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The Photonics Frontiers Award 2026 logo

The Photonics Frontiers Award 2026

The Photonics Frontiers Award 2026 is now open for nominations! 

Open to integrators, OEMs, academics, and end users, this annual competition run by Electro Optics recognises projects that harness photonics to tackle real-world challenges.

A button for the Photonics Frontiers Award 2026. The text reads 'Enter Now. From the upublishers of Electro Optics'

A look back at the Photonics Frontiers Award 2025

 

Imaging Technologies

Images captured by (L-R) visible camera, SEDAR 2D and SEDAR 3D illustrate the detection capabilities of the system in different lighting and driving conditions. The SEDAR system detects a wooden pallet (top) and a person crossing behind an oncoming car (bottom) at 150m
Advanced lost cargo detection for safer autonomous driving
Left: An image of a brake disk under polarised light. Right: a hand ponting at a software screen
Brake disc production quality assessment and photonics field application
A shortwave infrared image of lettuce, a brake pad and a railroad rail
SWIR 3D laser line profile sensors for outdoor applications

Biophotonics and healthcare applications

EyeTBI Graphic
Retinal spectroscopy to diagnose brain injury
Carotid artery plaque analysis
Laser ultrasound for carotid imaging and diagnosis
Fluorescent image of epithelial cell using Villuminator
Uniform illumination for enhanced microscopy imaging

Environmental monitoring and sustainability

Harvested apples
Detecting ideal harvest times with multispectral sensing to cut food waste
Hamamatsu gas sensing
Greener industry with advanced gas detection
Hamamatsu 3D Printing
Photonics-Enhanced 3D printing: advancing precision in industrial manufacturing

Laser technologies and applications

Successful test of laser ignition on the rocket test bench
Compact high-energy laser for space rocket engine ignition
EBSD scan of a weld performed with an unshaped beam
Beam shaping for enhanced EV battery welding
TRAQC CEO Mariia Zhuldybina
Terahertz laser quality control for sustainable electronics manufacturing

Optical communications and networking

Cailabs’ optical ground station (OGS) establishes and maintains continuous optical connection with a nanosatellite carrying a laser terminal
Robust optical ground stations for LEO laser communications
A connector assembly displays SABIC’s EXTEM resin used in a micro-lens array at OFC 2025
Solder-reflow resistant micro-lens array for optical coupling
Quantum network encryption
Photonic layer security post-quantum transmission system

Photonic and optical sensors

A satellite map showing the performance of ANELLO GNSS INS vs competitor on Market Street, San Francisco
Silicon photonics optical gyroscope for GPS-denied environments
A man and a woman sit in front of an augmented reality screen
Making high-res 3D holography in a compact, scalable form
A digital spectrometer on a chip
Nano-spectrometer-on-a-chip for wearable, mobile and IoT applications

Spectroscopy and analytical techniques

Viacheslav Artyushenko, founder and senior adviser of fibre optics supplier Art Photonics, is a Photonics100 honoree
Diamond-enhanced ATR fibre probes for robust industrial spectroscopy
A poster explaining Nanodome fabrication, characterisation and principal component analysis of white light transmission data set
White light spectroscopy for rapid quality control in nano imprinted sensors
Hamamatsu Frontiers Quantum
The silent architect of quantum technology - how photonics shapes the applications of tomorrow

The Photonics Frontiers Award webcasts: meet the 2025 entrants

 

Frontiers - Panel 1
Webcast: Join Photonics Frontiers Award entrants in biophotonics, healthcare and laser technologies
Frontiers - Panel 2
Webcast: Join Photonics Frontiers Award entrants in imaging and optical communications
Frontiers - Panel 3
Webcast: Join Photonics Frontiers Award entrants in sensors, spectroscopy, and environmental monitoring

More Photonics Frontiers Award stories

Alexander Weigl TRUMPF Photonic Components and Patrick Leisching CTO at iThera Medical
EPIC interview: How TRUMPF and iThera Medical are revolutionising optoacoustic medical imaging
An eye being scanned
OCT Imaging: Enhancing eye care with advanced technologies
John Lincoln, Chief Executive, Photonics Leadership Group, and Antonio Castelo, Technology Expert for Bio-Medical and Lasers at EPIC
Antonio Castelo and John Lincoln join judging panel of Photonics Frontiers Award 2025
 

Thanks to the Photonics Frontiers Award 2025 sponsors

 
Principal sponsor & Imaging Technologies category sponsor
Principal sponsor & Biophotonics and healthcare applications category sponsor
Principal sponsor
 
Supporting partner
Supporting partner
Media partner
 

Media Partners