Is Optics and Photonics the Future of the Microelectronics Industry?

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I have to choose specialisation for my masters degree in applied physics next year. I want to work in the microelectronics industry so the specialisation called "Microelectroncs and Nanoelectronics" seems like a natural choice to study. However I want to know whether another specialisation called "Optics and Photonics" would be more appropriate for working in the microelectronics industry in the long run due to all this talk about the future of the electronics industry relying more heavily on photonic circuits. My question is whether the photonics and optoelectronics industry is mature enough to move from the experimental stage to a large scale commercial stage in the near future to replace microelectronic circuits. If so it would be more beneficial to me to jump straight into the business and do the photonics specialisation instead in order to get an competitive edge?

 

[f95toli]

If you by "photonic circuits" mean things like on-chip interconnects etc the answer is that it will take a very long time before that is used commercially.
I might be wrong but AFAIK it hasn't even been demonstrated in the lab yet; I know Intel&co are working on it but so far they haven't even succeeded into making an Si-based on-chip laser that can operate without external pump.

So the answer to your question is that if you want to work in the microelectronics industry you should study microelectronics.

 

[Monocles]

There are several alternative computing methods on the horizon. It's too early to predict which one will be replacing silicon. I think the smartest thing to do would be to go for microelectronics and nanoelectronics, and once you're working in the industry if your company starts working with New Computing Method X you'll probably receive the relevant training.