Advanced ultra-short pulse two-micron fibre lasers for deep tissue medical imaging

This PhD project concerns the development of a new generation of fibre lasers tailored to enable high-resolution, chemically-sensitive, 3D laser imaging deep within the human body. The project is an integral part of a large collaborative EPSRC grant looking to fulfil our future healthcare needs.
The project team comprises those working on laser development, advanced computation imaging approaches (including AI), new signal detectors as well as medical doctors from the Universities of Edinburgh, Nottingham and Southampton. Aiming to improve early detection of disease by using light (unlike X-rays a safe non-ionising form of radiation) the technology should ultimately provide a fast widely used diagnostic tool offering both improved care and future cost savings for example the NHS (http://www.inlightenus.chem.ed.ac.uk/)

This fully funded PhD project focusses on creating novel, high-performance fibre lasers operating in the two-micron wavelength region. These lasers have the potential to open-up a wealth of new applications not only in medical imaging, but also for industrial processing and optical communications.

In particular, the project will create a world leading femto/pico-second pulsed fibre laser source, overcoming the technical challenges currently limiting progress in the field. Nonlinear frequency conversion of the output will transfer the output from the laser to both longer and shorter wavelengths as needed for the novel imaging. In broad terms, the work undertaken by the project student will combine experiments and simulations, together with advancing our understanding of lasers and nonlinear optics