Development of novel materials, understanding their properties, and learning how to process and package them is fundamental to optoelectronics. While a broad range of semiconductor materials emit light at various wavelengths, an equally large array of other materials can guide, convert, switch, or modulate the light.
This issue of Optoelectronics World highlights several different aspects of the material science. The first article examines all-laser processing of glass to produce monolithic photonic integrated circuits. According to the second article, III-nitride wide-bandgap semiconductors show promise at the optical communications wavelength of 1.55 mm. Meanwhile, the importance of thermal management to the long-term performance of any optoelectronic package is explained in the last of the three features.
Stephen G. Anderson
Editor in Chief