“Congress Creates a Focal Point for Optics, Photonics,” story in EE|Times
By George Leopold
Washington, D.C. - A congressional optics and photonics caucus launched this week seeks to revive U.S. manufacturing capabilities while addressing a skills gap that backers of the technology say is stymying innovation.
Promoters of light-based technologies note its close ties to semiconductor manufacturing, another national priority. “Integrated photonics use semiconductor fabrication and packaging processes to produce photonic integrated circuits” said Ed White, chairman of the National Photonics Initiative. “This means we get the benefits of semiconductor fabrication in the optics and photonics fields.”