[Tech Report] The Age of Smart Light Sources: A New Wave of Innovation Unleashed by Digital Photonics

Innovation unleashed by digital photonics is presented as the theme. Since Thomas Edison’s first commercialization of the light bulb, electric lighting has become widespread, and electrically driven lighting has transformed everyday life. This is given significance as the first mass-market revolution in photonics.

The next stage in this trend is digital photonics, which ams OSRAM is pursuing. Digital photonics is a core part of ams OSRAM’s strategy. ams OSRAM applies its products and expertise to digital light sources.

Digital photonics consists of pixelated light sources, sensors, and digital interfaces. This configuration functions to transform systems into intelligent systems. The areas cited as transformation targets include mobility, communications, and sensing.

AI is cited as a growth driver for this technology. Connectivity for AI data centers is also presented as a growth driver. Smart mobility is another factor driving adoption.

Augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) and smart glasses are also included among the growth drivers. Digital health is likewise presented as a growth driver. Industrial automation is also mentioned as a driver of the spread of digital photonics.

We see a new photonics revolution beginning not only in lighting but also in communications, sensing, quantum computing, and AI. Digital photonics is presented as a technology that carries this current of change forward.

Technologies for controlling, processing, and interpreting optical signals are presented as the foundation of future applications. Areas in which this technology could potentially drive change include mobility, healthcare, digital connectivity, security, and industrial automation.

Technological innovation such as microLED is then described as enabling chip-scale array implementations of pixelated emitters and receivers. Accordingly, the range of potential applications is expanding to smart devices, robotics, and data communications.

Against this backdrop, a revolutionary shift is under way in which digitally controlled and readable light is being transformed into scalable real-world solutions. The basis for such solutionization is presented as system-level understanding across industries and application expertise.

ams OSRAM has named this new scientific approach to light “digital photonics.” It also said it takes pride in being a pioneer and leader in the field of digital photonics.

ams OSRAM defined digital photonics as a shift in the role of light from lighting-centric functions to intelligent, multifunctional technologies for connectivity, sensing, and interaction.

The technology is described as a combination of advanced pixelated emitters, optical sensors, and digital interfaces, enabling light to become the foundation of next-generation smart programmable systems.

The company also said this change is being driven by the megatrends of AI, AR/VR, and robotics, producing faster performance, higher efficiency, more intuitive usability, and expanded new possibilities.

Compared with existing electronic systems that rely on the flow of electrons, photonics systems have the potential for greater speed, better energy efficiency, stronger resistance to interference, and higher precision, and these advantages are explained as inherent benefits stemming from the physical properties of light.

At the same time, new types of micro emitters and sensors are being developed, while demand for AI infrastructure is surging, further highlighting the advantages of light-based technologies.

Yole Group forecast that the global photonics market will grow from USD 46 billion in 2025 to USD 81 billion in 2030, with a CAGR of 12%.

The EU has designated photonics as a “key enabling technology.”

The designation was justified on the grounds that it supports Europe’s strategic shifts in digitalization, energy, healthcare, and security.

It was also included as a reason that it supports Europe’s efforts to secure technological sovereignty and provides a hardware foundation for AI, quantum communications, and advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

ams OSRAM said it has confidence in a strategic shift toward digital photonics in this environment and expressed strong expectations for the move.

The basis for this shift lies in the complementary capabilities of the two companies that were integrated in 2020.

ams is an Austrian company and a well-known manufacturer in the intelligent sensor IC field, while OSRAM is a Germany-based company and a global leader in several LED market segments, including automotive LED.

ams OSRAM continues to treat the combination of the two companies’ digital semiconductor capabilities and optical emitter capabilities, along with the building of a single integrated company, as an ongoing task. In this process, its mission is aligned with becoming the world leader in digital photonics.

As a means of realizing this mission, the company pointed to a new strategic direction centered on optical technology that began at the end of 2025. Through this strategic direction, ams OSRAM is pushing ahead with world leadership in digital photonics.

“EVIYOS” is an innovative technology for implementing digital photonics. It also serves to turn light into a controllable, data-driven platform.

Through this, “EVIYOS” enables next-generation applications. It also has the product character of a high-pixel forward lighting platform for vehicles.

“EVIYOS” is significant as ams OSRAM’s first real-world application of microLED technology. When applied to automotive headlamps, it delivers 25,600 individually controllable light points.

Automakers can use it to improve night-time road illumination compared with conventional headlamps. They can also create smart headlamps that reduce glare risk for oncoming vehicles and pedestrians.

microLED-based digital photonics is a real-world example of automotive innovation aimed at improving road-user safety. The technology also has awards to its name. It is implemented by combining a small package of microLEDs and control electronics, and the related product is an ams OSRAM product.

Automotive headlamps are the first case in which ams OSRAM’s microLED array technology has been applied. However, automotive headlamps are only one of many applications where the technology can be used.

Consumer electronics are also presented as an area for the use of this miniaturized and digitized light. In the near future, augmented-reality life through next-generation smart glasses is also being raised as a possibility.

A high-resolution display built into the lens of smart glasses can show real-time translations of foreign-language speech. In unfamiliar cities, it can also display navigation arrows without the need for a map.

This display can be built with an ams OSRAM projection engine equipped with micro emitters.

In smart glasses, the fact that extremely small and lightweight controller chips and micro emitters can be integrated at nearly invisible levels demonstrates the potential for smart-glasses applications in the future envisioned by ams OSRAM’s digital photonics. This controller chip functions to supply the right amount of power to each of several thousand micro emitters at the right time.

AI data centers are added as another promising application area. Hyperscaler data centers play a central role in modern AI infrastructure, functioning to interconnect several thousand high-performance processors at ultrafast speeds.

Demand for bandwidth in this field is surging. As a result, conventional copper-based pluggable technologies have reached their limits, and their problems have also led to higher power consumption and higher costs.

Digital photonics technology is characterized by improved stability and easier integration. Digital photonics is presented as a powerful solution to this challenge.

In this context, ams OSRAM has demonstrated that the performance of several hundred low-power microLED arrays driven in parallel exceeds that of a single high-power laser transmitter. The demonstration also confirmed lower power consumption and higher data transmission rates.

The “wide & slow” optical data link technology stack is in an early stage of development. ams OSRAM is leading the effort to build this field together with partners. If successful, this technology could generate significant commercial value.

Success for this technology could also raise the efficiency of AI data centers to a new level. Although the technology is still in its early stages, ams OSRAM is taking the lead in building related areas with partners.

Digital photonics is a highly meaningful field for ams OSRAM. It is also closely tied to long-term trends that are changing the world.

One such long-term trend is digital-based personalized healthcare. Sensors from ams OSRAM in health and fitness devices combine optical measurement of blood flow with digital processing.

These sensors track heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs with very high precision. ams OSRAM’s technology is already highly advanced and makes medical-grade performance possible for the first time in the latest wearable devices.

The possibility of continuously monitoring a patient’s vital signs in everyday life was presented. This can provide more information than intermittent measurement in clinical settings and is opening the possibility of new diagnostic methods.

This level of performance can also be seen in smartphones. Advanced optical sensing is cited as one factor behind high-quality photos on smartphone cameras, and cameras can recognize lighting conditions and adjust operation for the best image quality.

Digital photonics lies at the foundation of this capability. It has been implemented in ams OSRAM’s multiple generations of ambient light sensors and color sensor products.

The latest evolution of this sensing capability is a new type of spectral sensor. Spectral sensors break down the visible spectrum in greater detail and enable more precise optical measurement than conventional sensors.

ams OSRAM’s spectral sensors help smartphone cameras identify the type of light source. Examples of what can be identified include sunlight and artificial light. This allows smartphone cameras to calculate the lighting environment and reproduce photo colors closer to the visual primary colors. The effect is comparable to the level of professional photographers using equipment worth hundreds of dollars.

These cases show that digital photonics is a highly foundational technology. At the same time, the potential applications of digital photonics have not yet been fully mapped out. New ideas and solutions continue to emerge in this field.

In the same context, the potential of smart sensors and emitters has only begun to be explored with customers. This was presented as an example suggesting that the application range of digital-photonics-based technologies is continuing to open up.

An example technology is ams OSRAM’s dToF (direct time-of-flight) distance sensor. Industrial customers are trying to use this sensor to enable environmental awareness for robots and drones. The purpose is safe movement in spaces filled with people.

The combination of optical and digital technologies provides precise, high-speed distance measurements for maintaining autonomous robotic movement paths. This is a technology for industrial customers.

This technology supports faster automation inside factories and warehouses. It also supports reducing the burden of repetitive mechanical tasks and reallocating human labor to more valuable work.

As a result, operator efficiency, safety, and reliability can improve. These effects can lead to broader operational improvements in environments where autonomous robots are used.

This innovative implementation of digital photonics is based on ams OSRAM’s unique capabilities and assets. ams OSRAM is a powerhouse in photonics and has a portfolio of advanced optical emitters, optical sensors, related drivers, and control ICs. This portfolio is among the broadest in the market.

ams OSRAM said it regards digital photonics as a key driver of future growth. It also explained that it is carrying out consistent organizational and strategic realignment accordingly.

With the direction of combining light, sensing, and data, ams OSRAM is expanding its business into new application areas beyond traditional lighting and sensing. It also enables differentiated value-added solutions through integration across the entire system architecture.

The development and manufacturing base for these solutions lies in ams OSRAM’s proprietary technologies. The scope of proprietary technologies includes epitaxy, advanced packaging, phosphors, filters, through-silicon vias (TSV), microLEDs, and CMOS manufacturing of analog and mixed-signal ICs.

ams OSRAM is a Europe-based company with global manufacturing and service capabilities. As a result, ams OSRAM can ease customer concerns about current volatility in the semiconductor supply chain.

At the same time, ams OSRAM said it is confident that it is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the rising demand for digital photonics. In terms of its technology portfolio, now is also the optimal time.

Megatrends such as autonomous driving, AI, AR/VR, smart health, robotics, and data centers are demanding new ways to improve data sensing, transmission, and energy efficiency. ams OSRAM is carrying out its business in this flow of change.

The optical expertise and passion of the ams OSRAM team are the driving forces behind digital photonics, which makes the previously mentioned targets achievable and creates attractive growth opportunities. This is an encouraging outlook, and it also aligns with ams OSRAM’s slogan, “Sense the power of light.”

Source: TECHWORLD · Aldo Kamper, CEO, ams OSRAM
Original: https://www.epnc.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=407703

References

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