The Technology Scotland team, through the Photonics Scotland network, are pleased to be hosting a shared stand for the first time at The European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) exhibition, taking place at the SEC Glasgow from 2nd – 4th October 2023.
Ahead of this exciting event we’re talking to our partners involved to find out some more about them, what they’ll be exhibiting and what they’re looking forward to at ECOC, and lots more.
This week, we’re talking with our member and partner, Alter UK.
Tell us a bit about your organisation and what you do
Alter UK is a precision photonic and microelectronic packaging house. The company was originally started as Optocap by Technology Scotland and became part of Alter Technology Group in 2016. For twenty years we’ve been specialising in high performance, harsh environment precision design and assembly – offering microelectronics packaging and producing custom photonic components, including for space and other specialised markets. More recently we’ve launched a design centre to produce our own line of photonic products, with a particular interest in laser systems for quantum applications and optical transceivers for intra-satellite communication.
What attracted you to getting involved in the Technology Scotland stand at ECOC?
ECOC is a key conference for optical communications, which is an area of strategic interest for Alter UK. Our optical transceiver and entangled photon source developments are geared towards efficient, secure communications so ECOC is an obvious fit. We’re delighted to be part of the Technology Scotland stand to help showcase the strong commercial offering Scotland has in this area.
Why does representation of the Scottish cluster matter at international events like ECOC?
Scotland has a thriving industry in optical communications, space and quantum developments which not everyone outside the area is aware of. It’s important to get the word out and let people see just how much is going on here and what our capabilities are.
What are you most looking forward to about ECOC?
The exhibits. It’s both useful and fascinating to see what’s been going on elsewhere, what’s new and what other companies are working on.
What will you be exhibiting at the TS stand and when can we find you there?
We’ll be showcasing our optical transceivers and entangled photon sources, talking about custom photonic components and what we can offer. We’re on the stand on Monday morning and around the show all week.