Photonics Division

Division Overview

The Photonics Division comprises five Technical Groups (Integrated Optics, Optical Communications, Optoelectronic Devices and Nanostructures , Fiber Optics Technology and Optical Amplifiers) that are dedicated to advancing the state-of-the-art of photonics. Participation is strong; approximately 8,000 OSA members are affiliated with the Photonics Division, and many members take an active part in the division's group meetings, usually held during the Frontiers in Optics, OSA’s Annual Meeting.

What’s Hot in Optics Today?

Find out more about the current activities of this division, as well as emerging topics in the field and current challenges by reading this presentation by Jay Wiesenfeld, Lucent Technologies, Division Chair.

Division Overview Presentation

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Technical Groups

Fiber Optics Technology (PF)

This group is concerned with design, fabrication and characterization of optical fibers for data transport, optical amplification and other applications. The interests of the members include: fiber fabrication methods, fiber characterization, doped fibers, host glass matrix modification and other areas of interest for making a wide range of fiber types. Specialty fibers, such as polarization preserving fibers, dispersion shifted fiber, dispersion compensating fibers, active fiber devices and fiber Bragg gratings, are also of interest. Fiber fabrication processes, such as MCVD process and Sol-gel process, and fiber draw process, are of interest to the members of this group. This group considers a broad spectrum of applications of fibers and fiber based devices and provides an opportunity for the exchange of ideas.

Integrated Optics (PE)

This group provides a forum for the discussion of the modeling, fabrication, and characterization of the integrated and micro optical components and systems. The interests of the members include materials, processing, and fabrication for integrated and micro optics, analytical and numerical methods for the modeling of integrated optical devices and systems, the integration of bulk and waveguide systems, efficient source/waveguide/detector coupling, and other topics pertaining to the general areas of integrated and micro optics. This group will consider a broad spectrum of applications of integrated optics and will provide the opportunity for the exchange of ideas between those having a diverse range of interests.

Optical Amplifiers (PA)

This group is concerned with design, fabrication, characteristics and application of optical amplifiers operating in a wide range of wavelengths. The members in the group have interests in areas like doped fiber amplifiers with dopants such as Nd, Er, Yb, etc., Raman fiber amplifiers, and double clad fiber amplifiers. Applications of these optical amplifiers in ultra long distance transmission, weather mapping or free space communication are of interest to the members of this group.

Optical Communications (PC)

This group is concerned with application of optics to communications. Topics of interest include: optical-carrier sources (lasers and light-emitting diodes), photodetectors, transmission media (guided and unguided), components (passive and active), measurement techniques, and systems, all pertaining to the art and science of communications.

Optoelectronic Devices and Nanostructures (PZ)

The focus of this group is on advances in optoelectronic devices, systems and applications. Interests of the group include various electrooptic effects, material research, device design and fabrication, packaging and other aspects of optoelectronics device research. Examples of specific topics are: free space and guided-wave integrated optics modulators and passive components, sources and detectors, photonic switching, nonlinear optics, electro-optic materials, quantum-well devices, modulators, multiplexers, sensors, integrated optics, instrumentation probes, optoelectronic integrated circuits, optoelectronic switching and sources such as semiconductor lasers.

Division Leadership

Juerg Leuthold, Division Chair (9/07-10/09) University of Karlsruhe Institute of High-Frequency & Quantumelect. Engesserstr. 5, Bldg. 30.10 76131 Karlsruhe GERMANY Tel:  +49 7216082480 Fax: 49 7216089097 E-mail: leuthold@ihq.uni-karlsruhe.de

Fiber Optics Technology

Paul Morton, Chair (10/06-10/08) Morton Photonics 3301 Velvet Valley Drive West Friendship MD 21794 Tel:+1 443.745.4779 Fax: +1 410.498.7789 E-mail: paul.morton@mortonphotonics.com

Chris Xu, Vice-Chair (9/07-10/08) Cornell University Applied and Engineering Physics 276 Clark Hall Ithaca, NY 14853-0000 Tel: +1 607.255.1460 Fax: +1 607.255.7658 E-mail: cx10@cornell.edu

Integrated Optics

Ozdal Boyraz, Chair (9/07-10/09) University of California Irvine Department of Electrical Engineering and Comp Irvine CA 92697 Tel: +1 949.824.1979 E-mail: oboyraz@uci.edu

Optical Amplifiers

Mark Shtaif, Chair (10/06-10/08) Tel-Aviv University School of Electr . Eng. 69978 Tel Aviv ISRAEL Tel: +972 36405905 Fax: +972 36423508 E-mail: shtaif@eng.tau.ac.il

Optical Communications

Guifang Li, Chair (10/06-10/08) University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd. Bldg. 53 Orlando FL 32816-2700 Tel: +1 407.823.6811 Fax: +1 407.823.6880 E-mail: li@creol.ucf.edu

Xiang Liu, Vice-Chair (9/07-10/08) Alcatel-Lucent 791 Holmdel-Keyport Rd Rm R-113 Holmdel, NJ 07733-0000 Tel: +1 732.888.7027 Fax: +1 732.888.7013 Email: xliu20@alcatel-lucent.com

Optoelectronic Devices and Nanostructures