About Us
The Centre for Advanced Photonics & Process Analysis (CAPPA) is at the forefront of photonics research in Ireland. Photonics is the study of the generation and manipulation of light, and is an important enabling technology for a wide range of applications. In 2015, the world market for photonics products was €447 billion, some €69 billion of which was produced in Europe. This has led to photonics being identified as one of six Key Enabling Technologies underpinning the European Union’s Horizon 2020 funding programme.
CAPPA is a research centre of Munster Technological University (MTU), conducting both applied and fundamental research on photonics for applications in areas as diverse as telecommunications, medical devices, food and pharmaceutical manufacturing. A number of CAPPA personnel are also co-located in the Tyndall National Institute under the MTU@Tyndall partnership.
The activities of CAPPA have two main foci:
Innovation for Industry – CAPPA provides photonics solutions to companies in sectors such as photonics, medical devices, food and pharma, on scales from short-term consultancy to multi-year collaborative projects. This is primarily driven through the Enterprise Ireland-funded CAPPA Technology Gateway.
Advanced Research – CAPPA conducts internationally recognised academic research on topics such as the non-linear dynamics of lasers and ultrafast laser physics, and the understanding of the dynamics of novel semiconductor materials and devices. This is supported by grants from agencies such as SFI, HEA and the EU.
Innovation for Industry – CAPPA provides photonics solutions to companies in sectors such as photonics, medical devices, food and pharma, on scales from short-term consultancy to multi-year collaborative projects. This is primarily driven through the Enterprise Ireland-funded CAPPA Technology Gateway.
CAPPA conducts internationally-recognised academic research on topics such as the non-linear dynamics of lasers and ultrafast laser physics, and the understanding of the dynamics of novel semiconductor materials and devices. This is supported by grants from agencies such as SFI, HEA and the EU.
CAPPA Overview:
- 21 full-time researchers, 12 postgraduate researchers
- Received €10 million in funding in the last 5 years
- Currently engaged with various Irish, European and International companies
- In receipt of funding from Enterprise Ireland, SFI, HEA and EU
- A member of key national consortia: IPIC, SSPC and INSPIRE
- Collaborating internationally with 11 of the top 100 universities
- Engaged with over 100 companies internationally in the last 5 years
- Currently engaged with 20 projects greater than €100,000
- Published in 90 peer reviewed journal articles in the last 5 years
A Brief History of CAPPA
In September 2006, the Photonic Device Dynamics Group was established in Cork Institute of Technology, now Munster Technological University. The group’s research was based around the Principal Investigator funding from Science Foundation Ireland, with a strong track record in the understanding of semiconductor laser physics and photonic devices.
In 2007, the group was awarded funding from Enterprise Ireland to establish an Applied Research Enhancement centre, with a specific remit to provide photonics solutions to regional and national industry. The centre specifically targeted companies in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors, where the full potential of photonics technologies had not yet been fully recognised. This ARE centre was given the name CAPPA – Centre for Advanced Photonics & Process Analysis. On 23rd of October 2008 Dr Jimmy Devins, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, officially opened CAPPA.
Academic and Industry Research
Over the next 10 years, both the industry-targeted activities and the academic research of the group continued to strengthen and expand, developing links with over 100 national and international companies, publishing over 150 journal papers, and achieving over €10 million funding, including a number of European FP7 and Horizon 2020 projects. In 2013, the group was awarded funding for a CAPPA Technology Gateway, the follow-on programme for the ARE centres.
In 2014, the CAPPA name was rebranded as the umbrella title for all the group’s activities, combining both the fundamental science and industry-focused research strands of the group, as well as consolidating activities based on the main MTU Cork campus and within the Tyndall National Institute. In May 2014 CAPPA moved into the state-of-the-art CREATE building on MTU Bishopstown, Cork campus, which was funded by the Higher Education Authority.
From 2014 to 2018, CAPPA continued to grow on both a national and international level, working with 11 of the top 100 universities internationally. In both 2017 and 2018, CAPPA was a finalist in the Irish MedTech Awards for Academic Contribution to MedTech. The centre’s portfolio of both academic and industry-led projects expanded, and in 2018 CAPPA received renewed funding for the Technology Gateway for 2018-2022, as well as joining the Irish Food Tech Cluster. 2018 also marked the year CAPPA celebrated its 10th anniversary since its official opening.