LUX Photonics Consortium

xxx Founding members of the LUX Photonics Consortium with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (seventh from left), Minister-in-Charge of the Smart Nation Initiative and then Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, at Techventure 2015 (Credit: National Research Foundation Singapore)

The LUX Photonics Consortium, launched on 21 September at Techventure 2015, is supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore and established in partnership with the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and industry partners.

Photonics research includes developing the next generation ultra-fast Internet through new fibre-optic cables or ground-breaking electronic circuits powered by light instead of electricity. The consortium seeks to encourage stronger collaborations between institutes of higher learning and the industry, in developing ground breaking applications and to act as a link with the global photonics network.

NRF has awarded 9 projects under the Competitive Research Programme (CRP), investing close to S$75 million in grants, in the area of photonics to NTU, NUS and A*STAR. These research projects cover a wide range of topics including, ultraefficiency excitonic energy transfer next-generation lighting and displays, fiber optic medical devices for diagnosis of coronary artery diseases, and heterogeneous integration of low power electronics with high performance photonics.

The LUX Photonics Consortium will leverage the research done in the CRPs and NTU, NUS and A*STAR to spur the photonics industry and grow the photonics ecosystem in Singapore. The consortium will focus on the five research areas of fibre technologies, III-V optoelectronics and biophotonics, optical and laser applications, nanophotonics and metamaterials, as well as lighting and displays.

As founding members of the LUX Photonics Consortium, NTU and Technolite have submitted a million-dollar joint research proposal for the development of more sustainable and architectural lighting to NRF for R&D funding support.

The consortium is chaired by Professor Tjin Swee Chuan from The Photonics Institute at NTU, and industry members include companies like DSO National Laboratories and local firms Denselight Semiconductors and Coherent Singapore.