Prof Kenneth Grattan
City University, U.K.

Title : "Condition Assessment of bridges using fibre optic sensors to validate industry-standard methods"

Abstract: Fibre Optic sensors have been widely used for a variety of applications over the last few decades and have been making a clear impact on a number of industrial fields. However, reliable data on the use of, and outputs from, a number of evaluations of fibre optic sensors is critical to gain wider acceptance of their value for solving key industrial measurement problems. This is particularly true in the field of structural monitoring: both industrial structures e.g. aerospace structures and civil engineering structures can benefit from the use of optical fibre techniques in achieving a better assessment of the structure in use. In this latter field, however, acceptance by the civil engineering community has taken some time to be gained and thus work involving both electrical engineers, physicists and civil engineers can give confidence that fibre optic sensor methods are valid under a range of circumstances. This paper will present recent work from field tests involving the design and use of a number of fibre optic sensors for the monitoring of one of key civil engineering structures that underpin our way of life: important bridges in commuter networks. Amongst these will be the report of work just completed with Indian Railways on the Vasai Creek Bridge, a major bridge carrying extensive train traffic into Mumbai: the focus has been to assess the problems with the cracking found on the bridge in recent years. To do so, fibre optic sensors were installed and used in a number of situations to make measurements and the results obtained and associated modelling work will be presented. The research has shown that when such opportunities are made available, fibre optic sensors can be installed and used in a satisfactory way, giving measurements that are of real value to the owners and end users of the structures considered.


Biodata: Professor Grattan graduated in Physics from Queen's University Belfast with a BSc (First Class Honours) in 1974 and a PhD in Laser Physics. His research involved the use of laser-probe techniques for measurements on potential new laser systems. Following Queen's, in 1978 he became a Research Fellow at Imperial College of Science and Technology, sponsored by the Rutherford Laboratory to work on advanced photolytic drivers for novel laser systems. This involved detailed measurements of the characteristics and properties of novel laser species and a range of materials involved in systems calibration. In 1983 he joined City University as a "new blood" Lecturer in Physics, being appointed Professor of Measurement and Instrumentation in 1991 and Head of the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering. His research interests have expanded to include the use of fibre optic and optical systems in the measurement of a range of physical and chemical parameters. The work has been sponsored by a number of organizations including EPSRC, the EU, DERA, private industry and BTG, with whom a joint patent for systems for monitoring in the water industry is held. He obtained a DSc from City University in 1992 for his sensor work. Professor Grattan is extensively involved with the work of the professional bodies having been Chairman of the Science, Education and Technology of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the Applied Optics Division of the Institute of Physics and he was President of the Institute of Measurement and Control during the year 2000. He was awarded the Callendar Medal of the Institute of Measurement and Control in 1992, and the Honeywell Prize for work published in the Institute's journal. Professor Grattan has been Deputy Editor of the Journal Measurement Science and Technology for several years and currently serves on the Editorial Board of several major journals in his field in the USA and Europe. In January 2001 he was appointed Editor of the IMEKO Journal "Measurement" and also serves on their General Council. He is the author and co-author of over seven hundred publications in major international journals and at conferences and is the co-editor (with Professor B T Meggitt) of a five volume topical series on Optical Fiber Sensor Technology.

________________________________________________

Dr. Mohd Sharizal Alias
Telekom Malaysia Research & Development, Malaysia

Title : "Long-wavelength GaAs-based edge-emitting laser diode utilizing GaInNAs quantum well"

Abstract: Comprehensive theoretical optical properties and experimental electrical-optical device characteristics are studied for long wavelength GaInNAs edge-emitting laser diode. The theoretical analysis indicates that a high quality GaInNAs active region and device design are devised, where high material gain near 1.3 μm and optimal optical mode confinement are achieved. Room temperature lasing emission around 1.27 um with threshold current densities of 670-810 A/cm2 is obtained in broad area GaInNAs laser diode grown by molecular beam epitaxy.


Biodata: Dr. Mohd Sharizal Alias is a Principal Researcher at Telekom Malaysia Research & Development (TMR&D) and currently he is the Head of Lab for Advance Physical Technologies Lab in TMR&D. The lab focuses on innovative research in support of frontier communication technologies concentrating on physical materials and device foundations. He completed his PhD degree with distinction in nanophotonics focusing on photonic crystal vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) at Institute of Micro-engineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), National University of Malaysia in 2010. He received his MSc degree in optoelectronics and BSc degree in computational physics & electronics, both at Physics Department, University Malaya in 2005 and 2000, respectively. He was a visiting researcher at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA in 2006 and Tampere University of Technology, Finland in 2005. His research interests include vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, long wavelength semiconductor lasers, GaInNAs material system, photonic crystal and optical communication focusing on fiber to the home and radio over fiber technologies. He has published over 70 journal and proceeding papers in these areas and has five patents pending. Mr. Alias was the recipient of Researcher of the Year from Telekom Malaysia Research & Development for 2006, Gold awards and Malaysia Innovative Product award from 19th and 18th International Invention, Innovation, and Technology Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur for 2008 and 2007, and National Science Fellowship from 2001 to 2003. He is listed in the 2010 edition of Who’s Who in the World for Science and Engineering. He is member of IEEE Photonics Society since 2006.

________________________________________________

Emeritus Prof. Richard De La Rue
Photonics Research Centre, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

Title : "Micro-/Nano-Photonic Device Structures for Communications, Sensing and Consumer Optoelectronics Applications"

Abstract: The realisation of photonic devices that employ nanometre-scale structuring - and meet the vital requirement for nanometric levels of precision in their fabrication - will lead to a number of interesting near-future applications. Sub-micrometre scale waveguide cross-sections in silicon or other high refractive index materials and/or slow light structures - together with carefully tailored dispersion properties – will produce a new wave of photonic device technology and enable high-density photonic and optoelectronic integration. Nanophotonic devices based on photonic-crystal (PhC), photonic-wire (PhW) and plasmonic/ metamaterial principles - and combinations of these principles - are likely to play a central role in delivering the functionalities required in near-future integrated photonics. The micro-/ nano-photonics technologies and device concepts that are now being developed will be employed for a range of different applications that include switching, modulation and wavelength selection and control in optical communications, enhancement of LED efficiency and beam-shaping for the display back-lighting application – and very compact, cheap and sensitive photonics-based sensors, e.g. for biomedical applications. This presentation will review some of the recent progress made in these fields.

Biodata: Emeritus Professor Richard De La Rue retired from the University of Glasgow in 2010 and joined the Photonics Research Centre at the University of Malaya in April 2011, as Visiting Professor. His recent research has been particularly concerned with photonic crystal and photonic wire structures, waveguide micro-cavities and metamaterials. This work has evolved to include compact lasers, planar micro-cavities, photonic-crystal LEDs and the applications of photonic crystal structures and metamaterial surfaces to bio-medical and organic sensing. He has published more than 250 articles as papers in journals and magazines and book chapters. He has been involved in European Community funded collaborations through the SMILED, PICCO and SPLASH projects - and the on-going P3SENS project. He has acted as either program or general co-chair for the CLEO-Europe/IQEC conference in 2007 and 2009, the ‘Photonic Crystal Materials and Devices’ conference at SPIE’s Photonics Europe in 2004, 2006 and 2008 – and the Integrated Photonics Research (IPR) meetings in 2003, 2010 and 2011. He served as IEEE-LEOS Distinguished Lecturer for two years from 1999. He became a Fellow of the IEEE (FIEEE) in 2003; Fellow of the OSA in 2007; Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) in 2002; Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE, 1989) and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, (FIET/FIEE) in 1997.

________________________________________________

Prof. Harith Ahmad
Photonics Research Centre, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

Title : "Wideband EDFA Based on Erbium Doped Crystalline Zirconia Yttria Alumino Silicate Fiber"

Abstract: EXTENSIVE research has been done on erbium-doped waveguide and optical ?ber ampli?ers in materials including silica, alumina, telluride glass, phosphate glass, lithium niobate, silicon and others. Comparison shows that these materials demonstrate different qualities that have a signi?cant impact on the overall performance and applicability of an optical ampli?er. Some materials have wider emission bandwidths than others, which can be used to amplify more wavelength channels in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems. Others allow higher erbium concentrations before detrimental effects such as concentration quenching and cluster formation occur, which can translate to equal gain in a more compact device. Extremely low waveguide loss is also possible with some materials and results in improved ampli?er ef?ciency. In the choice of glass host, many researchers have focused on only high silica glass due to its proven reliability and compatibility with conventional ?ber-optic components. In this presentation, the speaker deliberates on a wideband Erbium-doped ?ber ampli?er (EDFA) using a new type of Erbium-doped ?ber (EDF), which is fabricated in a ternary glass host, zirconia-yttria-aluminum codoped silica ?ber (Zr-Y-Al-EDF) through solution doping technique along with modi?ed chemical vapor deposition (MCVD). With a combination of both Zr and Al, they achieve a high erbium doping concentration of 4320 ppm in the glass host without any phase separations of rare-earths. Over 10 dB signal gain and noise ?gure less than 9 dB was obtained from 1540 nm to 1580 nm.

Biodata: Harith Ahmad obtained a first class degree in physics from the University of Malaya in 1979. In 1980, he was awarded an M.Sc in High Voltage Technology and a Ph.D in Laser Technology (1983) from University of Wales in United Kingdom. His initial research activities in the design of gas and liquid lasers, and later on in areas of solid state lasers such as ruby and Nd: YAG. From 1990s, research was centered around optical parametric effect in beta barium borate and also non-linear effect in KDP. ADP and BBO. Dr.Harith Ahmad initiated the first IRPA photonics Laboratory in the Klang Valley with generous funding from Telekom and activities such as fused fibers couplers, optical amplifier, and optical fiber perform; laser diode coupling was started as early as 1995. Dr. Harith Ahmad has produced numerous higher degrees students and has published many papers in reputable international journals such as IEEE Photonics Tech. Letts, Optics Comm, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics and others. He has numerous patents in photonics products and actively involved in promoting photonics in Malaysia. At present he is a Professor of Photonics at University of Malaya and senior principal analyst at MIGHT.