David Payne is a pioneering figure in the manufacture and design of fibre optics for use in telecommunication. By developing specialised amplifiers to boost the intensity of light signals, David’s work has enabled the reliable long-distance transmission of data, which lies at the heart of today’s Internet.
David’s research in this field has also led to the development of high-power lasers based on specialised optical fibres. In pushing the boundaries of what such lasers are capable of doing, he has opened the door for their use in a wide variety of fields including telecommunications, manufacturing and defence.
As a scientist, technologist and entrepreneur, David is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a former chair of the Marconi Society. He received a CBE in 2007 and in 2013 was knighted for services to photonics, the science and application of light in electronics.
Awards
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Clifford Paterson Medal and Lecture
On 'Circuits, sensors and strands of light'.
