Photonics as an enabling technology
Present situation worldwide and in Switzerland
Photonics combines two areas of physics: optics and electronics. Photonics provides the basis for the development of significant technical and industrial applications. According to the European Commission, it is one of six “Key Enabling Technologies (KETs)”. Photonics paves the way in fields such as image processing, displays, light sources (laser, LED), medical technology and life sciences, optical components and systems, communication technology, photovoltaics, production and measurement technology, information technology, security and defence technology. Swiss industry (especially SMEs) is already active in many of these areas, which display persistent annual growth rates of 6-8%.
Photonic measurement technologies enable non-contact, real-time process monitoring. These are crucial features for industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. Big data acquisition and processing also create new fields of application for optical connections and networks (optical fibres, integrated optics). Applications such as the real-time generation of three-dimensional spatial data are based on multidimensional data and image acquisition using high-resolution cameras or optical scanners (lidar) and produce extremely large quantities of data that need to be processed in real time using smart algorithms. New methods of representation such as virtual and augmented reality create interesting opportunities for the Swiss photonics industry and its globally unique know-how in the production of miniaturised optical components and systems. Photonics today holds the same significance as electronics in the mid-20th century.
Implications for Switzerland
Swiss industry is already present on the market with many products that rely on photonic technologies. Swiss industry and research are well positioned in this field. However, global competition is strong and other countries have been promoting photonic innovation at a very high level for years, with clearly visible effects (especially Germany, but also China, Korea and the US). Support programmes of this kind are lacking in Switzerland. Nonetheless, Swiss institutions of higher education are very active in the field of photonics, including basic research at universities, the ETH Zurich and the EPFL, projects funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCRs), as well as applied and industry-oriented research at universities of applied sciences, mostly with short-term Innosuisse projects and industry assignments. As a crucial pillar of Swiss industry, SMEs are successful innovators; however, due to the current lack of funding for photonic technologies, they are increasingly falling behind compared to international competitors.