only integrated photonics, but also optoelectronics and electronic circuit fabrication. We are partnering with the Universities of Cambridge, York, Sheffield, Sheffield III-V centre, DSTL and 10 industries to achieve these aims.

At present there is no photonic equivalent to CMOS circuit fabrication for enabling complex multi-functional devices and circuits on a chip, which is the field of photonic integration's main limitation. Our background research in ULPI of inorganic glasses into Silicon/Silica substrates has created a new opportunity for research on ULPI based materials and device fabrication by incorporating multi-target fs-laser ablation induced plasma, which eliminates the need for individual processing chambers and offers a new route to novel manufacturing procedures for the fabrication of PICs combined with standard electronic components which is the main aim of the linked research project SeaMatics (EP/M015165/1).

A further aim of the pilot-ULPI facility is to scale up the fabrication for multi-functional materials with appropriate process monitoring and diagnostic tools to ensure excellent control over photonic, optoelectronic and electronic functions in-situ. While this equipment is for more advanced research into low TRL manufacturing projects, it is also valuable for the final stage TRLs of other more mature technologies which are on the verge of commercialisation.

The pilot-ULPI equipment will be a World-leading National Facility for Novel Functional Materials Manufacturing. The strong background IP position is the unique feature of the pilot-ULPI equipment that would deliver economic impact. Our earliest impact will be via the spin off Glucosense Diagnostics Ltd (GDL), which is expected to bring the first wearable non-invasive glucose sensor featuring the ULPI material to market in 2016. A key requirement for their product development phase is the demonstration of manufacturability of materials on a commercial scale. Glucosense (NetScientific) already invested £160K and are committed to not less than £750,000 investment over the next 12 months on licensing the IP from Leeds for their pre-product development. The market for the Glucose sensor is currently over £8bn and the only devices available operate by using finger pricking with needles or lancets, which are painful, causes numbing and is a key disincentive for patients performing frequent measurements. This application will directly impact the quality of lives of millions of diabetes patients and reduce costs associated with the management of diabetes and related complications. Considering that £10bn is spend by the NHS on diabetes and related complications this is a huge economic and social impact area. Our strategy is to enhance impact of this sensor device in job and wealth creation by setting the manufacturing in Yorkshire where there is a huge drive to bring new and high-technology manufacturing with the support of Leeds City Region Enterprise (http://www.leedsmanufacturing.co.uk/).

The second area of immediate economic impact will be in glass toughening and printing using ULPI for mobile and wearable devices (smartphones, watches and tablets). This is enabled via a pump-prime funding from EPSRC IAA and Digital Technologies Hub, by creating the "OPTIMUS Glass Project" collaboration with Schott Glass, Glass Technology Services and NSG-Pilkington in the area of toughened glass. For anti-counterfeiting in bottles the discussion and exploratory trials on premier whisky bottles have started with the Ardagh Group (annual revenue of £3.8bn).

The linked SeaMatics project will deliver academic impact via the collaboration with universities of Cambridge, York and Sheffield in the area of photonic materials and devices. The partnering DSTL and 10 industries ensure economic impact for optical communications, Sensors, lighting and optical computing in the £512 bn global photonics market.

The equipment will be used for the training of PhDs and PDRFs in Functional Materials and Device Engineering for Photonics. The strategic overlap with the CDT in Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems (IPES) at Cambridge will be particularly important in building training programmes that meet industrial requirements as well. At a more general level, the project team is planning to organise public engagement activities whenever the opportunity arises. Specifically, the team will demonstrate and engage in activities with school children, future learners and other interested participants, for example at the Leeds Festival of Science which is held in March every year (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/festivalofscience/) and York festival of ideas (www.yorkfestivalofideas.com) for strengthening the interest in STEM subjects. The White Rose Industrial Physics Academy (www.wripa.whiterose.ac.uk) led by Prof. TF Krauss at York aims to increase the interaction between the undergraduates and industry through project placements will contribute to the impact of the project.