State-of-the-Art in Optical Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Advances in optical materials have enabled significant progress in both academia and industry, leading to the development of novel technologies with applications in information processing, data storage, sensing and communications. This wide research topic includes the realization of novel materials, new fabrication techniques, and the integration of multiple on-chip functionalities. Some of the most desired optical properties include light emission, such as diodes or single-photon sources, optical manipulation, either in waveguiding structures or in free space, and efficient photo-detection. An increasingly desired material property is biodegradability, required to meet the urgent need for multi-functional and sustainable photonic devices.

Research at the forefront of optical technology has led to the development of new material configurations that can be fabricated into circuits and structures, including planar nanophotonics and three-dimensional structures. Optical nonlinearities are of particular interest for generating light, particularly at otherwise difficult to reach wavelengths, and in non-centrosymmetric crystals, where the refractive index can be electro-optically reconfigured for programmable control.

This Special Issue aims to present the state-of-the-art research in optical materials, from novel materials and fabrication techniques, to functional and multi-component optical devices, with applications ranging from light generation and detection, to sensing, storage and control. The topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Nonlinear materials
• Two-dimensional materials
• Photonic crystals
• Metamaterials/metasurfaces
• Phase-change materials
• Novel fabrication techniques
• Biodegradable materials for photonics

Dr. Robert Chapman
Dr. Viola V. Vogler-Neuling
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• optical materials
• crystals
• nonlinear optics
• nanofabrication
• lithography
• photonic crystals
• photonics