Parker Technology specialises in Scientific Consultancy to Industry, custom photography, high-definition video recording, and offers Due Diligence services to Investors.
Greg Parker is Professor of Photonics at the University of Southampton U.K., and the Managing Director of Parker Technology. He has acted as a Consultant to Industry for over 20 years specialising in photonics, and semiconductor processes and devices.
Parker Technology is able to tackle problems in a very broad range of Science & Engineering disciplines, but does not address the Biosciences. Professor Greg Parker is an expert in the fields of scientific photography, UHV vacuum deposition processes, micro/nano photonics, semiconductor devices, and high-power Xenon flash systems. He created the first fully-portable (safe!) high-powered flash systems for nature photograpers over 25 years ago. In July 2001 he formed the University spin-out company Mesophotonics Ltd. which developed photonic crystal circuits and devices for commercial applications. He sold the IP of his company Mobius Ltd. to Vacuum Generators Ltd. (VG Ltd.) almost at the same time as founding Mesophotonics. VG acquired all the know-how and IP from Mobius Ltd. on how to build UHV compatible low-pressure epitaxial deposition systems for Silicon-based materials.
Custom photographic assignments are also part of the Parker Technology portfolio. Deep-sky imaging, macrophotography, microphotography and high-speed still photography are all areas where Parker Technology excels. Whether you require unique images for advertising literature, for fault-finding/metrology work, or simply for corporate motivational framed prints - contact Parker Technology to see what we are able to offer.
Parker Technology also offers high-definition video recording services for your events! Using state of the art high-definition video recording equipment with accompanying high-resolution stills photography if required, Parker Technology is fully-equipped to record and store to DVD - family occasions, corporate events, advertising material, news events and new product launches.
Greg’s undergraduate textbook on “Introductory Semiconductor Device Physics” was reprinted by the Institute of Physics Publishing Group (IOPP) in September 2004, and is now published by Taylor & Francis [CRC] Ltd. A book on CCD astrophotography describing how to take deep-sky images was published by Springer [Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series] in September 2007. A third book, this time a large-format coffee-table book of deep-sky images created with Noel Carboni [Florida, U.S.A.] was published by Springer in March 2009. As an extra incentive to look out for this book, the Forewords are written by Sir Arthur C Clarke, Sir Patrick Moore and Dr. Brian May. Finally on the book front, Greg has signed a contract with Taylor & Francis to write a book on Biomimetics a subject he has some experience with in using some of Nature’s solutions for some optical problems he needed to solve.
On-going book projects for 2009 include:
1) Biomimetics - Inspiration from the Natural World.
2) New Forest Panoramas - breathtaking panoramic and macro shots of the New Forest area.
3) Cassiopeia - a large-format, full-colour, “coffee-table” book detailing the constellation Cassiopeia and all the interesting deep-sky objects found within its boundaries. “Cassiopeia” includes a massive 24 x 80 inch high-quality full colour poster of the whole of the Cassiopeia region.
4) Star Vistas II - the sequel to Star Vistas with a completely new set of high-resolution full-colour deep-sky images!
5) Through the Looking Glass - a large-format coffee-table book of photomicrographs (high resolution images taken through a microscope).
6) Microsecond Magic - another large-format coffee-table book, this time using high-power high-speed Xenon flashguns to freeze moments in time.
25th February 2009
Today I took delivery of three high-speed flash units from highspeedflash dot com. Two “Pro” units and one extremely high-speed “Ultra” unit. I am now in the process of building up some trigger circuitry so that I can move into the world of high-speed flash photography as soon as possible. The units are beautifully put together and are extremely robust. There are threaded holes on the units to fix to tripods/stands, an open-flash button and charge indicator. The synch socket is a 1/4″ jack socket (waterproof!). Units are now available to order from http://www.highspeedflash.com/
20th April 2009:
Great day today! Apart from being my Birthday, my research grant at the University on upconversion lasers officially started today :) This is the small beginning of something big in the laser world. Upconversion lasers convert cheap infrared photons from a workhorse semiconductor diode laser into “expensive” visible wavelength photons via a process called upconversion. Basically, the electronic energy levels in a Rare-Earth element are used as “stepping stones” taking in several infrared photons to push electrons up the stepping stones (energy levels). When the electron drops down from the top step (highest energy level) to a lower level state, a visible wavelength photon is emitted. This type of laser has already been fabricated using fibre technology thus proving the principle - but the aim in my project is to use Silicon-based planar technology (the same technology used to make microprocessor devices) in order to create a compact, robust, and mass-producible visible wavelength laser. This type of laser is also scalable, meaning that it can be made to emit at high power in the visible part of the spectrum. In addition, there are (quantum) efficient Rare-Earth elements available for conversion of infrared photons into Red, Green and Blue photons - providing the basis for large area (cinema HD) diplays!!
So far two Venture Capital groups have already shown an early interest, so success in this project (which is expected at the 90% level) would almost certainly mean the formation of another spin out company from the University. If you are a high-technology Venture Capitalist group, and the technology discussed above is in your funding area, please contact me to discuss how these planar waveguide upconversion lasers are set to become the next “big thing” in the commercial laser world.
Contact Greg by e-mailing greg@concept2innovation.com if you require any more information.