Photonics Consortium Awards Granted to 5 Schools

The Carolinas Photonics Consortium (CPC) has selected five proposals for seed funding aimed at commercializing photonics-based technologies. Each winning proposal will receive $10,000 plus support from a technology, entrepreneurship and commercialization initiative at North Carolina State University’s College of Management. The winning proposals are from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Mike Fiddy), “Sub-Wavelength Optical Scalpel” (novel optical designs can lead to smaller spot sizes for delivery of power for high-precision surgical or industrial needs); Western Carolina University (Pat Gardner), "Interferometric Imaging and Rapid Prototyping of Podiatric Arch Supports” (two optical technologies for customized orthopedic devices); Clemson University (Phil Brown), "Light Emissive Nanocomposite Fiber” (incorporating specific nanoparticles into unique fiber structures with optical properties that could have applications in textile authentication and security system products); Duke University (Quincy Brown), “Illuminus” (a plan to develop a noninvasive and quick optical spectroscopy of potentially cancerous breast tissue); and North Carolina State University (Mark Johnson), “Integrated Cooling Device for High-Power Semiconductor Lasers”(removing heat from semiconductors to reduce inefficiencies and costs of manufacturing LEDs).