The area of lightwave technology has seen significant applications in the area of communications, signal processing, and optical storage. Nonetheless, only a small percentage of the available information carrying capacity of the lightwave is actually used. Fundamental limitations encountered in the speed of electronic processes thus far has prevented this full utilization. This conference addresses issues related to these limitations and as such is a valuable source of information of the status of progress and as a source of material and information by which the future direction of lightwave technology can be planned.