Photonics

Photonics is a branch of optics that involves the application of generation, detection, and manipulation of light in the form of photons through emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching, amplification, and sensing.^[1]^[2] Even though photonics is a commonly used term, there is no widespread agreement on a clear definition of the term or on the difference between photonics and related fields, such as optics.^[3]

Photonics is closely related to quantum electronics, where quantum electronics deals with the theoretical part of it while photonics deal with its engineering applications.^[1] Though covering all light's technical applications over the whole spectrum, most photonic applications are in the range of visible and near-infrared light.

The term photonics developed as an outgrowth of the first practical semiconductor light emitters invented in the early 1960s and optical fibers developed in the 1970s.

The field is also supported by professional organizations such as the IEEE Photonics Society, which serves as a conduit for advances in photonics research, engineering, and its applications.

^ ^a ^b Chai Yeh (2 December 2012). Applied Photonics. Elsevier. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-0-08-049926-0.
^ Richard S. Quimby (14 April 2006). Photonics and Lasers: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-79158-4.
^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Yeh2012-1] Chai Yeh (2 December 2012). Applied Photonics. Elsevier. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-0-08-049926-0.

[Quimby2006-2] Richard S. Quimby (14 April 2006). Photonics and Lasers: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-79158-4.

[:0-3] Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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