SPIE Photonics West, the world's largest international event encompassing industrial and medical applications of optics, lasers, and photonics, will be larger than ever in 2011, with more papers and expanded exhibition space. Dates are 22-27 January 2011 at The Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

Approximately 18,000 attendees are expected to convene in technical sessions, industry panels, two exhibitions, and other events covering advances in medical therapeutics and diagnostics, semiconductor, gas, fiber, and diode lasers, micro/nanofabrication, MEMs, optoelectronic materials and devices, displays, communications, and related topics. Paper submissions are up approximately 7% over 2010, with over 4000 papers scheduled in the event's four symposia.

The Photonics West exhibition sells out every year, and more than 1,200 exhibiting companies are expected in 2011. Highlights include new product releases from more than 100 companies, international pavilions from several countries, booths from photonics clusters from four U.S. states, product demonstrations, and the SPIE Job Fair.

More than 180 exhibiting companies are expected for the Biomedical Optics (BiOS) exhibition on the opening weekend. Product demonstrations are scheduled both days, and more than 30 new products will be announced.

Photonics West exhibition details.