The Centre Suisse d’Électronique et de Microtechnique SA of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, is leading the European project PLEAS, Plasmon Enhanced Photonics, which aims to move plasmonics beyond the academic arena to a key position in the development of the European photonics industry. Funded by the European Union, the € 2.8 million initiative expects to achieve the goal by controlling light in metals at the nanoscale level. The technology will have an impact on photodectors in applications ranging from portable phones to security systems and on greenhouse emissions by increasing the energy efficiency of LEDs.

The consortium includes Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH, a specialist in LED design and manufacturing based in Regensburg, Germany, and Sagem Défense Sécurité of Paris, offering expertise in vision-based security and in plasmon application and theory.