BRUSSELS, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The 2nd China-Europe Silicon Photonics Course and Symposium is lowering its curtain on Saturday after bringing together scientists from both sides via video link over the last three days.
Participators have expressed the willingness to work closer in the field of silicon photonics.
"We hope to establish more and more relationships between European actors in the field of silicon photonics, either academic or industrial, and their equivalent organizations in China. And with that, we hope to create an open approach of knowledge exchange, results of research and training," said Roel Baets, chairman of European Silicon Photonics Alliance (ePIXfab) and professor with Ghent University, on the sidelines of a video conference with Chinese scientists.
Baets has a longstanding collaboration with China. In his research group in Gent, Belgium, there are quite a number of Chinese scientists, Ph.D. students, and Post doctors. For him, exchanges of knowledge and scientific cooperation are essential.
The professor believes that both Chinese and European companies will benefit from the collaboration.
"I believe that companies can develop collaborations, can develop win-win situations. A Chinese company can be customer to European company or vice versa. And together, they can develop something," said Baets.
The professor also talked about the strength of the cooperation in other fields like the current pandemic crisis. "Battling COVID-19 will be easier if all experts around the world work closely together. So the more the world work together, the easier it will be and the earlier it will be possible to bring those devices to the benefit of the global citizen. So I strongly believe that not only in the fight of the disease but much more generally to find solutions of which the citizen can benefit (from)," said Baets.
The 2nd China-Europe Silicon Photonics Course and Symposium was organized by ePIXfab and Chongqing United Microelectronics Center (CUMEC) from May 28 to 30 with remote access due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was highly recognized by academic and industrial experts in silicon photonics area from both China and Europe.
Belgian Ambassador to China Marc Vinck and Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Cao Zhongming have sent congratulations video to the opening of this event.
Ambassador Cao said "The China-Europe Silicon Photonics Symposium is not only the achievement of Sino-European scientific and technology cooperation, but also a grand event to further promote China-Europe technology and industrial exchanges. I hope that CUMEC will further strengthen practical cooperation with ePIXfab members, and with European partners including Belgium."
Silicon photonics is an evolving technology in which data is transferred among computer chips by optical rays. Optical rays can carry far more data in less time than electrical conductors.
ePIXfab is a non-profit open alliance of academic and industrial organizations with a mission to promote silicon photonics science, technology and applications, which has 36 European members.
The China-Europe Silicon Photonics Course and Symposium has successfully brought closer the Chinese and European scientists to catalyze the development of silicon photonics technologies. Zhejiang University will be the host for the 3rd China-Europe Silicon Photonics Course and Symposium in Hangzhou (China) in May 2021. Enditem
