The foundations of this new technology were laid more than 150 years ago.

From LCD televisions to the latest force-sensitive touchscreen technology, electronics and photonics are pushing the envelope ever outward.

Photonics may hold the answer to coping with huge volume. But a big challenge remains: converting electronic data into light on silicon chips.

Move over, electrons. Ton Backx and his team are putting photons front and center as they lay the groundwork for the coming era of photonics.