The UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has awarded a $163,700 grant to the Center for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) at the University of Cambridge, England, to assist researchers developing carbon nanotubes for photonic applications that will enable the creation of ultrashort laser pulses and the regeneration of optical signals in high-data-rate systems. The technology could initially target ultrashort pulsed lasers such as mode-locked lasers. The grant follows the research team's demonstration of the first working prototype of a new ultrashort pulse laser. EPSRC awarded CAPE a grant of $467,500 to help fund the first phase of the project. The new grant will be used to secure intellectual property rights, initiate interaction with laser and material manufacturers and identify product requirements such as time to market, productions costs and technical specifications. CAPE is funded by Advance Nanotech Inc., a New York and London-based nanotechnology commercial development firm; Alps Electric Company Ltd., a Japanese maker of electronic devices; Dow Corning Corp.; and Ericsson Marconi Corp.