The Photonics Leadership Group and the All-Party Parliamentary Group in Photonics and Quantum have released a report on the ‘Future Horizons for Photonics Research 2030 and beyond’ which aims to outline what will be possible in photonics in the next decade and beyond, and the substantial opportunities for the photonics industry in the UK.

Numerous Quantum Communications Hub investigators and advisory board members were among the 26 leading photonics academics in the UK that were invited to participate in the horizon scanning exercise, which required them to consider what the focus of photonics research will be, a decade and more from now.

The report defines 70 research topics that will be the focus of photonics research, including established research topics and new research fields, organised into four broad categories: materials, optical and physical phenomenon, future manufacturing processes and devices and systems.

Also identified within the report are the nine ‘great challenges’ representing major societal trends and concerns which will influence and motivate future photonics innovation: data, health and ageing, physical pollution, mobility and transport, climate change, defence and security, economic patriotism, scale and food production photon. The report recognises that the photonics industry is well established and is fundamental to many advanced technologies and industries, however, it also highlights that photonics innovation needs to undergo a ‘step change’ in order to combat the challenges indentified to be facing photonics in the future.

Finally, the report makes seven recommendations which include researchers, research agencies, funding agencies, policy makers and Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) Directors taking action in order to enable the identified topics to become research activity within the UK and for the potential benefits of photonics to be realised.

To download and read the report visit the resources page of this website.