UK scale-up adds critical manufacturing capability for real world applications at scale

Glasgow, Scotland: 15 July 2026: Vector Photonics, the Scottish scale-up which is pioneering the use of photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSEL) in secure communications has commenced a new program that addresses a critical and growing challenge in advanced photonics manufacturing: the lack of scalable, thermally efficient and resource effective packaging for photonic crystal surface emitting lasers (PCSELs). The company’s Accelerated Manufacturing for PCSEL Packaging Solutions (AMPPS) project adds a critical manufacturing capability into Vector Photonics' manufacturing process, paving the way for industry’s first high power, high brightness, large area surface emitting laser platforms that are optimised for data centre applications and silicon photonics integration.

CEO Dr Richard Taylor comments: “As global demand for high bandwidth optical interconnects accelerates driven by AI, current laser supply chains are becoming constrained by thermal bottlenecks, yield limitations and dependence on a narrow set of device and packaging technologies. AMPPS responds directly to this need by exploring new, manufacturable packaging architectures that improve performance, reduce waste, and enhance supply chain resilience across multiple UK growth sectors.”

PCSELs are ideally positioned to deliver optical communications and integrated photonics in next generation networks. PCSELs improve system performance because of their mode purity, low divergence, and efficient coupling across various platforms. Vector Photonics’ new packaging initiative will enable PCSEL technology to overcome real world system level constraints. It will deliver packaged demonstrators, thermal optimised assembly concepts, process flow documentation, and design kits.

Concludes Dr Taylor: “Our AMPPS program strengthens the UK's position in global photonics value chains, accelerates the commercialisation of PCSEL technology, and lays the foundation for future growth in resource efficient, resilient, UK based manufacturing for high performance optical communications.”

Vector Photonics will exhibit at Europe’s largest optical communications event, ECOC, in Malaga, Spain, 21 – 23 September 2026, at the FYCMA – Trade Fairs and Congress Center, stand 1468. 

About Vector Photonics
Vector Photonics Limited was incorporated in Glasgow in 2020 and is based in the West of Scotland Science Park. The company has proven its revolutionary, proprietary, PCSEL technology in R&D, laboratory environment and commercial fabs. The company is now transferring key design and process knowledge into an industrial environment, for high-volume manufacture. Further information can be found at:
https://www.vectorphotonics.co.uk/