From July 21 to 23, the 1st Sustainable Photonics Conference (SPC 2025), which was organized by the International Research Center for Sustainable Photonics of Hangzhou International Innovation Institute (H3I) of Beihang University, took place at the Hangzhou International Campus of Beihang University. Leading photonics experts and scholars from 13 countries, together with more than ten high-quality enterprises, attended the meeting to explore cutting-edge advances and innovative applications of photonics technology, which are oriented to sustainable development.
On the morning of July 22, the conference officially opened, with Professor Wang Hao, Chair of the Program Committee, and Associate Professor Xiong Daiqi as co-chairs. In his speech, Professor Perry Shum, President of the IEEE Photonics Society, pointed out that photonics technology has expanded from traditional optical communications and imaging to emerging fields such as green energy, biomedicine, and environmental monitoring. Its ecological benefits in high-energy efficient optical networks, biocompatible optoelectronic materials, and intelligent sensing are becoming increasingly prominent. He called on the global academic and industrial communities to recognize the transformative power of photonics technology, advance technological breakthroughs, and accelerate the low-carbon transition worldwide.
At the opening ceremony, the Sustainable Photonics Research Center was officially unveiled in the presence of Professor David Payne, Fellow of the Royal Society, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton, and Professor Adrian Podoleanu, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Founding Member and First Chair of the Romania Branch of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE), Deputy Secretary-General of the International Council for Optics (ICO), and Head of the Applied Optics Group at the University of Kent.
David Payne was invited to give a keynote speech titled “Nothing beats Silica: The Hollow-core Fibre and 5D Storage Revolutions”. He systematically outlined the disruptive breakthroughs and broad application prospects of hollow core fiber technology, with a focus on the design of double-nested antiresonant nodeless fiber (DNANF) that has surpassed the performance limits of traditional quartz fiber. He pointed out that by dramatically reducing signal-transmission loss, hollow-core fiber can slash the energy demand of global communication networks and open an entirely new paradigm for optical communication.
As the internationally recognized “father of EDFA”, David Payne has significantly influenced the development of modern optoelectronics technology through his pioneering research in fiber-optic communications and laser technology since the 1970s. His two milestone achievements – the erbium-doped fiber amplifier and the kilowatt-class fiber laser – have not only reshaped the global optical communications industry, but also driven innovation in advanced manufacturing and defense technology. Professor Yu Xia, the conference chair, presented David Payne with a certificate, appointing him as the center’s consultant professor.
Adrian Podoleanu gave a keynote speech titled “From Unconventional Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to Ultra Fast Tunable Sources for OCT”. He introduced the (No FFT) Leader-Follower OCT technology developed by his team. Combining ultra-high speed tunable laser sources, the technology significantly reduces energy consumption and hardware costs in system processing. By eliminating massive data reconstruction, optimizing the optical architecture and improving detection efficiency, the technological system offers sustainable photonic solutions for low-carbon medical diagnostics and non-destructive industrial inspection.
This conference brought together 65 leading experts to discuss eight cutting-edge topics: laser technology, optical communication and networks, special optical fibers and applications, nanophotonics, biophotonics, optical sensing and measurement, integrated photonics, and optoelectronic devices and applications.
To foster the convergence of scientific and industrial innovation and accelerate the translation of technologies into industrial applications, the conference featured a dedicated exhibition zone, where more than ten leading companies showcased their latest technology products. The rich and diverse interaction attracted large numbers of participants.
On July 23, SPC 2025 came to a successful conclusion. Sustainable photonics is more than light. Taking this conference as a starting point, H3I will further explore the frontiers of photonics technology and jointly draw a new blueprint for sustainable photonics.
Approved by Dong Zhuoning, Zhang Wei, Xu Ran
Edited by Yuan Xiaohui
