More than 15,000 are expected to attend Photonics West in San Jose from Jan. 20-25, where the latest research and technology breakthroughs in photonics, optics, biophotonics, lasers and micro- and nanosystems will be discussed and the newest products unveiled.

According to event organizer SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering, the largest photonics industry annual event will feature 2900 presentations and 75 courses, as well as more than 1000 exhibitors showcasing their latest products.

Technical programs, workshops, courses and networking events are organized around four symposia combined with two Photonics West exhibitions: BiOS 2007, the biomedical optics symposium; LASE 2007, the symposium on lasers and applications in science and engineering; MOEMS-MEMS 2007, the symposium on micro/nanosystems; and OPTO 2007, the symposium on integrated optoelectronic devices.

The Biomedical Optics Exhibition, with 140 companies participating, is being held the weekend of Jan. 20-21, while the larger Photonics West Exhibition is set for Jan. 23-25.

"More companies, more researchers and more engineers are coming to Photonics West this year than ever before," said Janice Walker, director of events at SPIE. She added that the sold-out exhibit and a large increase in advance hotel bookings indicate tremendous industry momentum. "In particular, the biomedical, optoelectronic and laser conferences are surging, with a record-setting number of presentations, exhibitors and attendees," she said.

In addition to the nearly 3000 technical presentations, which anyone registered for the technical conference can attend, there are more than 50 free technology briefings offered to the public by suppliers, including Sony, Fraunhofer IPMS, Varian, Eastman Kodak, Newport, Ocean Optics, Zemax, ITT, RSoft Design Group, Hamamatsu, Lambda Research, Coherent, Goodrich, 4D Technology, Synopsys and Axsys Technologies, among others. These briefings, offered as part of the exhibition, highlight new products and discoveries held for release at the tradeshow.

In addition, Photonics West attracts the leading technologists from IBM, Intel, Cisco, Samsung, Toyota, DuPont, Siemens, QinetiQ, Leica Microsystems, Aculight, Newport, Coherent, IPG Photonics and hundreds of other companies. Photonics West is where many of these companies announce their research and development achievements, which define the technology roadmap for years ahead.

To enrich the exhibition experience, SPIE said it is continuing the successful Industry Perspectives sessions. Industry Perspectives start on Tuesday Jan. 23 with a high-level Executive Panel, moderated by Steve Eglash, Worldview Technology Partners, and featuring top executives from Newport, Bookham, Coherent, Edmund Optics, Hamamatsu and Melles Griot sharing their insight and perspectives. On Jan. 25, David Krohn of Lightwave Ventures will discuss the tremendous growth opportunities in the Biomedical Optics market. There is no fee to attend these sessions.

"People involved in photonics, optics, lasers and applications like biomedical, sensors and displays tell us that there is no better place than Photonics West," said Walker. "They come to share vital discoveries, boost their knowledge, build connections and get a better sense of what's ahead in terms of technology and business opportunity. For the several-thousand presenters, the benefit includes that their editor-reviewed papers are published in the event proceedings and on SPIE's extensive Digital Library. Thus their work not only becomes visible to the broader world through online indices and search engines, but the publication of their work can strengthen intellectual property and patent claims. SPIE is the leading organization for patent information in photonics and related fields."

With over 1000 exhibitors from around the world, Photonics West fills both the Main and South Halls at the San Jose Convention Center, making it the largest tradeshow ever held in San Jose. Exhibitors will showcase products spanning optical design and development, components and systems incorporating lenses, lasers, coatings, sensors and detectors, fiber optics, LEDs, biomedical optics, optoelectronics, nanoscale positioning systems and a wide range of imaging technologies. The two sizable exhibition halls at Photonics West comprise the largest face-to-face marketplace in North America for photonics and optics, according to SPIE.

"Photonics West is recognized as the most important photonics industry event, where scientists, engineers, and business leaders gather to share ideas, talk about technology trends and see the latest commercial products, including the solutions offered by Newport," said Kim Abair, senior manager, Marketing Services, Newport Corp.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. Exhibition hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 23 and 24, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 25. The SPIEWorks Career Fair is open during exhibition hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 23 and 24 with recruiters from firms including General Atomics, Lockheed, Northrop, Omnivision and Tyco Electronics.

For more information, visit: http://spie.org/events/pw