Photonics has the potential to significantly enhance the function of electronics in various areas such as computing and communications. By using photons, plasmons or solitons as the information carrier rather than electrons, photonics can carry more data at higher frequency with less power consumption than conventional electronics. The improvements this offers have already been seen in long-haul fiber-optic communication systems, but there is still a significant effort required to fully realize the opportunities that photonics could bring in short reach communication and computation. A large part of the task is determining how to exploit the peculiarity of photonics and how to efficiently integrate photonics and electronics. To bridge this gap, there are several challenges to address, and research in Optics and Photonics is key to advancing electronics with photonics.
This Editor’s Challenge aims to explore this issue by looking at both the fundamental questions and next-generation applications surrounding the interplay of electronics and photonics. Optics and Photonics is a broad and interdisciplinary field, and as such is well-placed to address multiple aspects of this question, relating to not only the fundamental physics but also material and device design, as well as emerging or future applications.
With this in mind, this Editor’s Challenge therefore seeks to receive contributions relating to, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Co-packaged Optics
• Advanced photonic computational systems
• Programmable photonic circuits
• Novel optical communication tools
• Other new commercial opportunities that may arise
Additionally, topics addressing outstanding questions in the underlying physics of photonics with impact in potential electronics applications, such as:
• What are the ultimate limits in speed, energy efficiency, longevity, and functionality for solid-state, non-thermal transformations driven by light?
• What is the entropy of (dressed) photons and how it is limiting our capability of communication, manipulation and energy conversion?
• What are the design tools for injection, transport and control of excitons and polaritons, and how could these be used in next-gen electronics?
The Specialty Chief Editors of Frontiers in Physics launch a new series of Research Topics to highlight current challenges across the field of Physics. Other titles in the series are:
Editor's Challenge in Radiation Detectors and Imaging: Emerging Technologies
Editor's Challenge in Social Physics: Misinformation and Cooperation
Editor's Challenge in Atomic and Molecular Physics: Applications and Advances in Fundamental Physics
Editor's Challenge in Interdisciplinary Physics: What is Interdisciplinary Physics?
Editor's Challenge in Quantum Engineering and Technology: Economic Impact and Perspectives of Quantum Technologies
