Photonics
Photonics is now widely recognized as a major innovation enabling discipline for the 21st century. It can be defined as that field of science and technology where the fundamental properties of light and its interaction with matter are studied and applied. Since several decades photonics has been penetrating in ever more applications and household appliances, starting with the use of the first commercial laser diodes in CD players. At present, photonics is a discipline of key importance in industrial sectors such as the tele- and data communication, the display and printing industry, the biotechnology industry, the energy sector, the medical instrumentation sector, etc..
European researchers, both in industry and universities, have traditionally been very active and visible in many of the developments in photonics. Much of the photonics research has been stimulated actively through European funding and several European university groups have now access to high-end design software as well as fabrication and characterisation equipment.
Since a few years, a specific Master of Science programme in photonics has been established in universities in Belgium, Scotland and Sweden. These five universities are now jointly organising the Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Photonics program, allowing both EU and non-EU students to enroll in an international educational programme and spending a year in two of the above three countries.
The research activities of the five involved universities cover nearly all relevant fundamental research (e.g. nano-, and micro-photonic components in silicon, III-V semiconductors and plastics) and applications (e.g. optical sensing, data and telecommunications, quantum cryptography, displays).