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Sweden
Photonics in Sweden
Sweden’ s photonics ecosystem is anchored by leading academic research, innovative industrial actors, and national coordination through PhotonicSweden. With more than 200 companies and 8,000 employees, Sweden continues to advance cutting-edge photonics technologies across sectors. Close collaboration between universities, research institutes, and industry fosters innovation, talent development, and international engagement— positioning Sweden as one of the key players in the European photonics landscape.
Development of Optical Science and Photonics Infrastructure in Sweden
The evolution of optics and photonics in Sweden during the second half of the 20th century was driven by institutional and academic initiatives. A key period began in 1966 with the expansion of optics research at the Royal Institute of Technology( KTH), supported by international collaboration.
At the European level, the formation of the European Optical Society( EOS) in 1991 marked a significant milestone, with active participation from Swedish researchers. That same year, the Swedish Optical Society( SOS) was founded as a non-profit organization uniting academia, industry, and government to advance optics and photonics. Symbolically launched on St. Lucy’ s Day, the society has been dedicated to knowledge dissemination, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ecosystem development.
One of SOS’ s key contributions was establishing a recurring national optics conference. Initially biennial, it attracted participants from both academia and industry and has since evolved into an annual tradition organized by PhotonicSweden.
These efforts laid the foundation for Sweden’ s robust and coherent national infrastructure for optical science, research, and innovation.
Photonics Research and Education in Sweden
Sweden has built a strong ecosystem for photonics research and education, where universities and research institutes work closely with industry to drive technological breakthroughs. These institutions not only provide cutting-edge education to train future photonics specialists but also generate high-impact research that feeds into global innovation networks.
Nobel Light Week in Stockholm. Photo by Lennart BM Svensson
https:// doi. org / 10.1051 / photon / 202513442
Petra Bindig ¹*, Lennart B. M. Svensson ¹, Fredrik Laurell ²
¹ PhotonicSweden, Stockholm, Sweden ² Royal Institute of Technology( KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
* petra @ photonicsweden. org
Key Universities and Research Institutes
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology( Stockholm) KTH plays a pivotal role in Swedish photonics through research and education programs spanning biophotonics, quantum photonics, laser physics, nanophotonics, and integrated photonics. The Division of Micro and Nanosystems and the Department of Applied Physics host several pioneering groups working on photonic chips, optoelectronics, and light – matter interaction. KTH is also active in quantum technology initiatives, contributing to Sweden’ s position in the European Quantum Flagship program.
• Lund University Lund has long been recognized as a hub for optics and laser physics. Its Lund Laser Centre( LLC) is one of the largest laser research facilities in Europe, attracting both academic and industrial collaborations. Research covers ultrafast
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