In this age of the photon, information optics and photonics represent the key technologies to sustain our knowledge-based society. New concepts in classical and quantum-entangled light, coherent interaction with matter, and novel materials and processes have led to remarkable advances in today's information science and technology. The ICO is closely involved with information optics, as exemplified by the ICO topical meeting on Optoinformatics / Information Photonics (St. Petersburg, Russia, 2006), the ICO/ICTP Winter College on Quantum and Classical Aspects of Information Optics (Trieste, Italy, 2006), and the many ICO Prizes recently awarded on outstanding contributions on these topics. This book is in part based on these ICO activities.

Optics and photonics technologies are ubiquitous: they are responsible for the displays on smart phones and computing devices, optical fiber that carries the information in the internet, advanced precision manufacturing, enhanced defense capabilities, and a plethora of medical diagnostics tools. The opportunities arising from optics and photonics offer the potential for even greater societal impact in the next few decades, including solar power generation and new efficient lighting that could transform the nation's energy landscape and new optical capabilities that will be essential to support the continued exponential growth of the Internet. As described in the National Research Council report Optics and Photonics: Essential Technologies for our Nation, it is critical for the United States to take advantage of these emerging optical technologies for creating new industries and generating job growth. The report assesses the current state of optical science and engineering in the United States and abroad-including market trends, workforce needs, and the impact of photonics on the national economy. It identifies the technological opportunities that have arisen from recent advances in, and applications of, optical science and engineering. The report also calls for improved management of U.S. public and private research and development resources, emphasizing the need for public policy that encourages adoption of a portfolio approach to investing in the wide and diverse opportunities now available within photonics. Optics and Photonics: Essential Technologies for our Nation is a useful overview not only for policymakers, such as decision-makers at relevant Federal agencies on the current state of optics and photonics research and applications but also for individuals seeking a broad understanding of the fields of optics and photonics in many arenas.

Photonics has long been considered an attractive substrate for next generation implementations of machine-learning concepts. Reservoir Computing tremendously facilitated the realization of recurrent neural networks in analogue hardware. This concept exploits the properties of complex nonlinear dynamical systems, giving rise to photonic reservoirs implemented by semiconductor lasers, telecommunication modulators and integrated photonic chips.

Optical science and engineering affect almost every aspect of our lives. Millions of miles of optical fiber carry voice and data signals around the world. Lasers are used in surgery of the retina, kidneys, and heart. New high-efficiency light sources promise dramatic reductions in electricity consumption. Night-vision equipment and satellite surveillance are changing how wars are fought. Industry uses optical methods in everything from the production of computer chips to the construction of tunnels. Harnessing Light surveys this multitude of applications, as well as the status of the optics industry and of research and education in optics, and identifies actions that could enhance the field's contributions to society and facilitate its continued technical development.

While there are books treating individual topics contained in this book, this will be the first single volume providing a cohesive treatment on this subject as a whole. This goes beyond optical communications in that it includes related topics such as sensing, displays, computing, and data storage.

This book is a collection of best selected research papers presented at the 6th International Conference on Opto-Electronics and Applied Optics (OPTRONIX 2020) organized by the University of Engineering & Management, Kolkata, India, in June 2020. The primary focus is to address issues and developments in optoelectronics with particular emphasis on communication technology, IoT and intelligent systems, information processing and its different kinds. The theme of the book is in alignment with the theme of the conference “Advances in Smart Communication Technology and Information Processing.” The purpose of this book is to inform the scientists and researchers of this field in India and abroad about the latest developments in the relevant field and to raise awareness among the academic fraternity to get them involved in different activities in the years ahead – an effort to realize knowledge-based society.

This book sets out to build bridges between the domains of photonic device physics and neural networks, providing a comprehensive overview of the emerging field of "neuromorphic photonics." It includes a thorough discussion of evolution of neuromorphic photonics from the advent of fiber-optic neurons to today’s state-of-the-art integrated laser neurons, which are a current focus of international research. Neuromorphic Photonics explores candidate interconnection architectures and devices for integrated neuromorphic networks, along with key functionality such as learning. It is written at a level accessible to graduate students, while also intending to serve as a comprehensive reference for experts in the field.