Callum Littlejohns leads a silicon photonics rapid prototyping service called Cornerstone, which allow him to interact with research labs and companies operating in multiple disciplines.
‘Silicon photonics markets are rapidly expanding with new application areas that cover consumer markets such as sensing for smart watches and lidar for driverless cars. Silicon photonics already supports the reduction of the carbon footprint of the internet and will soon underpin healthcare and mobility. And let’s not forget quantum. It is likely that the first useful quantum computer will rely on silicon photonics technologies,’ he said.
‘The biggest challenge is developing the next generation of researchers, engineers and technicians to enable silicon photonics technologies to thrive and grow. Staff in our field are already in high demand and that is only going to grow.’
You can find Littlejohns online at linkedin.com/in/callum-littlejohns-14419813b/. He is co-chairing a silicon photonics symposium at SPIE Photonex on 6-8 December in Birmingham, UK.
Organisation: University of Southampton
Role: Cornerstone Coordinator
Based in: Southampton, UK
Education: PhD in Silicon Photonics