What is Photonics ?
Infrared spectrometry, fibre optic imaging, photodynamic therapy of cancer, photo responsive liquid crystals …. The common denominator is Photonics.
Photonics is the technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. “Light” here includes infrared and ultraviolet radiation, as well as the light that is visible to our eyes.
In photonic systems, information signals are conveyed as pulses of light, rather than electricity, and these optical signals are transmitted by sending them along optical fibres – strands of special glass around 100 μm in diameter (about the thickness of a human hair). One of the major advantages of photonics is that these fibres can carry thousands of times more information than electrical wires. Photonic devices are used to convert electrical signals into optical signals and back again where necessary, when they enter and leave the fibres. Photonic devices are also beginning to be used to manipulate and ‘process’ optical signals directly, without the need for conversion. They can be fabricated from a wide variety of materials, including semiconductors (which are already well known for their use in making electronic devices), and even optical fibres themselves.
The range of applications of photonics extends from energy generation to communications and information processing. Photonics has a growing reputation in solving clinical and research problems through advanced spectroscopy, lasers, microscopy and fibre optic imaging.
A broad field of research encompassing optoelectronics, passive optical components, micro- optics, lasers, photoprocessing, spectroscopy, optical instruments, and optical systems, including optical interconnect and communications systems, Photonics is primarily concerned with the spectral range 160 nm to 1600 nm (end of vacuum UV to near IR). Other important spectral regions: infrared spectrometry (2-25 um), blackbody radiation detection (8-12 um). The key building blocks of photonics are: sources of photons, detectors of photons, driver and detection electronics, photon control devices (optics, waveguides, couplers etc.), and their integration in systems.
Micro Photonics is a leading source of advanced instrumentation for scientific and industrial research. Micro Photonics offers the world’s most complete solutions for fibre optics and opto-electronic devises. It also offers expertise in, thin film and surface analysis, tribology, topography, micro-tomography, electronic imaging and related areas of research.
APSS (Apollo Photonic Software Suite) is the first-ever commercial design tool for photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and is based on Object Oriented Design Flow. The APSS circuit module was introduced in 2001, and since then has been used by many companies worldwide.
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