In APE’s Photonics Spotlight series, Dr. Luo Xianshu shares his insights on how silicon photonics and co-packaged optics (CPO) are addressing AI interconnect bottlenecks, the ecosystem challenges for photonics heterogeneous integration (PHI), and the roadmap for emerging applications such as LiDAR, biosensing, and quantum computing. He also discusses NSTIC (Advanced Photonics) role in accelerating innovation and his outlook for Asia Photonics Expo 2026 as a catalyst for industry research collaboration.

In the following interview, Dr. Wang discusses recent revolutions in design and materials, critical fabrication hurdles, and the integration of metasurfaces with semiconductor platforms. She also highlights the strategic role of initiatives like Singapore’s National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre (NSTIC) in accelerating the journey from research to commercialization, and shares her outlook on emerging applications and the unique value of platforms such as the Asia Photonics Expo in bridging research and industry.

In this latest edition of our Photonics Spotlight Series, we speak with Dr. Ramon Paniagua Dominguez, Principal Investigator at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), where he leads cutting-edge research in metasurfaces and flat optics. Previously based in Singapore at A*STAR for over a decade, Dr. Paniagua Dominguez has been at the forefront of developing programmable flat optics—work that continues to shape the future of nanophotonics and its applications. Here, he shares his insights on technological trends, manufacturing challenges, and the collaborative future of global photonics innovation.