fotoniki

Fotoniki is the science and technology of generating, controlling, and detecting light, covering visible and near-infrared wavelengths as well as emerging spectral ranges. It combines principles from physics, materials science, and electrical engineering to develop devices and systems that manipulate photons for information, sensing, and imaging. The term is used in several languages to refer to the field known in English as photonics.

Core areas of fotoniki include optical communications, lasers and light sources, photodetectors and modulators, optical fibers and waveguides, and imaging and sensing technologies. A major focus is photonic integrated circuits, which aim to perform multiple optical functions on a single chip, analogous to electronic integrated circuits. The field also encompasses nonlinear and quantum photonics, nano-photonics, and plasmonics, which explore light–matter interactions at small scales and quantum regimes.

Technologies and materials used in fotoniki span semiconductor photonics (including silicon photonics and III-V compounds), dielectric waveguides, and emerging platforms based on 2D materials and metamaterials. Fabrication relies on techniques such as lithography, deposition, etching, and bonding, while design relies on computational methods for solving Maxwell’s equations and modeling optical behavior.

Applications of fotoniki are broad, including high-speed data transmission and data centers, medical imaging and therapies, environmental and industrial sensing, radar and navigation, and defense technologies. The field drives improvements in energy efficiency, information capacity, and resolution in various devices and systems.

Education and research in fotoniki are typically pursued through physics, electrical engineering, or materials science programs. Research topics include photonic integrated circuits, quantum photonics, nonlinear optics, and advanced imaging modalities. Global activity spans universities, national laboratories, and industry partnerships.