Microphotonics

<p>Microphotonics is a branch of <a href="/facts/Technology/9Uav5WVR">technology</a> that deals with directing light on a microscopic scale and is used in <a href="/facts/Optical_telecommunication/gshoNBto">optical networking</a>. Particularly, it refers to the branch of technology that deals with wafer-level integrated devices and systems that emit, transmit, detect, and process light along with other forms of <a href="/facts/Radiant_energy/8QHpm6KY">radiant energy</a> with <a href="/facts/Photon/mFNhAEzA">photon</a> as the <a href="/facts/Quantum/4x5QTxGB">quantum</a> unit.
</p><p>Microphotonics employs at least two different materials with a large differential <a href="/facts/Index_of_refraction/yjkzvgeE">index of refraction</a> to squeeze the light down to a small size.  Generally speaking, virtually all of microphotonics relies on <a href="/facts/Fresnel_reflection/6SEao7ua">Fresnel reflection</a> to guide the light.  If the photons reside mainly in the higher index material, the confinement is due to <a href="/facts/Total_internal_reflection/Tm0M62NQ">total internal reflection</a>.  If the confinement is due many distributed <a href="/facts/Fresnel_reflection/6SEao7ua">Fresnel reflections</a>, the device is termed a <a href="/facts/Photonic_crystal/R763CtuW">photonic crystal</a>.  There are many different types of geometries used in microphotonics including <a href="/facts/Waveguide_(optics)/CQ6AnRAl">optical waveguides</a>, <a href="/facts/Optical_microcavity/0XkrTxzk">optical microcavities</a>, and <a href="/facts/Arrayed_waveguide_grating/6STcgm2v">Arrayed waveguide gratings</a>.
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Microphotonics open-in-new

Microphotonics