About Us Background

CAPPA is funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Applied Research Enhancement [ARE] programme and commenced work in July 2008.  Photonics is a key strand of the CIT's strategic research plan.  CAPPA forms part of the Photonics Research Cluster along with the Photonic Device Dynamics group and the Astronomy & Instrumentation Group.  Both groups and the centre itself are part of the Institute's Department of Applied Physics & Instrumentation.

The genesis of CAPPA can be directly linked to the Photonic Device Dynamics [PDD] group.  The PDD group is led by Dr. Guillaume Huyet, under the Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator scheme, and is based at the Tyndall National Institute.  The research of PDD aims to advance the understanding of the dynamics of novel semiconductor materials and devices from both applied and fundamental viewpoints.  Dr. Huyet is also the Principal Investigator for CAPPA and his team is responsible for gaining funding under the ARE programme for the establishment of the centre.

CAPPA naturally has strong links to the fundamental research of PDD and in a wider sense to the critical mass of photonics work at the Tyndall National Institute through the CIT@Tyndall initiative.  However, the direction of CAPPA's work is industry-led and as a result takes a more direct and applied focus.  The centre is staffed with people with either direct industrial experience and or experience of the academic-industrial interface.  In collaborations with industrial partners, including entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs and Multi-Nationals, CAPPA's goal is to meet the customer's needs from both a technical and project standpoint.