▁E DF A ▁technology ▁we ▁know ▁today . ▁The ▁E DF A ▁was ▁a ▁cru cial ▁component ▁that ▁fuel led ▁the ▁rapid ▁growth ▁in ▁the ▁internet ▁through ▁its ▁ability ▁to ▁transmit ▁and ▁ampl ify ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁data . ▁ ▁Pay ne ▁also ▁pione ered ▁fib re ▁las ers ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁teams ▁that ▁invent ed ▁the ▁single ▁mode ▁sil ica ▁fib re ▁las er ▁and ▁ampl ifier ▁ ▁and ▁broke ▁the ▁kil ow att ▁bar rier ▁for ▁the ▁output ▁of ▁a ▁fib re ▁las er . ▁Since ▁then ▁he ▁has ▁made ▁discover ies ▁which ▁have ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁fib re ▁las ers ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁manufact uring ▁and ▁defence . ▁ ▁Pay ne ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Opt oe lect ron ics ▁Research ▁Centre ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁South am pton , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁world ’ s ▁largest ▁research ▁groups ▁dedicated ▁to ▁phot on ics . ▁He ▁also ▁direct s ▁the ▁Phot on ics ▁Hyper high way ▁research ▁project , ▁aim ed ▁at ▁making ▁internet ▁connections ▁ 1 0 0 ▁times ▁faster . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁recognition ▁He ▁has ▁received ▁the ▁UK ▁Rank ▁Prize ▁for ▁Opt ics , ▁the ▁ ▁US ▁Ty nd all ▁Award ▁( 1 9 9 1 ) ▁and ▁the ▁Benjamin ▁Franklin ▁Medal ▁for ▁Engineering ▁( 1 9 9 8 ). ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁an ▁Edu ard ▁Rhein ▁Foundation ▁La ure ate ▁( G erm any ). ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Pay ne ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Mount b atten ▁Medal ▁of ▁the