Photonics is the science and technology of using light (photons) to transmit, detect and process information. It lies at the heart of modern innovations in communication, sensing, and imaging, enabling ever-faster, more precise and energy-efficient devices.
Germanium is a key material in photonics, valued for its low bandgap, which gives it sensing properties in the SWIR spectral band and compatibility with silicon processing. These properties make it essential for photodetectors and modulators used in photonic integrated circuits, as well as advanced light-emitting and light-sensing devices like VCSELs, LEDs, microLEDs and SWIR sensors.
By enhancing accuracy, sensitivity and speed, germanium empowers a new generation of photonic technologies. Its impact extends across cutting-edge applications including 3D sensing, LiDAR, augmented, virtual and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR), and automotive LED lighting and display, driving the evolution of how we capture, sense and interact with the world through light.