Multimode fibres are a complex yet powerful platform for controlling light. The spatial modes within the fibre can be manipulated to modify various properties of the light flowing through it, such as beam shape, polarisation, and frequency. We explore both the linear and nonlinear optical processes involved, as well as new ways to control them. These insights are then used to develop high-power lasers and programmable photonic devices that offer functions and performance beyond what single-mode fibres can achieve. Their applications span a wide range of fields, from directed energy and lidar to quantum information, AI, and space photonics. Key techniques we employ include wavefront shaping, fibre design, laser cooling, and high-precision fibre-optic sensing.

I have a fully funded PhD position in my lab on 'high-power fibre lasers with intelligent wavefront control' for entry in September 2026. It is open to both home and international students, and co-supervised by Prof William Wadsworth. See here for more details. Contact me for informal queries. Apply via Find Λ PhD. Deadline is 18th January, 2026.