High-performance ultrafast fibre lasers for biomedical applications

Supervisory Team: Dr Lin Xu, Prof David Richardson

Ultrafast lasers providing femtosecond pulses are enabling a rapidly increasing range of applications in science and industry, including physics, chemistry, medicine, biology, and materials processing. A large part of this relies on the transition from bulky, expensive, and maintenance-intensive Ti:sapphire lasers to fiber lasers. Ultrafast fibre lasers are superior in format and convenience, offering great advantages in terms of high efficiency, good compactness, low cost, and free of maintenance, which has become one of the main hot topics in laser science. 

This project will focus on investigation of advanced mode-locked techniques to realize high-performance ultrafast fibre lasers. Novel pulse compressing and power scaling methods will be studied to achieve high-peak-power short pulses at wavelengths of 1µm and 2µm based on ytterbium and thulium fibres, respectively. Multiphoton microscopy imaging for biological tissues will be explored by using the high-performance ultrafast fibre lasers. As a part of the £5M EPSRC Programme Grant (EP/T020997/1) and a collaborative £1.6M EPSRC Prosperity Partnership Grant (EP/V038036/1), we will target both high-performance ultrafast fibre laser development and state-of-the-art nonlinear microscopy bioimaging demonstration.

In this project the work undertaken by the student will develop good skills in both experiments and simulations. The project provides collaborative links to work closely with bio-photonic scientists and industrial engineers. The finer details of the project can be aligned to suit the preferences of the successful candidate. You will emerge as a high-achieving young scientist ready to embark on a strong career in this rapidly growing field. For candidates with industrial career aspirations, there are real opportunities to work closely with M Squared Lasers and AstraZeneca, enabling experience to be gained of working with industry.

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Lin Xu, Pulsed Fibre Laser Research Group, Email: l.xu@soton.ac.uk

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent in physics or a closely related discipline.

How To Apply

Apply online: Search for a Postgraduate Programme of Study (soton.ac.uk).

You need to:  

• choose programme type (research), 2025/26, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

• please select if you will be full time or part time

• choose PhD in Optoelectronics (ORC)

• add Dr Lin Xu as the proposed supervisor in Section 2  

Applications should include:  

• personal statement 

• CV (resumé) 

• 2 reference letters 

• degree transcripts to date