European Photonics Industry Consortium
Encyclopedia
The European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC) is a not-for-profit association with headquarters in Paris, France. EPIC serves the photonics community through a regular series of workshops, market studies and partnering. EPIC focuses its actions on LED
s and OLEDs for lighting
, optical fiber
telecommunication
s, laser
manufacturing, sensor
s, photovoltaics
and photonics for life sciences
. EPIC coordinates its activities internationally through its membership in the International Optoelectronics Association.
EPIC was founded in 2003 by five companies: Aixtron
, CDT, Osram
, Philips
, and Sagem
. Today, more than 80 companies, research laboratories and universities are members of the consortium. The membership works together to execute the mission by proposing and implementing influential initiatives of significant impact on the industrial landscape. The strength of EPIC comes from its capacity to represent the European photonics industry with a clear and articulate voice.
Industry associations such as EPIC have a key role to play in identifying market opportunities and in helping their members to work together to capture the opportunity. The European photonics industry is made up of a broad community of highly innovative small companies. When economic pressures create turbulent markets and make planning difficult, an association can help companies to create partnerships and find a better way through the crisis by finding new revenue streams.
is the science and technology area that converges the power and possibilities of light with that of electronics. The name is a combination of Photo + electronics = photonics evokes this combination. The photon
is an elementary particle
with the capacity to transmit energy and information more efficiently than by any other known method. The electron
is also an elementary particle that has unsurpassed power for processing and transforming information into useful actions. Photonics exploits the natural synergy between photons and electrons to create new components, new products and new industries. Some examples are laser diode
s, DVD
players, and optical fiber
telecommunications.
s, life sciences, manufacturing
, lighting
and display
s, sensor
s and education. The European Commission accepted this vision and established the Photonics-21 Platform at the end of 2005.
Photonics in the Automobile:
Building European OLED Infrastructure:
Building European OLED infrastructure, Edited by: T.P. Pearsall, J.Halls,
Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5961 (2005)
Laser-Assisted Manufacturing – Making the Market Grow:
Laser Applications in Europe, Edited by: Gries, T. P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6157, (2006)
Workshop on Optical Components for Broadband Communication:
Optical Components for Broadband Communication, Edited by: P-Y Fonjallaz, T.P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6350, pp. (2006)
Workshop on Manufacturing LEDs for Lighting and Displays:
Manufacturing LEDs for Lighting and Displays, Edited by T.P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6797, (2007)
Photonics on Silicon:
Silicon Photonics
and Photonic Integrated Circuits, Edited by: G. C. Righini, S. K. Honkanen, L. Pavesi, L. Vivien, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6996, (2008)
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
s and OLEDs for lighting
Lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
, optical fiber
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
telecommunication
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
s, laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
manufacturing, sensor
Sensor
A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated...
s, photovoltaics
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed of a number of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material...
and photonics for life sciences
Life sciences
The life sciences comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, like plants, animals, and human beings. While biology remains the centerpiece of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of...
. EPIC coordinates its activities internationally through its membership in the International Optoelectronics Association.
EPIC was founded in 2003 by five companies: Aixtron
Aixtron
Aixtron SE is a German-based technology company which specialises in manufacturing metalorganic chemical vapour deposition equipment for clients in the semiconductor industry...
, CDT, Osram
Osram
Osram, founded 1919, is part of the industry sector of Siemens AG and one of the two leading lighting manufacturers in the world. The name is derived from osmium and Wolfram , as both these elements were commonly used for lighting filaments at the time the company was founded...
, Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, and Sagem
SAGEM
SAGEM was a major French company involved in defence electronics, consumer electronics and communication systems.In 2005, Sagem merged with SNECMA to form SAFRAN...
. Today, more than 80 companies, research laboratories and universities are members of the consortium. The membership works together to execute the mission by proposing and implementing influential initiatives of significant impact on the industrial landscape. The strength of EPIC comes from its capacity to represent the European photonics industry with a clear and articulate voice.
Industry associations such as EPIC have a key role to play in identifying market opportunities and in helping their members to work together to capture the opportunity. The European photonics industry is made up of a broad community of highly innovative small companies. When economic pressures create turbulent markets and make planning difficult, an association can help companies to create partnerships and find a better way through the crisis by finding new revenue streams.
Photonics
PhotonicsPhotonics
The science of photonics includes the generation, emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching, amplification, detection and sensing of light. The term photonics thereby emphasizes that photons are neither particles nor waves — they are different in that they have both particle...
is the science and technology area that converges the power and possibilities of light with that of electronics. The name is a combination of Photo + electronics = photonics evokes this combination. The photon
Photon
In physics, a photon is an elementary particle, the quantum of the electromagnetic interaction and the basic unit of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It is also the force carrier for the electromagnetic force...
is an elementary particle
Elementary particle
In particle physics, an elementary particle or fundamental particle is a particle not known to have substructure; that is, it is not known to be made up of smaller particles. If an elementary particle truly has no substructure, then it is one of the basic building blocks of the universe from which...
with the capacity to transmit energy and information more efficiently than by any other known method. The electron
Electron
The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
is also an elementary particle that has unsurpassed power for processing and transforming information into useful actions. Photonics exploits the natural synergy between photons and electrons to create new components, new products and new industries. Some examples are laser diode
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
s, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
players, and optical fiber
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
telecommunications.
Mission
The European Photonics Industry Consortium has the mission to build solidarity and sustainable growth for photonics companies increasing recognition of photonics as a strategic technology, building business revenues, and creating employment opportunities for scientists and engineers.Photonics-21 European technology platform
In 2004 EPIC proposed the creation of a European Technology Platform in photonics to the European Commission. EPIC’s members worked in partnership with other European organisations to develop a vision of photonics as a well-defined science leading to disruptive breakthroughs in telecommunicationTelecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
s, life sciences, manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
, lighting
Lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
and display
Display device
A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form...
s, sensor
Sensor
A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated...
s and education. The European Commission accepted this vision and established the Photonics-21 Platform at the end of 2005.
Merging Optics and Nanotechnologies: The MONA Roadmap
During 2005-2007 EPIC and its members developed and participated in the MONA project to create a study to identify synergies between photonics and nanotechnologies, and to identify opportunities for industry in these areas. The goal of this project is a roadmap leading from the R&D environment to mastering nano-electronics and nano-photonics technologies at an industrial scale. This roadmap has been completed and is available to the public.Advanced Components Cooperative for Optoelectronics Research and Development: ACCORD
Beginning in 2007, EPIC and its members initiated the ACCORD project which purchases prototype photonics components and systems from SMEs and awards them to university R&D groups based on competitive proposals. ACCORD is inspired by PTAP, (Photonics Technology Access Program), a similar exchange initiative developed by the OIDA, also a member of the IOA.Leadership in Fiber Laser Technologies: LIFT
EPIC organised and led a consortium of 20 companies, SMEs, and research labs in a proposal to the European Commission for a €17 million project to develop new technologies for higher brilliance fiber lasers. The project has been accepted and started in 2009. . EPIC also initiated and manages the Linked-In site for Fiber Lasers.Workshops on key photonics opportunities
EPIC organises workshops and symposia on key topics and opportunities identified by its membership. Proceedings and synthesis of these meetings are available to the public. Some examples are presented for workshops developed in collaboration with the SPIE.Photonics in the Automobile:
- Photonics in the Automobile I. Edited by T.P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5663, (2005).
- Photonics in the Automobile II. Edited by PP. Meyrueis, T.P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6198, (2006).
Building European OLED Infrastructure:
Building European OLED infrastructure, Edited by: T.P. Pearsall, J.Halls,
Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 5961 (2005)
Laser-Assisted Manufacturing – Making the Market Grow:
Laser Applications in Europe, Edited by: Gries, T. P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6157, (2006)
Workshop on Optical Components for Broadband Communication:
Optical Components for Broadband Communication, Edited by: P-Y Fonjallaz, T.P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6350, pp. (2006)
Workshop on Manufacturing LEDs for Lighting and Displays:
Manufacturing LEDs for Lighting and Displays, Edited by T.P. Pearsall, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6797, (2007)
Photonics on Silicon:
Silicon Photonics
Silicon photonics
Silicon photonics is the study and application of photonic systems which use silicon as an optical medium. The silicon is usually patterned with sub-micrometre precision, into microphotonic components. These operate in the infrared, most commonly at the 1.55 micrometre wavelength used by most...
and Photonic Integrated Circuits, Edited by: G. C. Righini, S. K. Honkanen, L. Pavesi, L. Vivien, Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 6996, (2008)
External links
Periodicals- Photonics SpectraPhotonics SpectraPhotonics Spectra is a monthly business-to-business magazine published for the engineers, scientists and end users who develop, commercialize and buy photonic products...
- Laser Focus WorldLaser Focus WorldLaser Focus World is a monthly magazine published by PennWell Corporation covering laser, photonics and optoelectronics technologies, applications, and markets...
- EPIC Newsletter
- Optics and Laser Europe
- Europhotonics
- Nature Photonics
- LEDs Magazine