Optical and Quantum Electronics - CALL FOR PAPERS: Recent Advances and Challenges of Optical Materials in 3D Printed Micro-Optics for Next Generation Modular Lighting Devices
The use of 3D printing technology in the field of micro-optics has opened up new avenues for designing and manufacturing optical materials that can be used in next generation modular lighting devices. Next generation modular lighting devices are a new generation of lighting systems that are designed to be highly flexible, efficient, and customizable. These devices are typically composed of modular components, such as light sources, optics, and controls, that can be easily assembled and disassembled to create customized lighting systems. Micro-optics refers to the design and fabrication of optical components at a micrometer or nanometer scale, which are used to manipulate light in various ways. 3D printing in micro-optics is the ability to fabricate complex structures with high precision and accuracy, which can be difficult or impossible to achieve using traditional manufacturing techniques. This allows for the creation of novel optical materials with unique properties that can be customized for specific applications.
The modern optical materials in 3D printed micro-optics have enabled the development of next generation modular lighting devices by advancements in photopolymer materials, metal-based materials, and biocompatible materials. Thus, recent progress in these materials have led to the development of materials with improved optical properties, such as higher refractive indices, lower absorption coefficients, and wider spectral ranges. Moreover, micro-optics supports better for applications, particularly for high-temperature, biomedical (such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and cell imaging) and so on. These materials enable the creation of more efficient, precise and high resolution micro-optical components. However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed, such as material characterization and post-processing techniques which can be complex and time-consuming, that may limit the scalability, efficiency, and accuracy, to further advance the field of 3D printed micro-optics. More research are essential for designing and optimizing micro-optical components for critical applications.
This special issue ultimately focuses on the use of 3D printing technology in micro-optics, which has the potential to revolutionize the design and manufacturing of optical materials for the next generation of modular lighting devices. We welcome original research articles on creating optical materials with unique properties and precise geometries, creating lighting systems that are more efficient, versatile, and customizable than ever before with novel research methods including but not limited to the following:
- Novel 3D printed micro-optics for modular lighting systems and improved imaging performance
- Evolving 3D printed micro-optic materials for the next-gen of automotive modular lighting systems
- Trends in nanocomposites utilization to optimize 3D printing of optical materials for next-gen modular lighting system
- Evolving 3D printed micro-optics applications for advancement in next-gen interconnect technologies
- Advancements in thermoplastic optical materials in modular lighting systems for next-gen commercial aircraft and related applications
- Recent applications of 3D printed micro-optical sensors for the future biomedical industry
- 3D printed micro-optics-based advancements in quantum dots for next-gen smart lighting control system
- Emerging high-quality 3D printed micro-optics in optimizing augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for smart modular lighting applications
- 3D printed micro-optic materials: challenges in design, fabrication and real-time applications
- Applications of additive photonic manufacturing and 3D printed micro-optics for high performance applications
- 3D printed micro-optical materials technology and devices for battery thermal management and renewable energy applications
Important Dates:
Open for submissions: 01 July 2023
Submission Deadline: 01 July 2024
Guest Editors:
Dr. Chamil Abeykoon (Lead Guest Editor)
The University of Manchester, UK
chamil.abeykoon@ieee.org (this opens in a new tab)
Prof. Dr. Alois Herkommer
Institut for Technical Optics
University Stuttgart, Germany
herkommer@ito.uni-stuttgart.de (this opens in a new tab)
Dr. Manuel Filipe P. C. M. Costa
University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
mfcosta@fisica.uminho.pt (this opens in a new tab)
Submission Information:
The submitted article must be original, unpublished and not currently reviewed by other journals. Authors must mention in their cover letter for each Special Issue manuscript that the particular manuscript is for the theme and name of Guest Editors of Special Issue consideration so that the Guest Editors can be notified separately. Please visit https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/11082/3 (this opens in a new tab), when submitting your paper and, in the Detail tab in the Collections dropdown list, choose "Integrated Optoelectronic Devices"
Published articles will be found here (this opens in a new tab).