Electronics, Plasmonics, and Photonics

Advances in our understanding of the interactions of matter and light and related innovations occurring in the areas of electronics, plasmonics, and photonics have been essential enablers of the information revolution that has been transforming our lives. Electronics have paved the way to the expansion of computing power and subsequent expansions in computational bandwidth and data transport rates, and storage capacities are being fueled by higher frequency plasmonic and photonic devices and channels.

Plasmonic devices are providing us with unparalleled resolutions in microscopy while pervasive use of LED lighting is dramatically improving the energy efficiency of typical households, and our data communication needs are currently being met by optical fiber networks. Looking into the future, advancements in these areas promise to make autonomous vehicles safer, enable cellular-level diagnosis and treatment of diseases, transform our financial infrastructure, and augment the human cognitive abilities. Research in this theme draws on the foundational strengths of semiconductor devices, photonic crystals and metamaterials, surface and cavity plasmons, M/NEMS, electromagnetic fields and waves, quantum mechanics, and qubit-based systems.