China’s number of
conference proceedings
and journal articles
related to integrated
photonics is
consistently the
highest in Asia and
second only to the
United States.
[ COVER STORY ]
22 Integrated Photonics Research in China
Chinese researchers already have a decades-long history of making key contributions
to integrated photonics research. Now, with a growing number of research groups and
unprecedented government backing, the country is poised to take a leading role in this
exciting area, which is a critical driver of global communications technology.
Andrew W. Poon, Linjie Zhou, Jianping Chen, Yong-Zhen Huang, Jinzhong Yu,
Jian-Jun He and Hon K. Tsang
30 Light and Color in Nature: A Return to Optics’ Roots
Past OSA President Bob Greenler and OSA Fellow Dave Lynch describe a remarkable
conference series in which scientists gather to explore beautiful naked-eye phenomena
in the world around us.
Robert Greenler and David K. Lynch
38 The Green Laser Diode: Completing the Rainbow
Traditionally, green laser diodes have been difficult to construct due to the characteristics
of the quantum wells that serve as their gain region. Now, however, several companies
and research groups have found ways to fill this “green gap,” by mastering the epitaxy
of high-indium-containing quantum wells, balancing strain and defect formation against
the quantum-confined Stark effect and using optimized waveguides. Their work is driving
new applications in consumer electronics, biophotonics and other areas.
Ulrich T. Schwarz and Wolfgang G. Scheibenzuber
September 2011 | 1
