- Solar energy
- Biophotonics
- Microwave photonics
- Plasmonics
- Quantum photonics
- Fibre optics
- Optoelectronics
- Optical materials
Areas of research
Research in photonics, that which embraces the science and technology of light, is having an impact on our lives much like what has been seen in previous electronic and digital revolutions. The various applications of photonics range from communications technology (i.e. transmission of voice, video and data on light waves) to entertainment systems, and from biology (i.e. surgeons utilizing lasers in surgery) and quantum computation to environmental sensing (i.e. laser scanners reading bar codes) and green technologies (i.e. solar energy).
What's happening in this field?
Revolutionary breakthrough in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells at the Univ…
Another step towards miniaturization of electronic devices
The University of Ottawa, together with national and international partners, has achieved a world first by manufacturing the first back-contact micrometric photovoltaic cells.
Collaborating to strengthen North America’s semiconductor supply chains
Semiconductors might not be the most visible to most of us, but they play a huge role in our daily lives and are increasingly in demand. However, since the COVID pandemic, sourcing these critical electronic components has been increasingly difficult. Faced with a global semiconductor shortage, Canada, the United States, and Mexico decided to collaborate, with governments, industry, and academia joining forces to strengthen semiconductor supply chains in North America. As one of the world’s top universities, uOttawa is committed to playing a key role in this collaboration.