Definition of photonic engine

Excelitas Technologies Corp. - X-Cite Vitae LB 11/24

Photonics Dictionary

photonic engine: A photonic engine refers to a device or system that utilizes photonics, or the science and technology of generating, controlling, and detecting photons (particles of light), to perform various functions or tasks. Photonic engines are often used in optical communication systems, sensing applications, computing, and other fields where the manipulation of light is required to achieve specific objectives.

The term photonic engine is broad and can encompass a wide range of devices, components, and systems. Some examples of photonic engines include:

Optical transceivers: Optical transceivers are devices that transmit and receive optical signals over fiber optic cables in communication networks. They typically include components such as lasers, photodetectors, modulators, and demodulators to convert electrical signals into optical signals and vice versa.

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs): PICs are semiconductor chips that integrate multiple photonic components, such as lasers, waveguides, modulators, and detectors, onto a single substrate. They enable compact and efficient optical systems for applications such as data transmission, signal processing, and sensing.

Optical switches: Optical switches are devices that control the routing of optical signals within a network by selectively switching signals between different paths or channels. They are used to manage traffic in optical communication networks, reconfigure network connections, and optimize signal routing.

Photonic sensors: Photonic sensors utilize the interaction between light and materials to measure various physical quantities, such as temperature, pressure, strain, and chemical composition. They offer advantages such as high sensitivity, fast response times, and immunity to electromagnetic interference.

Optical computing systems: Optical computing systems use photons instead of electrons to perform computational tasks, leveraging properties such as parallelism, high bandwidth, and low power consumption. Photonic engines in optical computing systems may include photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and optical processing units.

Photonic engines play a critical role in advancing technologies such as telecommunications, data center networking, high-performance computing, biomedical imaging, environmental monitoring, and more. Continued research and development in photonics are driving innovations in these fields, leading to faster, more efficient, and more capable photonic systems and devices.

Products & Suppliers

Related Categories

Sheetak - Cooling at your Fingertip 11/24 MR

Opto Diode Corp. - Detector Spotlight 10-24 MR