By Bengt O. Hallberg

Celebrating 50 years in photonics, I’m preserving my research and launching one final fiber‑optic R&D phase.

Now that I am celebrating 50 years in photonics, I am entering a new phase: archiving a lifetime’s worth of science for the National Library of Sweden (KB), and launching one final R&D project. In my previous post, I reflected on what photonics represents today; here, I outline how I see the present and near future of this journey.

Archiving & Preservation

I am currently cataloging a comprehensive collection of research material and physical artifacts — organized into WDM and related categories — for long‑term preservation. This work aims to secure Sweden’s early contributions to fiber‑optic development for future researchers.

R&D Initiatives

• Historical Publication (1976–1987): A scientific compilation of early WDM developments, including documentation of the two pioneering systems presented by BOH Optical AB 1985 and 1987 respectively.
• Patenting Network Architecture: Filing patent for a novel fiber‑optic network solution developed by BOH Strategy, originally prepared for field testing during the Ornö project in the early 2000s (described on pages 100–105 of Dalarö och gåtfulla Ornö).
• Pilot Production: Engineering and preparing a commercial pilot series based on this network architecture.

Implementation & Collaboration

To bring this phase to completion within BOH Strategy, I am seeking:

• Financial Support: Funding for the meticulous sorting, categorization, and archiving of this historic photonics collection with KB.
• Industry Partnership: Collaboration with an established photonics company to co‑develop, patent, and manufacture the pilot series of the new fiber‑optic network solution.

If your organization is interested in preserving optical history or commercializing next‑generation network architecture, I welcome direct contact (click).

Next Blog

The next post will be published on Tuesday September 29, 2026.