Hong Kong Science Park: A Photonics Hub

This particular commentary dwells on Hong Kong, my home for so many years in the late 1990s up to the early and later, mid to late 2000s. When I first arrived in Hong Kong back in 1996, I'd been warned -- wonders never cease! Indeed, wonders have never stopped since!

During my various sojourns to the New Territories, an area quite far off on the Kowloon side of the island, I also happened to visit the well known Hong Kong Science Park in Sha Tin. Of course, these visits were more from an academic interest. However, what surprised me was the fact that this particular Science Park is an abode or a hub for a whole lot of firms doing some great work in photonics.

The Park has been built along the waterfront. It has around 20 state-of-the-art laboratory-fitted buildings offering 220,000 square meter office space, housing over 200 technology companies since 2001. These companies are engaged in work across a variety of industry segments -- ICs and electronics, precision engineering, biotechnology, green technology and ICT industries. You can find both start-ups and multinational firms, as well as some SMEs.

As mentioned, there are quite a few companies doing splendid work in photonics. For now, only two will do, chosen randomly! One, Advanced Photoelectronic Technology Ltd. — which designs and develops LED components (including circuit design) and packaging for HB-LEDs and power LED products. Another tenant of the Science Park happens to be Diffractive Optics Ltd. — which specializes in precision lens design and manufacturing.

I am hoping to speak with these companies and introduce them to you, if all goes well!

Finally, for those desirous of visiting the Hong Kong Science Park in Sha Tin, please take the KCR (Kowloon Canton Railway) East Rail from either of Tsim Sha Tsui or Hung Hom or even Kowloon Tong KCR stations, and get off at the Sha Tin KCR station. Walk outside the station, to the point where you can see the green colored light mini buses. One such mini bus goes directly to the Hong Kong Science Park (pardon me, I forgot the exact bus number, but I think it is No. 27)!

Enjoy the ride!

Pradeep

Aug. 19, 2009