Optical and Quantum Electronics - CALL FOR PAPERS: Photonic Devices in Quantum Communication, Optical Networking and Ultrafast Optical Imaging

Photonic devices play a central role in a variety of modern applications, particularly in quantum communication, optical networking, and ultrafast optical imaging. Photonic devices are crucial for the practical realization of QKD, where two distant parties can generate a shared, secret random key. QKD systems rely on single-photon sources and detectors to ensure the security of the quantum keys. Quantum repeaters help in extending the range of quantum communication by reducing the loss and decoherence in quantum channels. These devices often utilize quantum memories and photonic entanglement. Photon entanglement is a central resource for various quantum communication protocols. Photonic devices help generate, manipulate, and measure entangled photon pairs.

Optical networking components in optical networks that direct light signals through the network without converting them back to electrical signals. They lead to faster and more energy-efficient data transport. Photonic devices can split light into various wavelengths, allowing for multiple channels to be transmitted simultaneously over the same fiber, increasing the data capacity. Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) and other types of optical amplifiers boost the power of light signals, allowing them to travel longer distances without significant degradation. These produce ultra-short light pulses, allowing researchers to visualize and even manipulate processes that occur on incredibly short timescales. These devices can capture rapid sequences of images on the timescale of picoseconds (trillionths of a second) or faster, making them useful for studying ultrafast processes in physics, biology, and chemistry. Photon counting technique is used to measure the lifetime of fluorescence and other luminescent states, providing insights into various molecular processes and material properties. Advancements in photonic materials, structures (like photonic crystals), and nanophotonics are further pushing the envelope, enabling new functionalities and enhancing the performance of these devices. As the demand for faster communication, more secure data transmission, and deeper insights into ultrafast processes grows, the importance and innovation in photonic devices will undoubtedly continue to surge.

Developing and producing advanced photonic devices, especially at large scales, can be costly. The quest for better, more efficient materials for photonic applications is ongoing. These materials need to be durable, efficient, and sometimes work at specific wavelengths or under specific conditions. As these technologies evolve, there's a need for standards to ensure compatibility and interoperability between systems. Overcoming these challenges requires interdisciplinary efforts, bridging physics, materials science, engineering, and computational methods. As research continues, many of these challenges will likely be addressed, leading to more robust, efficient, and widespread use of photonic devices in these domains. Potential topics included, but not limited,

• Integrated photonics in fpga based architecture for future classical quantum communication networks
• Photonics and microelectronics for on-chip quantum communication networks
• Ultraviolet photonics and quantum optoelectronics for quantum network applications
• Quantum photonics in 2D materials for quantum optics applications
• Photonic devices and polymer films in switching architectures for flexible optical networking
• Silicon photonic components in integrated optical architecture for optical network on-chip
• 2D photonic crystals in ultra-low power optical network for quantum optical network management
• Ultrafast laser and nonvolatile optical switch for ultrafast optical imaging applications

Important Dates:

Open Submission: 20 October 2023
Submission Deadline: 1 October 2024

Guest Editors:

Prof. Naveen K. Nishchal (Lead Guest Editor)
Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Patna, India
Email: naveenknishchal@ieee.org (this opens in a new tab)

Prof. Maria L. Calvo
Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Prof. Guilherme B. Xavier
Linköping University, Sweden

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 "Photonic Devices in Quantum Communication"

Published articles will be found here (this opens in a new tab).