The TRADES doctoral training network aims to address a skills gap in the photonics sector by training a cohort of 15 doctoral candidates with the advanced skills necessary for the development of innovative and enabling photonics components.
The network will deliver a research and training programme focused on key steps in product development from concept, through sustainable production and precise characterisation, right up to implementation, and will equip the doctoral candidates with the interdisciplinary skills necessary to drive the research forward.
The network fellows will design and develop robust dispersive components based on sub-wavelength grating-waveguide structures for intra-cavity and extra-cavity applications in high-power lasers operating in the 1 and 2 µm spectral regions.
In parallel, fellows will receive non-academic research exposure and training in innovation management, enterprise, and entrepreneurship, preparing them for future careers in photonic technology research and development.
Doctoral researchers will gain practical experience through secondments at partner laboratories and companies. Network schools and workshops will cover the design, fabrication, and characterisation of grating-waveguide structures, alongside training in scientific communication, project management, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
TRADES will use life cycle assessment to compare the environmental footprint of different fabrication routes for grating-waveguide structures. The research will also examine material criticality and develop eco-design recommendations, considering the components' potential environmental benefits when used in laser systems.
