光电子时代是微电子技术、激光技术、材料科学等高速发展、综合集成的产物。20世纪90年代光电子晶体的长足进步和大功率半导体激光技术的突破，导致全固态激光器的实用化，这将促使光电子技术在21世纪前50年对更多的国家支柱产业作出重大贡献，如先进制造业的材料加工、信息业的光存储、娱乐业的激光显示、能源业的激光核聚变电站和核裂变燃料生产、军工业的激光武器升级换代等。

The age of optoelectronics is the consequence of rapid evolution and mutual integration of the fields of micro-electronics, laser technology and material science. The appearance of optical fibers and laser diodes in the 1960s, one major contribution of optoelectronic technology to information industry, has led to the advent of optoelectronic communications. In the 1990s, great advances in optoelectronic crystals and breakthroughs in laser diode technology have made all-solid-state lasers a practical realization. As a consequence, this will enable optoelectronics to make its further contribution to more national pillar industries in the first half of the next century, in various aspects like material processing in advanced manufacturing, optical storage in information technology, laser displays in entertainment, laser fusion power station, nuclear fission material processing, upgrading of laser weapons, etc.