Large-Area Electronics is a branch of electronics in which functionality is distributed over large-areas, much bigger than the dimensions of a typical circuit board. Recently, it has become possible to manufacture electronic devices and circuits using a solution-based approach in which a "palette" of functional "inks" is printed on flexible webs to create the multi-layered patterns required to build up devices. This approach is very different from the fabrication and assembly of conventional silicon-based electronics and offers the benefits of lower-cost manufacturing plants that can operate with reduced waste and power consumption, producing electronic systems in high volume with new form factors and features. Examples of "printed devices" include new kinds of photovoltaics, lighting, displays, sensing systems and intelligent objects. We use the term "large-area electronics" (LAE) rather than "printable electronics" because many electronic systems require both conventional and printed electronics, benefitting from the high performance of the conventional and the ability of the printable to create functionality over large-areas cost-effectively. Great progress has been made over the last 20 years in producing new printable functional materials with suitable performance and stability in operation but despite this promise, the emerging industry has been slow to take-off, due in part to (i) manufacturing scale-up being significantly more challenging than expected and (ii) the current inability to produce complete multifunctional electronic systems as required in several early markets, such as brand enhancement and intelligent packaging. Our proposed Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Large-Area Electronics will tackle these challenges to support the emergence of a vibrant UK manufacturing industry in the sector. Our vision has four key elements: - to address the technical challenges of low-cost manufacturing of multi-functional LAE systems - to develop a long-term research programme in advanced manufacturing processes aimed at ongoing reduction in manufacturing cost and improvement in system performance. - to support the scale-up of technologies and processes developed in and with the Centre by UK manufacturing industry - to promote the adoption of LAE technologies by the wider UK electronics manufacturing industry Our Centre for Innovative Manufacturing brings together 4 UK academic Centres of Excellence in LAE at the University of Cambridge (Cambridge Integrated Knowledge Centre, CIKC), Imperial College London (Centre for Plastic Electronics, CPE), Swansea University (Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating, WCPC) and the University of Manchester (Organic Materials Innovation Centre, OMIC) to create a truly representative national centre with world-class expertise in design, development, fabrication and characterisation of a wide range of devices, materials and processes.

Our civil infrastructure and built environment must adapt and innovate to address the challenges and opportunities of a low carbon future, of limited space and limited natural resources, economic and societal change and climatic uncertainties. The UK needs a high-level skill base to meet these challenges and opportunities and to maintain its world class leadership position in this sector. 'The need for low carbon infrastructure and buildings will make demands on industry which industry is currently under-equipped to meet. New skills, and different applications of existing skills, ranging from conceptual thinking, to policy, operation and use, through all layers of the supply chain will be required at a time when the construction industry has been badly weakened by the fall in its workload' (BIS report 2010). A prime objective of the CDT is to develop the next generation of Civil Engineering professionals who will provide leadership and are equipped with the required skills to successfully design, construct and manage existing and future infrastructure and buildings. This can only be achieved through strategic Academia-Industry collaboration. This bid for a CDT at the University of Cambridge, led by the Civil Engineering Division, is designed to build upon and channel Cambridge's internationally leading current research, investment and funding in the diverse areas related to Future Infrastructure and Built Environment. Our vision is to develop world-class technically excellent multi-disciplinary Engineers equipped to successfully face current and future infrastructure and built environment challenges to meet societal needs and aspirations. The CDT seeks to address the UK's training needs collectively with our Industrial and Academic partners. The involvement of Industry and practice partners will be integral in producing work of relevance and applicability in the delivery of design and construction of sustainable infrastructure. The CDT's research and training will focus on integrating Cambridge's internationally recognised strengths in structures, geotechnics, materials, construction, sustainable development, building physics and water and waste within the wider context of related engineering disciplines, architecture, the sciences, land economy, manufacturing, business, economics, policy and social science. We will focus on core Civil Engineering technical areas using a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on underpinning fundamental principles together with appropriate theoretical and experimental work (as evidenced in PhD studies at Cambridge). Our Industrial partners will work with us to co-create and shape the Centre's training programme to meet National skills needs. There will be significant added value from this strong Industry/University partnership. Our new MRes/PhD programme is based on a 1+3 model with a one year Master of Research (MRes) degree with depth and breadth and a multi-disciplinary approach. The MRes is followed by a 3 year PhD in a specialist field. We will also offer a new, 'I+' scheme, in collaboration with two strategic industrial Centre partners; Arup and Laing O'Rourke. The initial broad cohort-based MRes education will cover core advanced Civil Engineering technical topics, research and commercial skills training and expose students to disciplines that impact on future infrastructure and built environment. The PhD research will be of the highest quality. The CDT's inclusive approach to engagement will extend the impact of the CDT and CDT students will act as role models to inspire future generations of Civil Engineering graduates. The CDT will deliver enhanced doctoral training for future leaders and provide a focal point for UK Civil Engineering excellence. CDT graduates will be engineering leaders of the highest calibre whom we can entrust to lead us through the anticipated significant technical and societal challenges facing our UK Construction Industry.

SeaMatics is an "advanced materials manufacturing project for photonic integrated circuits" for a range of emerging applications in optical communication, sensors, imaging technology for healthcare, and lighting. Unlike the integration in electronic circuits in which electrons flow seamlessly, in photonic integrated circuits at the light does not flow seamlessly due to mismatch of refractive index and materials dissimilarity. In order to facilitate a way forward for fabricating light circuits, the SeaMatics team has embarked on research which will exploit a novel "ultrafast laser plasma implantation (ULPI)" based technique for fabricating complex structures, using following materials: rare-earth ion doped glass, polymers and silicon and GaAs semiconductors. Such a combinatorial approach for materials fabrication will yield photonic circuit for engineering range energy-efficient devices for cross-sectorial applications (health, manufacturing, energy, digital). The project is led by the University of Leeds and is supported by has four academic partners by the Universities of Cambridge, Sheffield and York in the respective areas of research on polymeric devices, III-V semiconductors, and silicon photonics. The EPSRC National Centre for III-V Technologies will be accessed for materials and device fabrication. Eleven industry partners directly involved in the project are: DSTL, GTS/British Glass, Glucosense/NetScientific, Product Evolution, PVD Products, CST, IQE, Dow Corning, Xyratex, Gooch and Housego and Semtech. The industry links covers from materials manufacturing to optical components and their applications in optical/data communication, sensors for healthcare, energy for lighting. In this partnership the manufacturing is linked with different levels of supply chain, which we aim to demonstrate by researching on exemplar devices as end points. The main goals of the project are a) Set up a ULPI manufacturing capability at Leeds which will serve the needs of academic and industrial communities in UK to start with and then expand for international collaboration. b) Our first application led manufacturing example will demonstrate ULPI based RE-earth doped glass photonic circuits with light splitting, lasing and amplification functions on a chip. c) In another example we will demonstrate electrically pumped semiconductor lasers (VCSEL and VECSEL) and integrated with rare-earth ion doped glass for broadband and tunable lasers. d) Approaches developed in b) and c) will be then expanded for manufacturing larger scale photonic integrated circuits on silicon, embodying multiple functions using the techniques developed in a). e) ULPI as technique will be applied for engineering novel range of polymer-glass sensor devices which will be used for health care. f) The final goal of project is to provide training, dissemination, and outreach opportunities for new researchers in SeaMatics. Dissemination related activities will be via the standard peer-review publications in prestigious journals, conferences and workshops. Dedicated symposia are planned for dissemination, and also the outreach activities involving UG/PG interns, PhD students and Sixth form pupils.

Liquid crystal devices have come of age, having fulfilled their promise of several decades ago by increasingly dominating the market for displays. The industry has become global and the manufacturing is mostly in the Far East. This is not the end, but the beginning and UK scientists and engineers that have played a distinguished role in these developments must work with the global industry and develop strategies that enable us to remain engaged.We note that innovation continues rapidly and that the massive investment in this technology has produced a remarkable diversity of materials and electro-optic phenomena that are now starting to be applied in photonic devices in communications and the biosciences.The title Liquid Crystal Photonics is used to suggest that opto-electronics and displays should be embraced under one heading, reliant as they are on closely related optical functionality in similar materials. The strategic importance of phase-only real time holography by liquid crystal components is emerging into the marketplace in both optical communications and in displays. In displays the changes are probably going to be disruptive, producing highly miniature micro projectors with flexible control of all image attributes. Initially these are destined for 'micro projectors' for mobile phones etc., but will ultimately move to rear projection high definition TV. In optical communications the integration of several functions into software controlled modules matches closely the requirements of the now crucial metropolitan area network. Flexible, compact and low cost optical routers and add-drop-multiplexers for wavelength division (WDM) multiplexed systems may become a common sight in urban areas. The deep-sub-micron silicon CMOS technology that is used for liquid crystal over silicon (LCOS) backplanes is now mass producing complex low-cost integrated circuits with a minimum feature size below 100nm. We can therefore now electrically address liquid crystals using nano structure electrodes to open up applications requiring sub-wavelength photonic crystal structures (e.g. exhibiting electrically switchable surface alignment of liquid crystals, form birefringence and optical band gaps). As in the case of 'conventional' phase-only holography, the unique advantages resulting from the use of silicon CMOS backplanes are programmability and software control. It may be possible to enhance the already remarkable electro-optic properties of liquid crystals, enabling such properties as negative refractive index, programmable scattering and ultra-high-speed switching to be obtained.In general, liquid crystals respond dramatically to nano structures in the range from tens to hundreds of nanometres with or without electrical fields, e.g. liquid crystal director fields are aligned in contact with surface topography in this range. The interactions that occur between free particles embedded in nematic liquid crystals (due to both elastic interactions and Casimir interactions) are important issues in polymer based nano-composite materials and director deformations on this scale are important in structured dielectrics, semiconductors and conductors in the advance of polymer electronics. These are substantial areas of scientific and technological interest where the infra structure of liquid science and technology (that has been driven by the display industry) will be a major factor in future developments.