An important aspect of the Institute's research programs is its "systems-oriented" focus on real-world applications. Critical to these applications programs, the Institute pursues basic and applied research in a systems focus.

The Advanced Photonics Systems and Materials program comprises several important research activities related to the development and implementation of systems and new materials with important and unique value to photonics:

• development of AlGaAs-InAs high electron mobility transistors, AlGaN UV emmitters, and integrated InP-based heterojunction bipolar transistors;
• investigation of MOS dielectrics materials, and generation of static and dynamic MOS integrated circuits;
• development of system-level test methods for mixed-signal and RF circuits, computer-aided-analysis of high-level and transistor-level circuits, and device modeling;
• translational research on third-generation liquid crystal on silicon digital projection light systems;
• application of virtual reality for there-dimensional data interface with potential applications in telemedicine;
• design and testing of system-on-chip integrated circuits, distributed sensor networks, dynamic power management and fault tolerance in real-time embedded systems, design automation techniques for microfluidics-based biochips, and chip cooling using droplet-based microfluidics.