Green photonics: the role of photonics in sustainable product design

Abstract

Photonic technologies will play an increasingly significant role in reducing our environmental impact. In addition to the direct eco-benefits derived from the products themselves, green photonics will also impact the product design and manufacturing processes employed. Examples are discussed covering laser manufacturing, solid-state lighting, solar cells and optical communications. The importance of considering the full lifetime environmental impact of products is discussed, including raw materials, manufacture, use, and end of life issues. Industrial and legislative strategies are reviewed, and a number of specific measures are presented for accelerating the development of green photonics technologies and promoting their adoption into society.