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- Photonics21
  
  Photonics21
  The European Technology Platform Photonics21 unites the majority of the leading photonics industries and relevant R&D stakeholders along the whole economic value chain throughout Europe. Today, ...
  
  Read more...about Photonics21
- Photonics Partnership
  
  Photonics Partnership
  The Photonics21 association is an international non-profit association with scientific purpose governed by the provisions of Title 3 of the Belgium Law of twenty-seventh of June nineteen hundred ...
  
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  Research & Innovation Priorities
  
  Research & Innovation Priorities
  Setting photonics research and innovation Prorities for the Horizon Europe Work Programmes lies in the heart of the Photonics Partnership tasks.
  
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  Structures, Processes and Statutes
  
  Structures, Processes and Statutes
  The Photonics Partnership acts as a "mouthpiece" of the European Technology Platform Photonics21 (and its more than 4,000 members) towards the European Commission.
  
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- Structure
  
  Structure
  Photonics21 is composed of several bodies. You can find more information on the structure of the platform in the following sections.
  
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  Board of Stakeholders
  
  Board of Stakeholders
  The Board of Stakeholders (BoS) is the main decision-making body of the platform. In particular, the BoS bears responsibility for:
  
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  Executive Board
  
  Executive Board
  The Executive Board (EB) is the managing body of the platform. The EB is responsible for the coordination and execution of the platform operations, for the preparation and the implementation of the ...
  
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  Work Groups
  
  Work Groups
  The Photonics21 Work Groups (WGs) are the main centres of activities within Photonics21. They focus on the development of the work group specific research and innovation priorites and the update of ...
  
  Read more...about Work Groups
  
  Work Group 1
  Digital Infrastructure
  
  Work Group 1
  Early 2020, with the onset of COVID-19, digital infrastructure became an even more essential part of our personal and professional lives, acting as a 'lifeblood' the likes of which we have never seen ...
  
  Read more...about Work Group 1
  
  Work Group 2
  Manufacturing
  
  Work Group 2
  The Grand Challenges facing European research are well-documented. Digitisation, and a sustainable and circular approach for manufacturing and materials, will be the basis for a competitive, ...
  
  Read more...about Work Group 2
  
  Work Group 3
  Health
  
  Work Group 3
  The European population is ageing increasingly: the number of people today older than 65 relative to those in the working-age is assumed to double by 2045. Since age is a major factor for a higher ...
  
  Read more...about Work Group 3
  
  Work Group 4
  Climate, Mobility & Energy
  
  Work Group 4
  Photonics plays a role in the targets of Decarbonisation towards Zero Emission Road Transport, Clean Energy Transition, the Industrial Battery Value Chain, Renewable Energy with photovoltaics, energy ...
  
  Read more...about Work Group 4
  
  Work Group 5
  Safety, Security, Space & Defense
  
  Work Group 5
  A key responsibility of government is to keep its citizens protected and to make them feel safe. This can be accomplished on three levels: (1) Civilian empowerment, (2) Law enforcement and public ...
  
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  Work Group 6
  Agriculture & Food
  
  Work Group 6
  By 2030, the technology to feed a world population of 10 billion, push back food-borne illness, and reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture needs to be in place. ...
  
  Read more...about Work Group 6
  
  Work Group 7
  Core Photonics
  
  Work Group 7
  Photonics will play a vital role in addressing the key socio-economic challenges facing Europe in the 21st century. As examples, we may note the following:
  
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  Mirror Group
  
  Mirror Group
  The Mirror Group constitutes the public complement to the industry-led Photonics21 Board of Stakeholders. It supports and reflects ("mirrors") the activities of Photonics21 at policy level and from a ...
  
  Read more...about Mirror Group
Photonics21
The European Technology Platform Photonics21 unites the majority of the leading photonics industries and relevant R&D stakeholders along the whole economic value chain throughout Europe. Today, ...

Read more...about Photonics21

Photonics Partnership
The Photonics21 association is an international non-profit association with scientific purpose governed by the provisions of Title 3 of the Belgium Law of twenty-seventh of June nineteen hundred ...

Read more...about Photonics Partnership

Structure
Photonics21 is composed of several bodies. You can find more information on the structure of the platform in the following sections.

Read more...about Structure
Services
- Photonics for Finance
  
  Photonics for Finance
  The financing of innovative photonics companies in their different growth phases is a serious problem in Europe. Thats why Photonics21 strives to improve the access to financing for European photonics ...
  
  Read more...about Photonics for Finance
- Photonics for Industry
  
  Photonics for Industry
  Several European pilot lines, which help companies take photonics technologies from lab into market, have been launched by the Photonics Partnership. The pilot lines mean that companies will be able ...
  
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- Photonics for Education
  
  Photonics for Education
  The Photonics Partnership supports various projects with the aim of bringing photonics into the education system of Europe. In this sector we dive a bit deeper into this projects.
  
  Read more...about Photonics for Education
- European Calls
  
  European Calls
  There are regular Photonics Calls for Proposals published by the European Commission. The Photonics21 community is the dedicated body to define the European call topics for photonics.
  
  Read more...about European Calls
- Photonics Downloads
  
  Photonics Downloads
  The most relevant and recent publications from Photonics21 and the Photonics PPP can be found and downloaded in this section.
  
  Read more...about Photonics Downloads
Photonics for Education
The Photonics Partnership supports various projects with the aim of bringing photonics into the education system of Europe. In this sector we dive a bit deeper into this projects.

Read more...about Photonics for Education

Photonics for Finance
The financing of innovative photonics companies in their different growth phases is a serious problem in Europe. Thats why Photonics21 strives to improve the access to financing for European photonics ...

Read more...about Photonics for Finance

Photonics for Industry
Several European pilot lines, which help companies take photonics technologies from lab into market, have been launched by the Photonics Partnership. The pilot lines mean that companies will be able ...

Read more...about Photonics for Industry
Projects
- Projects
  
  PUNCH
  PUNCH will develop a new solution for optical switching that addresses several industrial requirements, including reliable and low latency communication with guaranteed service quality, less network ...
  
  Read more...about PUNCH
  
  GlobalAM
  The GlobalAM project aims to overcome the limitations of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) in producing complex geometries at a large scale by developing a hybrid production approach that combines the ...
  
  Read more...about GlobalAM
  
  SoFiN
  SoFiN contributes to adaptive photonic multi-sensing systems with focus on:a)developing & testing a novel flexible, adaptive, modular, software-defined sensor platformb)studying ways to establish ...
  
  Read more...about SoFiN
PUNCH
PUNCH will develop a new solution for optical switching that addresses several industrial requirements, including reliable and low latency communication with guaranteed service quality, less network ...

Read more...about PUNCH

GlobalAM
The GlobalAM project aims to overcome the limitations of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) in producing complex geometries at a large scale by developing a hybrid production approach that combines the ...

Read more...about GlobalAM

SoFiN
SoFiN contributes to adaptive photonic multi-sensing systems with focus on:a)developing & testing a novel flexible, adaptive, modular, software-defined sensor platformb)studying ways to establish ...

Read more...about SoFiN
News
- News Archive
  
  Benefit of the early bird rate & register now to the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026
  Benefit of the early bird rate and register now to the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026. The event will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brussels City hotel on 9 & 10 June 2026.
  
  Read more...about Benefit of the early bird rate & register now to the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026
  
  Photonics research at heart of € 370 bil European tech boom, new study finds
  A major new study has revealed that Europe’s university spinout companies have grown into a technology ecosystem worth hundreds of billions of euros – with photonics playing a vital enabling role ...
  
  Read more...about Photonics research at heart of € 370 bil European tech boom, new study finds
  
  Two weeks left - Apply now for the Photonics21 Innovation Award 2026
  Take your cance and apply now to the Photonics21 Innovation Award 2026! This dedicated Innovation Challenge seeks to push for more entrepreneurship in photonics. The Photonics21 Innovation Award ...
  
  Read more...about Two weeks left - Apply now for the Photonics21 Innovation Award 2026
Benefit of the early bird rate & register now to the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026
Benefit of the early bird rate and register now to the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026. The event will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brussels City hotel on 9 & 10 June 2026.

Read more...about Benefit of the early bird rate & register now to the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026

Photonics research at heart of € 370 bil European tech boom, new study finds
A major new study has revealed that Europe’s university spinout companies have grown into a technology ecosystem worth hundreds of billions of euros – with photonics playing a vital enabling role ...

Read more...about Photonics research at heart of € 370 bil European tech boom, new study finds

Two weeks left - Apply now for the Photonics21 Innovation Award 2026
Take your cance and apply now to the Photonics21 Innovation Award 2026! This dedicated Innovation Challenge seeks to push for more entrepreneurship in photonics. The Photonics21 Innovation Award ...

Read more...about Two weeks left - Apply now for the Photonics21 Innovation Award 2026
Events
- Upcoming
  
  21–22 April 2026
  
  360 CARLA Training Berlin
  Read more...about 360 CARLA Training Berlin
  
  09–10 June 2026
  
  Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026
  Read more...about Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026
  
  15–19 June 2026
  
  3rd edition of the Photonics TALENT International Summer School
  Read more...about 3rd edition of the Photonics TALENT International Summer School
- Archive
  
  25 March 2026
  
  360 CARLA Experience Grenoble
  Read more...about 360 CARLA Experience Grenoble
  
  24 March 2026
  
  360 CARLA Training Grenoble
  Read more...about 360 CARLA Training Grenoble
  
  23 March 2026
  
  360 CARLA Symposium Grenoble
  Read more...about 360 CARLA Symposium Grenoble
12–16 April 2026

SPIE Optical Systems Design
Read more...about SPIE Optical Systems Design

14 April 2026

Training on Spectral Imaging and its Applications
Read more...about Training on Spectral Imaging and its Applications

15 April 2026

360 CARLA Experience Oulu, FInland
Read more...about 360 CARLA Experience Oulu, FInland
Membership

Lithium Niobate electro-optic modulators from bulk to LNOI

© Rzoog – Fotolia.com

2026 02 June

Lithium niobate’s electro-optic (Pockels) effect has been known for over 80 years, yet it remains at the forefront of photonics research. This talk, provided by CNRS-FEMTO-ST, explores how technological advances have transformed electro-optic (EO) modulators from bulky components to compact, high-performance devices based on thin-film lithium niobate (LNTF). Through a historical perspective, we’ll examine the key metrics that have driven this evolution—energy efficiency, bandwidth, and footprint—and the trade-offs involved.

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Upcoming Events & Workshops

12–16 April 2026
Strasbourg, France

SPIE Optical Systems Design

Optical Systems Design is the specialized European event for optical instrumentation with the latest advances in optical systems applications, materials, and processing.

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14 April 2026
Online

Training on Spectral Imaging and its Applications

Spectral imaging is powerful tool in modern science, machine vision, medicine, industry, agriculture, forestry, arts, and many other areas of modern human activities. Spectral imaging provides an easy ...

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15 April 2026
Oulu, Finland

360 CARLA Experience Oulu, FInland

Join the Hub Experience in Oulu for an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to Detection Technology. This event is designed for students with a background in medical imaging who want to explore ...

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Latest news about Photonics21

Photonics21
Thursday, 26 March 2026

Benefit of the early bird rate & register now to the Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting 2026

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Photonics21
Tuesday, 24 March 2026

Photonics research at heart of € 370 bil European tech boom, new study finds

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Photonics21
Thursday, 19 March 2026

Two weeks left - Apply now for the Photonics21 Innovation Award 2026

Read more...

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