Looking ahead to PIC International 2018
Attendees have even more to look forward to at PIC International 2018 in Brussels (April 10-11) including on-stage industry panels, new additions to the awards programme and a fresh perspective on global opportunities for optical chips. James Tyrrell updates on the agenda for next year's must-attend event.
Since making its debut on the conference calendar in 2016, PIC International has grown from strength to strength, attracting innovators such as Facebook, Cisco, Intel, IBM, Microsoft, and many others, for a two-day focus on upcoming opportunities for integrated photonics. Talking points include telecoms and data centre upgrades, new and emerging market segments in biotechnology, environmental sensing and automotive, as well as other exciting prospects for optical chips. The discussion covers all aspects of PIC production including materials platforms, design tools, fabrication equipment and options for test & measurement, as well as market analysis and customer perspectives.
Updated each year to capture the latest industry trends, the conference programme welcomes new speakers and "“ new for 2018 "“ includes on-stage industry panels examining high-volume opportunities for PICs, and discussing progress in silicon photonics.
Five key themes
Moving the data: PICs for cloud computing and telecoms - Data centres and networks need smart solutions to manage the sharp growth in traffic. What can integrated photonics bring to the table and how can developers make sure their products appeal to key customers?
Refining the PIC: achieving the next milestone in performance - What are the leading approaches for integrating key building blocks at the chip-level and how can we bring together electronics and photonics more efficiently?
Delivering the goods: advances in PIC manufacturing - What are the latest tools and techniques that can be deployed in the fab? And what are the options when it comes to evaluating the output?
PIC Design, simulation and packaging: a blueprint for future success - How can we implement ideas faster and what needs to be considered to keep the final device cost on track?
PIC horizons: new and emerging applications for integrated photonics - How can developers capitalize on opportunities for optical platforms in growth areas such as medical diagnostics, industrial sensing and biological analysis?
Recognizing leading lights in the industry
The PIC awards were a big hit at the 2017 show (see "“ "˜PIC Awards in pictures', issue #5) and with two new awards for 2018 there are even more opportunities to join in the celebration. You'll find full details at www.picawards.net/categories and nominations are open until 17 November 2017.
Book your tickets now
All of the speaker details can be found on the conference website, including instructions on how to book delegate tickets and find out more about exhibit opportunities. Both 2016 and 2017 shows were extremely popular with attendees and so we advise registering your interest early.
