Professor Chao Xiang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, is making waves in the world of silicon photonics. Recently honoured with the 2025 Croucher Tak Wah Mak Innovation Award, his research focusses on integrating lasers for advanced photonic integrated circuits, a breakthrough that promises to transform various technological fields.
The Croucher Innovation Awards provide vital support to early-career scientists in Hong Kong, allowing them to further advance their expertise and explore groundbreaking ideas. “This is an important recognition of my previous work in silicon photonics,” said Professor Xiang. With a substantial grant of HK$5 million, Professor Xiang aims to push the boundaries of what’s possible in photonics.
Silicon photonics harnesses light’s properties to create advanced communication devices. These photonic chips are already crucial in telecommunications and are gaining traction in emerging fields like AI cluster interconnects and quantum computing. Professor Xiang is dedicated to developing high-performance laser sources that can seamlessly integrate with these chips, overcoming traditional limitations that have hindered progress.
His novel approach, known as multiplayer heterogeneous integration, allows for superior laser performance without compromising the functionality of photonic devices. “We anticipate seeing these photonic chips much more popular and powerful than ever due to the integration with high-performance lasers. These lasers can be very cost-effective due to their mass manufacturability,” said Professor Xiang.
Professor Xiang was recognised as one of MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35 for China in 2022. His work not only drives scientific progress but also holds the potential to impact everyday technology, making it more efficient and accessible.
As Professor Xiang continues his journey, his contributions to silicon photonics position him as a key player in shaping the future of technology.
