Skip to content

Optics and AI

Tue, Oct 20

Latest picks

Oct 19Mon
  1. C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsOptics industryOptics and AI58

    Omdia: Pre-terminated Fiber Expands into AI Data Centers and Other Infrastructure

    An Omdia report notes that pre-terminated fiber solutions are expanding from traditional FTTH scenarios into data centers, edge computing and smart cities. Its data show that cloud business is driving data center capacity growth of 25% per year, and AI development will further increase demand for fast, reliable fiber deployment. Pre-terminated solutions reduce field termination errors through improved connectors and plug-and-play designs, while Clearfield's vertically integrated manufacturing is used to respond to customer needs and reduce dependence on overseas logistics.

    Why we recommend it: The deployment advantages of pre-terminated solutions and manufacturing integration cases complement each other, providing context for understanding how passive component suppliers expand from FTTH into data centers.

  2. C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsOptics industryOptics and AI62

    CAICT's Ao Li on Optical Communications Evolution Driven by AI Computing

    Ao Li, vice president of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), said the optical communications industry is shifting from being driven by traditional telecom to being driven by AI computing, with next-generation communications networks and optical networks evolving in parallel. He noted that 1.6T is at the early commercialization stage globally, hollow-core fiber is already used for low-latency dedicated lines and cross-domain computing interconnects, and multi-core fiber is entering high-density data center cable scenarios. He expects optical circuit switching systems to form an optoelectronic hybrid architecture with electrical switching, while the relevant technology roadmaps continue to develop in parallel.

    Why we recommend it: Comparing high-speed interconnects, hollow-core and multi-core fiber, and optical switching under AI computing demand provides context for understanding the engineering pace of each optical communications pathway.

  3. C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsOptics industryOptics and AI68

    Mao Qian on Fiber Demand Shifting to Cloud Providers and Physical Supply Constraints

    Mao Qian noted that control over fiber demand has shifted from carriers to cloud providers, and preform expansion cycles make supply-demand gaps difficult to ease quickly through pricing. A report he released estimates that global optical fiber and cable demand will reach about 630 million fiber-km in 2026, while effective supply will be only 480 million to 520 million fiber-km, leaving a gap of about 110 million to 150 million fiber-km. Preform plant construction takes 18 to 24 months, and product mix shifts combined with supply constraints are pushing the industry from price competition toward value competition.

    Why we recommend it: Linking cloud provider demand with preform capacity expansion cycles explains why structural shortages can persist even when nominal capacity is ample, providing a framework for comparing different fiber categories.

  4. C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsOptics industryOptics and AI68

    Mao Qian on Fragmentation of the Global Fiber Market and Chinese Companies' Overseas Transformation

    Mao Qian released the 2026 Global Optical Fiber and Cable Industry Development Report, stating that the global market is forming two fragmented systems led by the US and China, while Chinese companies' overseas expansion is shifting from absorbing excess capacity to exporting value. APC data show that Chinese companies' combined global share exceeded 45% in 2026, with North American prices at two to three times the global benchmark. The report forecasts that Chinese companies' share will exceed 50% by 2030, and warns of risks from key raw material supply and a supply-demand reversal after new capacity comes online.

    Why we recommend it: The report places trade barriers, overseas capacity and customer lock-in within a single competitive framework, providing context for understanding how Chinese fiber companies are shifting from scale expansion to value export.

  5. OFweek Laser Network · NewsOptics industryOptics and AI66

    RUNTO on Why Laser Projector Competition Is Moving from Whole Units to Light Sources

    RUNTO believes the accelerating adoption of tri-color lasers is pushing the focus of laser projector competition from whole units down to light source components. It forecasts global laser projector shipments of 2.405 million units in 2026, with tri-color laser penetration reaching 75% in the Chinese market. HiSilicon recently released five lasers covering discrete single-color and multi-channel integrated solutions, and light source integration is affecting optical engine size, thermal management and overall design flexibility.

    Why we recommend it: Placing tri-color laser penetration and integrated light source solutions within the same design chain shows how light source selection affects projector optical engine size, thermal management and product definition.

  6. OFweek Optics Network · NewsOptics industryOptics and AI68

    How Four Diffractive Optical Waveguide Pathways Drive Volume Manufacturing

    SRG diffractive optical waveguides use four complementary pathways - nanoimprint, DUV lithography etching, SiC substrates and single-layer full color - to improve mass production, precision, field of view and image quality respectively. The article cites AAC Technologies' single-layer full-color SRG mass production yield of over 80%, a 52-degree FOV for the SiC solution, and the commissioning of Goertek Optics' 12-inch DUV lithography etching production line. Plans for million-unit-level capacity and ramp-up do not mean the industry as a whole has achieved stable million-unit-scale delivery; cost, yield and whole-device integration remain the next hurdles.

    Why we recommend it: Discussing nanoimprint, DUV etching, SiC substrates and single-layer full color separately helps distinguish the constraints on waveguide mass production, precision, field of view and image quality.

  7. C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsOptics industryOptics and AI65

    Wen Ku: AI Drives Fiber Optic Cable Demand, Calls for Price Negotiation and Rational Capacity Expansion

    Speaking at the Global Optical Fiber and Cable Conference, Wen Ku said AI, computing power and data centers are reshaping fiber optic cable demand, and urged upstream and downstream players to establish long-term price negotiation mechanisms and expand capacity rationally. He noted that global fiber demand grew 4.1% in 2025, with data communications and data center-related demand up 76%, while expanding optical fiber preform capacity takes two years. Wen Ku warned that high prices could trigger a concentrated release of new capacity, recommending more long-term contracts and navigating price cycles through low-latency, low-loss, high-density technologies and diversified applications.

    Why we recommend it: Links AI-driven changes in fiber demand to the preform capacity expansion cycle and price mismatches, providing industry context for why the current boom carries risks of overcapacity.

  8. Phys.org Optics & PhotonicsOptics industry62

    Programmable Photonic Chip Offers New Way to Probe Topological Properties of Optical Systems

    A research team at KTH Royal Institute of Technology has demonstrated a programmable photonic chip that can emulate dissipative systems and detect and measure their topological properties. The work uses a mathematical method to simulate loss without actually losing the signal, then compares the light with a reference beam to distinguish topological scenarios from ordinary ones and detect exceptional points. The results were published in Physical Review Letters, and the same chip can be reprogrammed to test different scenarios.

    Why we recommend it: The study reads out topological information in dissipative systems through reference-beam interference and tests different scenarios on the same programmable chip, providing a method for investigating robust properties under loss conditions.

Oct 16Fri
  1. OFweek Optics Network · NewsOptics industryOptics and AI61

    Fanchuangwei High-Transparency Optical AR Lens Project Lands in Taizhou with Total Investment of About RMB 550 Million

    Shanghai Fanchuangwei Technology's high-transparency optical AR glasses lens project has settled in Huangyan, Taizhou, to be carried out in two phases by Fanke Technology (Taizhou), with total investment of about RMB 550 million. Phase one, at about RMB 150 million, plans to complete an innovation center and pilot production line by 2027. Phase two, at about RMB 400 million, targets annual output of 100 tonnes of high-purity silicon carbide optical material by 2028. Aimed at AI glasses and AR terminals, the project covers the full chain from optical materials and etching processes to optical devices.

    Why we recommend it: The source gives the investment figures for both phases, production line timelines and a target of 100 tonnes of silicon carbide optical material per year, useful for gauging the pace of silicon carbide waveguide industrialization.

  2. Photonics.comOptics industry62

    ZEISS Acquires Holography Company Ceres Holographics

    ZEISS has acquired holography company Ceres Holographics. Upon completion of the deal, Ceres will be integrated into the ZEISS Microoptics business unit, which focuses on volume production of holographics. ZEISS said the acquisition will advance the industrialization of holographic windshield display applications and accelerate entry into broader holographic markets such as retail, near-eye displays and public transportation.

    Why we recommend it: After the acquisition, Ceres will be integrated into ZEISS Microoptics, providing a view of how holographic windshield displays move from technology to volume production.

  3. Light: Science & ApplicationsOptics industry60

    Sliding Metasurface Achieves Frequency Filtering and Beam Steering Simultaneously in One Device

    A review article in Light: Science & Applications describes sliding metasurfaces developed by H. Shi, W. Zhu, G. Hu and colleagues. Relative lateral displacement of two complementary metasurface layers generates an effective phase gradient, enabling passive beam steering while retaining frequency-selective filtering. The authors argue that this geometry-driven passive approach is simpler and more scalable than tunable metasurfaces that depend on active components, and could extend to terahertz and optical bands.

    Why we recommend it: The article contrasts tunable metasurfaces that rely on active components such as PIN diodes, explaining the idea of replacing per-unit cell control with interlayer translation.

Oct 15Thu
  1. Optica News CenterOptics industry63

    Gallium Phosphide-Diamond Hybrid Platform Enhances Quantum Light-Matter Interaction

    Researchers integrated gallium phosphide (GaP) nanophotonic cavities onto a diamond substrate using a stamp transfer process, enhancing quantum optical interaction with diamond color centers. The devices are first fabricated by electron-beam lithography in a GaP thin film on a carrier, screened by spectroscopic testing, and then transferred. Experiments achieved cooperativity above 1. The platform can serve as a light-matter interface in quantum networks.

    Why we recommend it: The source details the heterogeneous integration process and the screening-and-transfer workflow, offering useful reference for fabrication routes for diamond color center quantum photonic devices.

  2. AuganixOptics industry61

    Kopin Wins USD 18.6 Million Sole-Source US Government Contract to Develop Color MicroLED Microdisplays

    Kopin has received a USD 18.6 million sole-source IBAS contract from the US government to develop two additional MicroLED microdisplays for ground soldier equipment and pilot head-up displays. The contract will help Kopin accelerate localization of MicroLED manufacturing.

    Why we recommend it: The source highlights military demand for color MicroLED in head-up displays and soldier systems, making it a useful case for observing microdisplay localization policy.

  3. C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsOptics industry65

    Advanced Fiber Resources to Acquire 99.97% of Passive Optical Component Maker Anjiexun for RMB 1.64 Billion

    Following Sha Shuli's withdrawal from the transaction, Advanced Fiber Resources will adjust the acquisition target to a 99.97% stake in Suzhou Anjiexun, with a transaction price of about RMB 1.6395 billion and an appraised value of about RMB 1.650 billion for all of Anjiexun's equity. Consideration will be paid through share issuance, convertible bonds and cash, with the cash portion at about RMB 492 million.

    Why we recommend it: The source provides the valuation, pricing and payment structure, helping to understand M&A valuations in the passive optical components sector.

  4. C114 Communications Network · Optical CommunicationsOptics industryOptics and AI67

    Silicon Photonics Chipmaker Xihe Technology Files Registration Version of STAR Market Prospectus

    Shanghai Xihe Technology has released the registration version of its STAR Market IPO prospectus, describing itself as one of the world's major suppliers of silicon photonic integrated chips. Its customers include leading optical module makers and cloud service providers, and its products are already shipping at scale into AI clusters and hyperscale data centers. According to estimates by optical module makers, at the same speed and distance, silicon photonic solutions can reduce total cost by nearly 20% and cut the volume of components within a module by nearly 30%.

    Why we recommend it: The source provides cost and volume data for silicon photonics versus discrete components, helping to understand the domestic supply chain for AI data center optical interconnects.

  5. Optics & Photonics NewsOptics industry65

    Optogenetic Therapy Partially Restores Vision in Early Clinical Study

    Optics & Photonics News reports that an early clinical study showed optogenetic therapy can partially restore vision in patients with severe vision loss. Most adverse events were mild to moderate, with only one transient severe event after injection that resolved within minutes. First author Jose-Alain Sahel of the University of Pittsburgh said the results show that the visual system retains the ability to process new information even in people with severe blindness.

    Why we recommend it: Optogenetic therapy applies light stimulation directly to visual restoration, and the source article provides early clinical safety results that can serve as a reference for biophotonics applications

  6. optics.org (SPIE Industry News)Optics industry59

    Siloton Secures GBP 8.4 Million from Innovate UK to Advance GiraffeOCT into Clinical Use

    Siloton will receive GBP 8.4 million in funding from Innovate UK over two years to advance GiraffeOCT, an OCT technology based on quantum photonic integrated circuits, toward clinical use. The funding is expected to shorten the development timeline by about two years.

    Why we recommend it: The source article describes the funding path for taking photonic integrated OCT from the lab to the clinic, serving as a reference for the industrialization of medical optics devices

Oct 14Wed
  1. Optica News CenterOptics industry66

    Chip-Scale Optical Ring Laser Gyroscope Measures Slow Rotations of 37 Degrees per Hour

    A team from UC Santa Barbara and Caltech published in Optics Letters a chip-scale optical ring laser gyroscope capable of measuring rotations as slow as 37 degrees per hour, approaching Earth's rotation rate of 15 degrees per hour. The device is based on a low-noise Brillouin laser in a silicon nitride waveguide photonic integrated circuit, can be fabricated with standard CMOS processes, requires only milliwatt-level optical power, and offers nearly 2,000-fold higher sensitivity than the team's earlier device.

    Why we recommend it: Compared with the team's earlier silicon nitride Brillouin gyroscope rated at 72,000 degrees per hour, this is nearly a 2,000-fold improvement, helping gauge how far on-chip optical gyroscopes are from navigation applications.

  2. OFweek Optics Network · NewsOptics industryOptics and AI65

    TDK Shows Meta-Optics Reflector for Retinal Projection Smart Glasses at CEATEC

    TDK showcased at CEATEC an ultrathin meta-optics reflector designed for retinal projection smart glasses. The prototype is monochrome green with 750p resolution and a 45-degree diagonal field of view. The reflector is only 150 nanometers thick and achieves 80% visible-light transmittance. TDK plans to launch the green version by the end of 2026, a full-color version in May 2027, and mass production within a few years.

    Why we recommend it: The source article gives thickness, transmittance, field of view and mass-production timeline, enabling comparison with waveguide approaches to understand retinal projection

  3. optics.org (SPIE Industry News)Optics industryOptics and AI74

    Chip Demand Keeps Growing; ASML Studies Further Expanding Lithography Equipment Capacity

    ASML said its existing 2027 and 2028 supply plans cannot fully meet customer demand and that it is studying a further expansion of 2028 capacity beyond the previously planned 30% increase. Quarterly sales through September 27 were EUR 11.7 billion, up more than 50% year over year. The NXE:3800F EUV lithography system slated for introduction next year will raise productivity from 230 to 260 wafers per hour.

    Why we recommend it: Capacity expansion and productivity upgrades are proceeding in parallel, offering concrete industry clues on how AI demand translates into EUV lithography equipment supply constraints.