When the computing power of photonic chips breaks through the limits of silicon-based technology, when the precision of femtosecond lasers rewrites the manufacturing paradigm, and when the capacity of optical fiber refreshes the transmission record of 1Pbps per second – mankind is standing at the critical point where photonic technology reshapes the global industrial landscape.
“As the largest single-unit optical fiber R&D and manufacturing base worldwide, the length of optical fiber we produce every day can circle the earth more than four times. From a preform weighing more than 200 kilograms to an optical fiber with a diameter of 125 microns, it requires hundreds of processes, but only a small number of skilled workers are needed to complete it,” a staff from Jiangsu Hengtong Group, a global optical fiber communications giant, said at the 16th Photonics China Expo.
Fiber optics are widely used in cutting-edge fields such as 5G networks, data centers, and submarine optical cables. In 2024, the World Economic Forum announced the latest list of Lighthouse Factories. Hengtong Preform Intelligent Manufacturing Factory was named the first Lighthouse Factory in the global optical communications industry. Here, preforms are drawn into optical fibers at a speed of 180 kilometers per hour. The factory’s AI centralized control system is equipped with a powerful computing engine to ensure that its independently developed ultra-large preforms could be drawn continuously for 6 days with a total length of tens of thousands of kilometer
Guide Infrared, a listed company from Wuhan Optics Valley, a famous high-tech industrial development zone in China, showcased the most advanced infrared industry chain. “As one of the domestic pioneers of infrared thermal imaging, we specialize in the design, manufacture, sales, and marketing of infrared thermal imaging detectors and modules, and advanced integrated electro-optical systems,” a manager introduced.
World-leading Hengtong optical fiber products
“Our products find applications in various industries such as thermography, security & surveillance, intelligent industry, outdoor night vision observation, machine vision, smart driving, UAVs, and consumer infrared products.”
Currently, Guide Infrared is accelerating the application of intelligent perception and artificial intelligence technologies with infrared thermal imaging as the core, to build an integrated air-space-ground perception system, which has been widely used in smart cities, public security, transportation, emergency response, electricity, water conservancy, natural resources and other industries.
The global optoelectronic device market is expected to reach $180 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 8%-10%, among which the Chinese market size reached $72 billion, accounting for 40% of the market, becoming the core driving force of global growth.
Meanwhile, an industry report released at this expo pointed out that China’s photonic materials industry is also facing multiple structural challenges, such as low efficiency of upstream and downstream coordination of the industrial chain, which is 15%-20% lower than the international leading level. Besides, key materials including high-end nonlinear optical crystals and photoresists are still highly dependent on imports. Faced with the situation where opportunities and challenges coexist, the dual drive of technology upgrading and demand explosion determines that the acceleration of localization and high-end breakthroughs in the industry will become the main theme in the future.
