Photonics is the science and technology of generating and harnessing light, with applications in a wide range of fields such as communication and information, metrology, health care and life sciences, manufacturing and lighting. Photonics is in a sense all around us, but is still to a large degree invisible in everyday life as it normally plays the role of a technological enabler. At the Joint Research of Photonics (JORCEP) various researches of both fundamental and applied natures are carried out within this scientifically challenging and economically important field. The main research directions of the center presently include optical metamaterials, photonic crystals, nanophotonics, optical networking, and biophotonics.

     JORCEP acts as a center of excellence in photonics for both its parent universities, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and Zhejiang University (ZJU). As such it is not only engaged in research but also in education. The center collaborates in PhD education and also offers an international Master of Science program in photonics, mainly taught by KTH teachers

     JORCEP was founded in October 2003 and was then given the three specific tasks of establishing joint research, to cooperate in PhD education and to jointly run an international Master of Science program in Photonics. With the start of the Master of Science program in the fall of 2005 all these tasks had been accomplished. Besides these tasks the center is also actively involved in arranging international workshops and conferences within the field of photonics. As an example, JORCEP is organizing the Asia-Pacific Optical Communications Conference (APOC), the largest conference in the field in the Asia-Pacific region, in Hangzhou in 2008.

     After two years of intense work to establish the center, JORCEP has now entered a phase of consolidation where the focus is on organic growth and the long term merging of the different research groups comprising the center into a more cohesive research organization. At the same time the center is looking to make use the broad scientific knowledge it represents in combination with its extensive contact network in both Europe and China to assist hand cooperate with the photonics industries in both regions. During 2005 JORCEP also moved into new premises at Zhejiang University’s new ZiJinGang campus.

      JORCEP has funding by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, the National Science Foundation of China, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, the China Scholarship Council as well as the two parent universities. Presently 18 senior scientists as well as 11 PhD students are actively involved in the center’s activities.

East Building No.5, Zijingang Campus,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Fax: +86 571 882 065 13
Email: jorcep@zju.edu.cn