NEXT GENERATION PHOTONIC CRYSTAL FIBRES

The project NextGenPCF arises from the observation that progress and continuing technological development in many fields will depend on new ways of producing and guiding light, and mastering its interaction with the environment. Actors in health care require lasers at new wavelengths or broadband sources for diagnosis. Telecom players look for more flexible amplifiers, and for easy-to-install, low-cost fibres. The environmental sensor industry is searching for sensitive gas detector systems.

Photonic Crystal Fibre (PCF) technology has the potential to become an enabling optical component. Indeed, Photonic Crystal Fibres have re-defined what an optical fibre is and does, and dramatically enlarged the available design space. The contention of the partners is that the basic PCF designs are now defined and demonstrated, and that the turn toward material optimisation and industrialisation has to be negotiated.

NextGenPCF integrates the key European industrial and academic groups, from raw material' developers to final users. It aims at being the incubator of key devices in three fields of applications that corresponds to three IST strategic fields:

- Biomedical: Raman laser for photodynamic therapy and wideband sources for cytology,
- Telecom: easy-to-install, low-cost fibre for indoor wiring, Raman optical amplifier,
- Sensors for environment: methane detection in mining.

The technological developments will be driven by these applications. The integration of all the actors in a coordinated development process is expected to create a virtuous circle of market growth linking end user, device, fibre and raw material, while spreading knowledge and avoiding redundancy. It will provide a key competitive advantage to European firms in the future.