Photonic activities in the Triangle de la Physique are particularly significant and cover a very wide spectrum ranging from fundamental studies on individual objects (quantum boxes, etc), electromagnetic crystals (metamaterials, photonic crystals), and plasmonics right up to the making of components and their integration into systems.

They group around the same object of study teams with strong international visibility, working on technologies, components and systems, from the fundamentalist physicist to the industrialist, thereby allowing through-technology transfer evaluation of the conducted research work.

The goals within the scope of the network are to reinforce these fundamental studies in as varied fields as quantum information, photonics with micro- and nano-structured materials and nano-optics, as well as to develop new components which may be integrated into systems (such as telecommunications) or for closely related fields such as biophotonics.