of Photonics Technologies: the European Perspective The Leverage Effect
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Leverage</strong> <strong>Effect</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Photonics</strong> <strong>Technologies</strong>: <strong>the</strong> <strong>European</strong> <strong>Perspective</strong><br />
3. Screens and displays<br />
Displays are critical for <strong>the</strong> presentation and visualization <strong>of</strong> information<br />
both for leisure and business. <strong>The</strong> technologies behind 2 and 3<br />
dimensional displays <strong>of</strong> all sizes are at <strong>the</strong> core <strong>of</strong> this cluster which<br />
focuses mainly on <strong>the</strong> flat screen displays, but also includes devices such<br />
as head mounted displays and projection displays. <strong>The</strong> applications are<br />
numerous, from use in mobile phones, television, computing, to large<br />
screen advertisement and pr<strong>of</strong>essional entertainment.<br />
4. Advanced lighting<br />
<strong>The</strong> shift from traditional light bulbs to LED based solid state lighting<br />
is at <strong>the</strong> core <strong>of</strong> this cluster. Applications extend from basic domestic,<br />
retail and industrial lighting, to automotive and street lighting as well<br />
as advanced adaptive lighting, specialist lighting (e.g. surgical <strong>the</strong>atre<br />
lighting and photo-dynamic <strong>the</strong>rapy). To focus on emerging developments<br />
this cluster specifically excludes traditional incandescent lighting<br />
and fluorescent lighting and focuses on light sources based on organic<br />
and inorganic semiconductors i.e. OLEDs and LEDs.<br />
5. Photonic energy systems<br />
Photovoltaic technology has been available for niche electricity generation<br />
applications for many years but in recent years interest in photovoltaic<br />
technologies has exploded as it is now seen as a more widely<br />
applicable long term sustainable energy source. This cluster includes <strong>the</strong><br />
technologies for <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> solar energy to produce electricity including<br />
<strong>the</strong> many new technologies in development. However additional photonic<br />
energy technologies are also relevant such as laser driven fusion.<br />
Solar <strong>the</strong>rmal systems e.g. applied to water heating, are excluded, since<br />
although <strong>the</strong>y still relay on <strong>the</strong> interaction <strong>of</strong> solar light <strong>the</strong>y have minimal<br />
dependence on photonics technology development.<br />
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6. Laser systems<br />
Laser systems prove to be a core enabling technology for many applications.<br />
Lasers vary widely from <strong>the</strong> very low power lasers used in bar<br />
code scanning to <strong>the</strong> very high power used in cutting and welding and<br />
this clusters includes all lasers types notable both diode and non-diode<br />
systems. Lasers are available in many formats with very different properties<br />
dependent on a wide range <strong>of</strong> technologies making this cluster<br />
very heterogeneous. Applications are equally varied from systems for<br />
manufacturing (e.g. welding and marking), lasers for surgery, lasers in
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