Exploring Polarisation and Silicon-Based Microfabrication: A Photonics Skills Workshop

The CORNERSTONE Public Engagement Team, in collaboration with partners in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southampton and IntoUniversity recently hosted another interactive STEAM workshop for Year 8 pupils from Regents Park Community College.  

This workshop was part of our ongoing public engagement programme, which aims to build skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm in physics and photonics, helping to encourage a strong pipeline of future scientists and optical engineers. The workshop combined hands-on creativity with cutting-edge science, introducing students to the fascinating world of both hard and soft photonics, explored ‘through the lens’ of polarisation and silicon photonics. 

The workshop began with an introduction to key concepts of light, including soft photonics such as liquid crystal displays and polarisation, a fundamental property describing the direction in which light waves vibrate. Building on their existing knowledge, pupils explored how polarising filters can be used to manipulate light and reveal hidden patterns. By placing thin plastic sheets between crossed polarising filters, they observed vivid colours emerging from otherwise transparent materials. 

This principle was then brought to life through a creative activity, where pupils used polarising sheets and tape to design their own polarisation-inspired artwork, experimenting with colour, pattern, and composition. As Dr Pearl John, Cornerstone Public Engagement Lead, explains:

“Providing students with creative activities as part of their learning about science has been shown to bolster their confidence with an otherwise potentially intimidating subject.” 

Students also built their own kaleidoscopes, strengthening understanding of reflection, symmetry, and the angle of incidence through repeated image formation, with links to how light can be guided in optical systems such as fibre optics.

Later in the session, students were introduced to silicon photonics, an area of research concerned with guiding and processing light on silicon chips to enable high-speed information transfer. The discussion focused on microfabrication, with pupils learning how wet and dry etching techniques are used to selectively remove material and define nanoscale structures such as optical waveguides that control and confine light propagation on-chip. Students were also shown examples of real silicon photonic chips to connect these concepts to current research and device design. 

To reinforce the fabrication principles, pupils created their own “chips” using scratch art, modelling dry etching (e.g. plasma etching), where material is removed in a controlled pattern to form structures analogous to silicon photonic waveguides. 

The workshop concluded with a short quiz and evaluation to consolidate learning, with pupils demonstrating strong understanding of key concepts including polarisation and applications of photonics. Evaluation data showed that when asked whether they had heard the word photonics before the workshop, 61.5% said “no” and 23% said “not sure”, with only 4 pupils saying “yes”. This aligns with our programme aim to increase the number of people who have heard of photonics by 60%. 

Pupils particularly valued the hands-on, creative aspects of the session, with many responses highlighting the enjoyment of “making things” and the “creative” and “practical” nature of the workshop. The session was widely described as “fun” and “easy to engage with,” suggesting it was well pitched for the target group. Social elements, including working with peers and an inclusive atmosphere, were also appreciated. In addition, several pupils highlighted the university tour and exposure to the environment as a positive aspect, indicating added value in terms of aspiration-raising and the wider student experience. We are grateful for the opportunity to work in partnership with IntoUniversity to deliver this experience. For more information about IntoUniversity, visit IntoUniversity Southampton West – IntoUniversity