Surveying the Landscape and the Prospects in Nanophotonics

• Published in: Micro‐ and Nanophotonic Technologies pp. 527 - 530
• Main Authors: Andrews, David L, Meyrueis, Patrick L, Van de Voorde, Marcel
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim, Germany Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA 28.02.2017
• Subjects: biomedical diagnostics; classical miniaturization approaches; electronic circuitry; microphotonic technology; nanophotonic technology; optical circuitry
• ISBN: 9783527340378; 3527340378
• DOI: 10.1002/9783527699940.ch23

Developments in silicon photonics, and its extension into photonic operations with allied materials, now presents opportunities both to achieve better integration with current microelectronics and to enable congruent methods of fabrication to be applied for components that can feature both optical and electronic circuitry. As fundamental and applications‐oriented research continues to pave the way for new micro‐ and nanophotonics technology, the ensuing progress can be classified into the form of two categories. One concerns classical optical instruments that have been downsized up to the micro‐ or submicrometer scale; the other one is the implementation of new functionalities that are out of reach of classical miniaturization approaches. Nanophonics will play a vital role in a broad spectrum of future technologies and even leading to breakthroughs, for example, in biomedical diagnostics. The manufacturing industry will also see great developments and the metrology and quality control via sensors will bring most advanced and sophisticated production lines.