EMPO 2026 Held at IIT Guwahati

The National Conference on Emerging Materials for Next-Generation Photonics & Optoelectronics (EMPO 2026) was held at the Department of Physics, IIT Guwahati, on 3–4 July. The two day event showcased advances in photonics and optoelectronics materials, gave student researchers visibility and built momentum for future collaboration.

Published 6 July 2026 | Category Meetings & Conferences | Office Dept of Physics

A Keynote on Seeing Inside Materials

The conference opened with a keynote lecture by Prof. Amlan J Pal, JC Bose National Fellow at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata. Prof. Pal shared his work using scanning tunnelling microscopes (STMs) to study the band gap and precise band positions of materials.

An STM uses an incredibly sharp needle-like tip that hovers just above a material's surface — so close that electrons can "jump" (or tunnel) between the tip and the material. By tracking this tiny electric current as the tip moves, scientists can build a picture of the surface down to the level of individual atoms.

STMs let scientists obtained a kind of detailed insight into materials that enables the design of better, more efficient devices — from solar panels to next-generation electronics.

Students Take the Spotlight

EMPO 2026 wasn't just about senior scientists — postgraduate students played a starring role too. Alongside the invited talks, students showcased their own research and had the chance to speak directly with the invited speakers, swapping ideas and getting feedback from experts in the field. Three students from IIT Guwahati also won prizes for their poster presentations.

Turning Windows Into Power Sources

Among the international speakers was Associate Professor Annalisa Bruno from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, who spoke about her research on flexible and transparent solar cells.

Her team has developed ultra-thin, see-through solar cells — about 10,000 times thinner than a human hair — that could one day be built directly into windows, glass building facades, and other vertical surfaces. Because they're semi-transparent, these cells let daylight through while still quietly generating electricity, opening the door to buildings, cars, and even wearable devices that generate their own power without changing how they look.

Organisers Reflect on the Conference

Speaking about the conference, one of the convenors, Prof. Saikat Bhaumik, said the event "marks another significant step towards strengthening collaboration among researchers, academicians, and industry professionals working in emerging materials for next-generation photonics and optoelectronics."

He added that the "stimulating lectures, insightful technical presentations, and engaging discussions" had both showcased recent scientific advances and sparked new ideas and collaborations.

EMPO 2026 was sponsored by ANRF, CSIR, QMD, and other organisations.

Prof. Bhaumik thanked all speakers, participants, poster presenters, volunteers, sponsors, and organising committee members, saying their "enthusiasm and dedication made EMPO 2026 a memorable success," and extended an invitation to future editions of the conference.