Electro-Optics

This year's National Development Seminar, focusing on science and technology, took up the field of electro-optics--which includes lasers--a scientific discipline that has only recently been a major study area for scientists in the ROC

Lu Mao-hong, a mainland electro-optics expert who defected to the ROC after advanced studies in West Germany, discussed the overall situation in this field with a Sinorama reporter: "The standard of electro-optics is higher now on the Chinese mainland than on Taiwan, but I have great faith in the prospects for the Republic of China's electro-optics technology. Taiwan's financial, material, and human resources are all superior to those available on the mainland; moreover, here on Taiwan we have a democratic system that permits scholars to develop their full talents. With the vigorous support of the government, our success in this field will certainly surpass the mainland's."

"Before the field of electro-optics was an unfamiliar topic on the island. Because it was made a topic at this year's National Development Seminar, there have been great strides in increasing public awareness of the field, and we are witnessing the beginnings of actual technical work," he stated.

The applications of the field are almost endless. In medicine, they include laser surgery and cancer treatment. In telecommunications, they focus at present on fiber optics and laser facsimile transmission. In data processing, they are concerned with optical data processing, photography, spectrography, etc. In military science, they include laser guidance, direction-finding and range-finding, and laser weaponry. In materials science, laser refining and laser welding. In biology, the treatment of seeds with laser radiation. In automation, visual systems for robots. In electronics, optical information storage and retrieval, calculators and detectors.

The government will work with overseas scholars to continue developments in this field.