The Photonics Revolution

Prepared by Peter Lichang Kuo

I. Overview

The Scripture says: "God is light." (1 John 1:5) With God in your heart, even in darkness, there is no fear. "Photonics"—derived from "photon"—is a term that some may have encountered while reading "Kuo’s Journey: 60 Years of Industrial Transformation." Someone asked, "What is a photon?" The answer traces back to 1986, when we launched the "Rich Taiwan Plan." At the time, Taiwan was facing a bottleneck in its industrial transformation during the early 1980s. Orders for portable transistor recorders, the lifeblood of the electronics industry, plummeted sharply. Walkman player orders were suddenly canceled overnight. American and Japanese companies either closed plant or relocated from Taiwan, leaving many unemployed. Some people, after months of job searching, lamented, "If I can’t find a job soon, I’ll have to become a taxi driver!" However, even taxi drivers were getting robbed.

My wife, Linda Din, said: "I want to invent a system that not only addresses unemployment but also prevents taxi drivers from being robbed—a cashless system." With the concept of Social Responsibility Investment (SRI) in mind, we began developing "contactless semiconductors." This required significant financial and time investment as we explored the science—starting with Faraday and ending with Einstein. Initially, I believed that there would be sufficient academic references in Princeton on "light" to quickly upgrade electronic devices and achieve the goal of "Contactless Information Exchange." However, this effort eventually evolved into a world-changing battle, which we now refer to as the "Photon Revolution."

Today, it is incredibly convenient for everyone to use their mobile phones to go online, scan QR codes, play games, or work—thanks to this "Photon Revolution."

Fig 1: Albert Einstein (1879~1955)

II. With Tiny Electronic Components to Change Life

My late father, A-Kun, used to mock me, saying, "You're a useless joker, only capable of making those low-grade electronic components!" Ironically, the intricate electronic parts I crafted—so delicate they could barely be held by hand—allowed him to enjoy a lifestyle of luxury during the days when the monthly salary of a child laborer was NT$30. He spent his days at leisure, indulging in NT$200 Fuji apples daily, living in the largest house among our relatives, and being greeted with respect by everyone: "Good day, Sir!" or "Hi, Chairman!" He was only in his early 40s at the time.

Meanwhile, I had to develop at least ten new products every day, surviving on just three hours of sleep each night, while still delivering the best possible service to every client. Satisfying customers required more than just quality products—it also demanded a foundation of "academic and theoretical" knowledge. In 1967, I earned the nickname "Dr. Blacksmith" from my American client. A document I co-authored with Professor Yao Jingbo of the National Cheng Kung University Electrical Engineering Department and Professor Ma Chengjiu of the Mechanical Engineering Department—the "Approval Sheet"— became one of "the most important references" in the global electronics industry. For me, taking the courses from junior high night school to graduate school was as easy as eating a piece of cake.

In addition to personally crafting the first set of molds for every new product, I would thoroughly read every book bought from Taipei's Chiyuan Bookstore—even technical manuals as thick as 5 centimeters. Thanks to a God-given ability to quickly absorb entire pages of text in my youth, books became my secret weapon, ensuring competitors could never steal my clients. Immersed daily in “work and reading,” I grew alongside my customers and witnessed Taiwan's transformation from an agrarian society to an industrial and information economy.

Professor Ma Chengjiu provided invaluable resources in "Mechanical Engineering," while Professor Yao Jingbo offered significant guidance in "Electronics." Combined with my hands-on skills, this foundation led to immense achievements. As Chairman Lane remarked during a dinner at the Twin-tower in New York, "Our American peers had to switch industries because of you!" I could usually deliver the new products he requested within two days, and the longest development cycle for any sample was just a week. However, my dream of creating a "non-contact" (contactless) instrumental solution to enrich Taiwan cost me 11 years of effort and billions of NT dollars in uncompensated investment.

III. From Electron to Photon

The detailed narrative can be found in the book "Open the Way for Next Generation." Here, I would like to provide a supplementary explanation about the transition from electron to photon.

As we all know, atoms consist of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Under certain circumstances, the spatial distribution (diameter) of an electron in an atom can be described as approximately 10⁻²² meter. However, this does not mean that an electron has a definite "volume"; theoretically, the electron's volume does not exist—it is only its spatial distribution that can be described. The diameters of proton and neutron, by comparison, are about 10⁻¹⁵ meter, roughly the scale of the atomic nucleus.

Despite its small size, the electron does have "mass." To achieve non-contact information transfer, after referencing studies such as Einstein's "Light Quantum Hypothesis," I concluded that the electronics must advance to become a photonics. This process is tied to fundamental principles in physics and technological development. Let me elaborate on why photon, rather than proton or neutron, be chosen as the key element for advancement:

1. The Fundamental Properties of Electron and Its Relationship with Photon

The electron is one of the most fundamental “negatively charged particles” in the material world and exhibits high mobility. Electron typically move through conductors, semiconductors, and other materials, forming an electric current. The movement and interaction of electrons underpin the basic operational principles of many electronic devices, such as current conduction and signal processing.

The photon, on the other hand, is the fundamental particle of "light." It is uncharged (massless and resistance-free) and travels through a vacuum at the speed of light (3 x 10⁸ m/s). Photons and electrons are closely related because the generation and absorption of photons are often tied to changes in the energy states of electrons. For example, when an electron transitions between energy levels, it emits or absorbs photons. This intrinsic connection between photons and electrons has driven the transition from electronic technologies to photon-based technologies.

2. Proton and Neutron Are Not Suitable for Advanced Electronics Technology

Proton and neutron are the constituent particles of the "atomic nucleus." While they are crucial to atomic structure and nuclear reactions, they lack the application advantages of photon in the fields of electronics and information technology for the following reasons:

1) Mass of Proton and Neutron: Proton and neutron are "relatively heavy" and have stable mass, which makes their movement much slower than that of photon. This is far from ideal for the contactless communication and information processing required by future electronics technology.

2) Stability of Proton and Neutron: In existing technologies, proton and neutron are difficult to use for effective computation or data transmission because they do not interact with other matter or fields as simply as electron or photon do.

3) Uncontrollability and Technical Challenges: Compared to photon, the operation and control of proton and neutron are more challenging. Proton and neutron usually participate in "nuclear reactions" and require extremely high energy to produce, accelerate, or manipulate. This makes them unsuitable for large-scale information processing and transmission in current technologies.

3. The Advantages of Photon in Communication and Computation

As electronics technology evolves, increasing demands for high-speed data transmission and greater computational power have emerged. Photon-based technologies offer numerous advantages:

1) High-Speed Transmission: Photon travels at near-light speed when propagating through optical fibers, making them ideal for long-distance, ultra-high-speed communications, such as optical fiber communication.

2) Contactless Information Conversion: The principle of photon in optical sensing improve sensitivity in object recognition and data accuracy, enabling contactless information conversion. Known optical fiber communication technologies are also applied in data transmission.

3) Low Energy Loss: Compared to electronic signals transmitted through metal wires, which encounter resistance and energy loss, light signals transmitted through optical fibers experience minimal loss, giving optical fibers a clear advantage in long-distance communication.

4) High Bandwidth and Parallelism: Photon technology can handle vast amounts of data, with multiple signals transmitted in parallel across different frequency bands. This makes photons uniquely suited for managing large-scale data tasks, such as big data and cloud computing.

4. The "Optoelectronic" Revolution of Photon

Since Einstein proposed "the Quantum Theory of Light" in 1905, countless scientists have devoted themselves to related research. Optoelectronics has gradually become a critical technological field, combining photon and electronic technologies to pioneer new directions. Technologies like laser and optical fiber communication leverage the properties of photons—such as "massless"—to innovate in information processing, data transmission, and high-speed communication. These advancements have driven a technological transformation from electronics to photonics.

During an early visit to New Jersey, I specifically sought to trace Einstein's footsteps in Princeton. Building on the advantageous properties of photons in information technology, the transition from electronic to "contactless" induction technology is a natural progression. Therefore, I chose photon as my focus. In contrast, the potential role of proton and neutron in these areas remains limited because their physical properties do not align with the demands of modern technology.

Fig 2: Einstein's Footprints in Princeton

IV. The Limitation of Light

The photon is a massless fundamental particle, considered a point-like particle without a definite "diameter" or "volume" that can be directly measured. This is because a photon is not a particle with an internal structure like electron, proton, or neutron. Instead, it exists in space as a "wave." Therefore, photons do not have fixed, measurable physical dimensions. However, according to "Quantum Field Theory," the wave behavior of photons can be described by their wavelength. Depending on the electromagnetic spectrum, the wavelength (or frequency) of photons may range from a few picometers (10⁻¹² m) to hundreds of nanometers (10⁻⁹ m). For example:

1) Visible light: Wavelengths are approximately 400–700 nanometers.

2) X-rays: Wavelengths range from about 0.1 nm to 10 nm.

These wavelengths reflect the "wave range" of photons but do not indicate that photons themselves have a specific diameter or volume. Photons belong to a category of particles known as bosons, which follow "Bose-Einstein Statistics." As massless particles carrying energy and momentum, photons mediate electromagnetic interactions. Their properties allow them to "cooperate" and produce various macroscopic quantum effects. In daily life, photons manifest as what we recognize as “light,” including visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared light, and more. The fundamental properties of photons are as follows:

1) Mass: Photons have no rest mass, meaning they do not have mass when stationary. This enables them to move at the speed of light.

2) Energy and Frequency: The energy of a photon is related to its frequency (or wavelength), as described by Planck’s formula:

E = hν

where E is the energy of the photon, h is Planck’s constant (approximately 6.626×10⁻³⁴J•s), and ν(nu) is the frequency of light. According to this formula, photons with higher frequencies have greater energy (e.g., ultraviolet photons have more energy than red photons).

3) Spin: Photons have a spin of 1, classifying them as bosons rather than fermions (such as electrons, which have half-integer spins like 1/2 or 3/2..).

In summary, photons do not have a defined diameter or volume, as they are considered point-like particles with no internal structure. The speed of photons in a vacuum is 3×10⁸m/s, the maximum speed in the universe. Photons exhibit wave-particle duality, serving as the fundamental units of electromagnetic waves while also interacting with matter like particles. Unfortunately, while the properties of bosons allow them to "cooperate" and generate quantum effects, significant research and experimentation in developing a “contactless coupler” using light revealed that its "electromagnetic waves" were easily blocked, rendering it inoperative. As a result, efforts shifted in 1989 to using radio frequencies (RF) to develop contactless induction devices.

V. Invention of the Contactless Induction Reading Device

Drawing from the works of Faraday, Franklin, and Einstein, and exploring their conclusions, a groundbreaking discovery was eventually achieved. As reported in the Economic Daily News and Commercial Times on December 29, 1989:

"SEL, the company renowned for producing and selling AV Connectors, has developed an RF Transmitter...." The RF Transmitter is the core component of the contactless induction reading device.

Although "light and radio waves" both belong to the electromagnetic spectrum, the significant difference in their wavelengths and frequencies is the primary reason why light is easily obstructed, while radio waves can penetrate certain barriers. This distinction is elaborated as follows:

1. Light: High-frequency, short-wavelength, easily absorbed or reflected

1) Short wavelength: Light's wavelength typically ranges from a few hundred nanometers (10⁻⁹ m) to a few micrometers (10⁻⁶ m).

2) Strong interaction with matter:

(1) When light strikes an object, the photon's energy is sufficient to excite electrons in the material, leading to absorption or scattering.

(2) Light’s short wavelength makes it highly susceptible to reflection or scattering by the microscopic structures on a surface (e.g., uneven textures or molecular spacing), preventing penetration.

3) Typical limitations: Many materials (e.g., metals, paper, wood, and fog) are opaque to light, causing it to be blocked.

2. Radio Waves: Low-frequency, long-wavelength, better penetration of materials

1) Longer wavelength: Radio waves have wavelengths ranging from a few millimeters to hundreds of meters, far longer than light.

2) Weaker interaction with matter:

(1) The long wavelengths of radio waves make them less prone to interactions with the microscopic structures of objects, allowing them to bypass obstacles (via diffraction).

(2) RF waves lack sufficient energy to excite electrons in most materials, resulting in minimal absorption.

3) Material penetration: Radio waves can pass through non-conductive materials such as plastic, wood, paper, and even walls.

3. Shielding Effects of Metals

1) Shielding of light: Metals are highly reflective to light due to the rapid response of free electrons in metals to the high-frequency oscillations of light, resulting in reflection and absorption that prevent penetration.

2) Shielding of radio waves:

(1) Metals also shield radio waves, as their free electrons form a barrier that blocks electromagnetic waves.

(2) However, radio waves, due to their longer wavelengths, can penetrate non-metallic materials more effectively.

4. Applications of Light and Radio Waves

1) Light:

(1) Suitable for transmitting large amounts of data (e.g., fiber optic communication) and precise positioning (e.g., optical sensors).

(2) Drawback: Poor penetration and vulnerability to environmental factors (e.g., dust, fog, and obstructions).

2) Radio Waves:

(1) Ideal for "contactless induction" (e.g., TranSmart Chip), long-distance communication, and operations in obstructed environments due to their longer wavelength and stronger penetration.

(2) Limitation: Data transmission speed and precision are generally inferior to light.

5. Why Choose RF (Radio Frequency) Over Light?

1) Light is easily obstructed: In contactless induction devices, barriers like paper, plastic, clothing, or wood can absorb or reflect light, rendering it ineffective.

2) RF can penetrate materials: The longer wavelengths of radio waves allow them to pass through obstacles, enabling non-contact sensing and reading without precise alignment.

In summary, while "photons" theoretically enable high-efficiency data transmission, their short wavelengths and susceptibility to obstructions make them unsuitable for penetrating most materials. In contrast, "radio waves" (RF), with their longer wavelengths and superior penetration capability, are a more practical choice for "contactless induction devices."

After correcting the research direction, we finally presented our results at APEC 1997 in Vancouver. Following six years of efforts at APEC, my wife, Linda Din, the speaker stated during a Q&A session at the 2003 APEC conference:

"This opportunity represents a US$10 trillion market."

This sparked a wave of innovation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless and cashless transactions reached a staggering US$ 36 trillion in volume, earning the title of the most valuable invention in human history.

Fig 3: The Invention of Contactless that Peter Kuo brought to the world

VI. The Future of Photonics

In 1986, to address the issue of taxi drivers being robbed, we invented a cashless (non-cash) transaction system. Through extensive exploration between "light" and "waves," we finally decided in 1989 to develop the "RF Transmitter." This technology later received the U.S. patents and were adopted by multinational corporations like Disney and VISA, fundamentally transforming 21st-century transaction and business models. However, as the technological economy advances into the era of artificial intelligence (AI), maintaining Taiwan's competitive edge requires high-tech integration—specifically, the "Photonization of RFID." By combining Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) with photonic technology, the development of the "TranSmart Chip," an advanced contactless semiconductor, aims to enhance system performance, reduce power consumption, and lower heat generation. The development plan is as follows:

1. Technology Integration and Optimization

1) Multi-Mode Integration: When designing a photonized RFID system, integrating multi-mode technologies, such as supporting both radio frequency and photonic communication, could enhance adaptability and stability across various applications.

2) Packaging and Miniaturization Technology: Research integrating photonic components with TranSmart Chips into a single package, such as TPC-level packaging, to achieve higher performance density.

3) Material Selection: Employ low-power, high-performance photonic materials (such as silicon photonics or III-V group materials), explore the application of organic materials, and optimize component design to further reduce energy loss.

2. Power Consumption and Thermal Management

1) Passive Design Optimization: Previously, we used a "Power Chip" as an auxiliary component to activate the TranSmart Chip. Further integration of the two, using advanced structural and material design, could leverage ambient light or RF energy as the power source, minimizing external power requirements and maximizing photonic efficiency, which is critical for sustainable photonic technology development.

2) Thermal Management Design: Incorporate effective cooling mechanisms, such as thermal conductive materials, micro heat sinks, or photonic crystal-based thermal management technologies, to reduce operational heat generation.

3. Compatibility and Standardization

1) Protocol Support: Ensure that innovative systems are compatible with existing RFID protocols (e.g., ISO/IEC 18000 series) while leaving room for future standard expansion.

2) Industrial Collaboration: Partner with MNCs and international standardization bodies (e.g., ISO or NFC Forum) to promote the standardization of photonic RF conversion technologies, increasing market acceptance.

4. Security and Data Processing

1) Encryption and Security: Research quantum optics-based encryption techniques to enhance the resistance of RF communications against eavesdropping.

2) Distributed Processing: Develop distributed data processing solutions compatible with photonic RF technologies to support real-time data analysis and applications.

5. Market and Application Scenarios

1) Targeted Applications: Optimize and test specifically for high-frequency application domains such as logistics, retail, and electronic payment for transportation, meeting diverse scenario requirements.

2) Exploiting Photonic Characteristics: Explore the advantages of photonics in specific scenarios, such as high-speed data synchronization, low-latency response, or interference-free environmental identification.

6. Long-Term Research and Innovation

1) AI and Photonics Integration: Incorporate artificial intelligence technologies into photonized RF systems for applications in smart identification and autonomous operation.
2) Quantum RFID: Investigate the potential of combining quantum optics with RFID, offering breakthroughs in ultra-high-performance and secure communication systems.

7. Commercialization and Ecosystem Development

1) Market Promotion: Leverage existing infrastructure to establish a commercial platform, accelerating market deployment.

2) Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration: Establish partnerships between government, academic institutions, and research organizations to accelerate technological breakthroughs and reduce R&D costs.

In summary, the integration of photonics with RFID not only aligns with future trends of low power consumption and high performance but also significantly enhances technological competitiveness, solidifying Taiwan's position in the global supply chain. Photonics components are projected to see expanding applications in ICT, IoT, AI, V2X (vehicle-to-everything), electric vehicles (EVs), drones, wearable devices, communication satellites, and cashless systems over the next decade, with an estimated market scale reaching trillions of dollars. If successful, Taiwan will lead the future global technology landscape, ensuring a prosperous future for the next generation.

VII. Conclusion

Taiwan has experienced significant industrial transitions in the past, such as the elimination of vacuum tubes in 1969, which led to the collapse of an entire industry, and the factory closures and unemployment waves caused by the disappearance of orders for portable transistor tape recorders in the early 1980s. In response, we launched the “Rich Taiwan Plan,” which introduced social responsibility investment (SRI), pioneered the e-commerce industry, and adopted “contactless TranSmart chips” as transaction tools. These initiatives not only revitalized Taiwan's economy but also addressed pressing social issues at the time, laying a solid foundation for Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and its subsequent development.

Today, the global semiconductor industry is racing to catch up. The United States has announced two major industrial policies: "1) Stop outsourcing, and 2) Turn America into a manufacturing superpower." These policies are bound to have significant impacts on Taiwan's high-tech industries. We must remain vigilant against the "Myth of the International Champion"—a warning sign in the current landscape. To maintain its competitive edge in the global technology race, Taiwan must transcend its existing success models and seek more diversified paths for innovation.

As the result, the establishment of a third sector institution to oversee industrial policies, the integration of photonic and radio frequency technologies, and the continued advancement of “next-generation contactless semiconductor technologies” to create market differentiation from the U.S., China, Japan and South Korea represent critical strategic investments for Taiwan's future industrial development. This "Photonics Revolution" can reduce over-reliance on a single industry while ensuring Taiwan’s position and sustainability in the global innovation competition.

Peter Lichang Kuo, the author created Taiwan's Precision Industry in his early years. Peter was a representative of the APEC CEO Summit and an expert in the third sector. He advocated "anti-corruption (AC)/cashless/e-commerce (E-Com)/ICT/IPR/IIA-TES / Micro-Business (MB)…and etc." to win the international bills and regulations.