| Optics and Photonics

Optics is a branch of physics that studies the fundamental behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter. Photonics is the applied science and engineering that focuses on manipulating photons for technological applications, much like electronics manipulates electrons. It covers the generation, transmission, modulation, and detection of light using devices like lasers, LEDs, and fiber optics. Together, these fields have enabled breakthroughs in high-speed telecommunications, medicine, and display technologies. Research areas include nanophotonics, integrated photonics, and quantum optics.