An optical waveguide is a structure that guides electromagnetic waves in the optical spectrum. Common types include optical fiber and planar waveguides, essential for integrated optical circuits and optical communication systems.
Optical waveguides are pivotal for the confinement and transmission of light in photonic devices, connecting various components and forming key structures in devices like semiconductor lasers.
Optical waveguides and integrated devices, leveraging materials like synthetic and natural polymers, play a crucial role in medical diagnostics, therapies, and photomedicine.
Despite using materials that are strongly absorbing in the visible wavelength region, such as silicon, it's possible to create broadband, multimode waveguides with very low propagation losses.
Meta-optics infuse new degrees of freedom into waveguide-based devices, enhancing light-matter interaction and enabling novel functionalities in integrated photonics.
Explore the diverse applications of optical waveguides, including optical fibers for long-distance communication, photonic integrated circuits, and waveguide lasers and amplifiers.
Photonics involves the generation, manipulation, transport, detection, and use of light information and energy, with optical waveguides being fundamental components in this field.