The publication of the Technopolis-led report, Study on the EU’s critical digital capacities deployment beyond 2027, is a welcome contribution to the importance of investment in next generation of digital technology, including photonics. Commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, the study looks beyond the current EU Framework programme to assess which strategic digital technologies and infrastructure should be prioritised for deployment, integration and scale-up in the years ahead based on current strengths and future impact.
The study provides a valuable evidence base for shaping the EU and, by inference, UK investment strategy for enhancing digital capability and resilience. Its forward-looking approach, combining quantitative indicators with stakeholder consultation and technology-specific analysis, provides a valuable input to policymakers on where public funding can have the greatest leverage.
Photonics belongs at the heart of Europe’s deployment agenda
It is particularly encouraging that the study explicitly recognises photonics as part of the strategic digital technology landscape with a dedicated photonics annex on use cases, global trends, strategic priorities, opportunities and investment gaps.
In parallel with the UK development of a National Photonics Roadmap, the reports highlights both the breadth of photonics impact across high-speed communications, advanced manufacturing, precision sensing, healthcare, defence, security and energy-efficient AI and the depth and diversity of upcoming technology innovations from integrated photonics to optical computing. The reports highlights Europe’s leading position in photonics intellectual property development, demonstrating its innovation strength, whilst echoing gaps in scale-up infrastructure, ecosystem integration and skills development that hinder translation into economic competitiveness.
The post-2027 future and the next multi-annual framework programme
With the UK associate members of the current Horizon Europe programme and likely to associate to the next programme, the direction and focus of future EU funding is strategically important. The Technopolis study highlights that deployment of photonics is expected to be a future investment target by companies, alongside AI and Quantum, as the high-performance compute, photonics and microelectronics fields increasingly converge. In reviewing Eu investment options for the future the study also highlights the need for capability building in photonics (e.g. infrastructure, pilot line, ecosystems and skills development) in line with the latest Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda from Photonics21.
Photonics underpins whole digital framework
The Technopolis study focuses on twelve technology areas for in-depth analysis from Quantum to Robotics. Even outside the photonics specific analysis it is striking how important photonics is in underpinning innovation and future capability in many of the other eleven areas.
- Photonics is the backbone of advanced digital communications and connectivity, transporting data across ocean, between and inside datacentres and back-hauling the mobile network
- Artificial Intelligence depends on photonics to connect processors in datacentres and will soon use photonics directly in those processors speeding AI and High Performance Computing whilst also reducing their energy footprint
- Optical Image recognition and Quantum Key Distribution are just two of the photonics enablers in Cybersecurity and Digital identity technologies.
- The future of Microelectronics is intertwined with photonics from advanced lithography and inspection manufacturing tools to the interconnection of electronics chips with photonics
- Photonics is at the core of virtual/ augmented reality display, vital to Next generation Internet and Extended reality
- From photonics qubits, to quantum key distribution and single photon detectors/emitters photonics is central to advances in Quantum systems
- Photonic sensors deliver the 3D location data vital to the functioning of Robotics.
Across the economy photonics is critical to our future health, prosperity and security.
