This winter, the CORNERSTONE Public Engagement Team joined the magical Light Up Trails, an interactive art experience. This year’s theme is ‘Enchanted’ — a magical after-dark trail filled with light, atmospheric sound, and a festive feel. As visitors wandered through the glowing artworks, we walked the paths with them, sharing little bursts of photonics along…
Completion: Done
Lighting Up Creativity: Silicon Photonics Chip Scratch-Art at the Arts & Humanities Festival
The Southampton Cultural Quarter came alive during this year’s Arts & Humanities Festival, where Emily joined the Optics and Photonics Society (OpSoc) for their Play with Scientists and Light activity day. On Saturday 8 November, the CORNERSTONE Public Engagement Team brought colour, curiosity, and hands-on learning to the festival with a new Silicon Photonics Chip…
CORNERSTONE Packaging Partners
UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase 2025
The Duke of Edinburgh visits CORNERSTONE and the University of Southampton to see how silicon photonics is powering UK innovation
CORNERSTONE was honoured to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to the University of Southampton on Friday 3rd October 2025. The visit highlighted how ground-breaking, light-based technologies are powering the UK’s economic growth and strengthening its global leadership in silicon photonics. During the visit, The Duke explored the University’s cleanroom facilities, gaining first-hand…
UK Photonics in Focus: CORNERSTONE Leads Discussion on Growth and Innovation at Labour Party Conference
From 28 September to 1 October 2025, CORNERSTONE Photonics Innovation Centre (C-PIC), in partnership with the New Statesman, the UK’s leading progressive political and cultural publication, hosted a well-attended panel discussion at the Labour Party’s Annual Conference in Liverpool, exploring how photonics is shaping the UK’s innovation landscape and the opportunities it presents for national…
What is Silicon Photonics?
Electronics Can’t Keep Up The world wants faster and smarter technology. Most electronics use electricity to send tiny particles called electrons through wires. But electricity can only go so fast. It also uses a lot of energy. That’s why scientists are turning to light instead. This is called photonics. What Is Photonics? The word photonics…
From Research to Outreach – How C-PIC Builds Public Understanding of Photonics
Silicon photonics (SiPh) holds transformative potential across a wide range of industries – from telecommunications and healthcare to quantum computing and environmental sensing. However, realising this potential requires more than technical excellence – it demands public understanding that drives investment, policy support, and crucially, the talent pipeline needed to fuel a thriving ecosystem of SiPh-enabled…
CORNERSTONE Open Platform
More coming soon! Open Data, Open Simulation, Open Fabrication, Open Metrology Soon you will be able to share simulation results, data, fabrication recipes, metrology and much more. Find out more by contacting our PDK team via pdk.cornerstone@soton.ac.uk
Advancing Silicon Photonic Development with Wave Photonics Process Design Kits
Silicon photonics (SiPh) holds enormous potential to transform industries ranging from telecommunications and data centres to medical diagnostics and environmental sensing. However, the promise of SiPh can only be realised if there is sufficient technological access and the sophisticated process required for its commercial deployment are simplified. Overcoming variations in manufacturing and ensuring consistency in…