Prof. Philip RUSSELL, Scientific Director of the Russell Centre for Advanced Lightwave Science (RCALS), delivered the 30th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Three decades riding the photonic crystal fibre wave” on 5 November 2024 on the PolyU campus. The lecture attracted over 80 participants to join in person and captivated an online viewing audience of over 12,500 from different countries and regions to watch the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo and YouTube.

Prof. Russell kickstarted his presentation by giving a brief overview of the historical development of photonic crystal fibre (PCF), highlighting how advancements in optical fibres, Bragg scattering, photonic bandgaps and drawing towers laid the foundation for PCF breakthroughs. He shared his research in light-guiding PCF, hollow core PCF filled with gas, and twisted PCF, reviewing how some of the scientific discoveries made possible by PCF have evolved into real-world applications.

The audience engaged in a productive discussion with Prof. Russell.