Photonics centre to put institute at cutting edge of fibre optic research

ONE of Europe’s most advanced light and fibre optics technology research centres was officially opened in Cork yesterday.

The €9 million Photonics centre at the Tyndall National Institute will allow Irish scientists to undertake major research projects and collaborate with some of the world's leading Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) companies.

Photonics is the control, manipulation, transfer and storage of information using photons the basic particles of light through tiny strands of glass or plastic. It is a key technology for worldwide telecommunications and is being used increasingly in computing and security.