Microdevices and Applications Based on Advanced Glassy Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Microtechnology has transformed our world since the last century, when silicon microelectronics revolutionized sensor, control and communication areas, with applications ranging from domotics to automotive, and from security to biomedicine. The present century, however, is also seeing an accelerating pace of innovation in glassy materials, in particular for optoelectronics and photonics. For instance,  glass-ceramics, which effectively combine the properties of an amorphous matrix with those of micro- or nano-crystals, offer a significant design flexibility to chemists, physicists and engineers, enabling the conception and implementation of advanced microdevicesSimilarly, the synthesis of glassy polymers across a wide range of chemical structures presents unprecedented application potential. The development of flexible photonic devices, utilizing thin glasses or a combination of glassy and polymer materials, allows for the creation of innovative wearable sensors and opens new horizons in various fields.

The contemporary availability of microfabrication technologies, such as direct laser writing or 3D printing, alongside common processes like deposition, lithography and etching, facilitates the development of novel or advanced microdevices based on glassy materials. Notably, biochemical and biomedical sensors, particularly those targeting lab-on-a-chip applications, stand as clear evidence of the success of this material platform. Furthermore, applications have emerged in environmental, food, and chemical industries.

This Topical Collection aims to provide easy access to a wide array of articles in Micromachines, reviewing the current state-of-the-art and presenting perspectives for further development in this area. To achieve this goal, it has been decided to include articles previously published in the 2019 Special Issue dedicated to the same topic.

• We welcome new contributions related to glassy materials and their fabrication technologies, device design and fabrication, characterization, and potential applications. Papers in all areas of glass, glass-ceramic, and polymer microdevices will be considered, including but not limited to:Glassy materials for microdevices
• Smart glasses and smart polymers
• Synthesis of glassy materials for microdevice fabrication
• Glass ceramics and nanocomposite glasses
• Flexible glasses
• Microtechnologies for glassy microdevices
• Simulation and modelling of microdevices
• Laser writing of microstructures/microdevices
• 3D printing with glassy materials
• Microfluidics in glassy materials
• Integration technologies
• Characterization of glassy materials and devices
• Structural/topographical analysis of glassy microdevices
• Optical and spectroscopical analysis
• Glassy devices and applications
• Optical fibre microdevices
• Micromechanical and optomechanical glassy devices
• Glass microresonators
• Microreactors and microdevices for electrophoresis
• Particle detection and sorting
• Optical glassy microdevices based on nonlinear effect
• Optical glassy microdevices for quantum applications 
• Glassy-material based sensors
• Flexible microdevices
• Wearable glassy and polymer microdevices
• Microdevices for nanomedicine and biological sensing
• Functionalization of glassy microdevices
• Glassy microdevices for energy and environment
• Applications in chemical industry
• Applications in life sciences

Both original contributions covering the latest work in the field and reviews on all aspects of glassy-materials-based microdevices will be considered. We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Dr. Giancarlo C. Righini
Dr. Luigi Sirleto
Dr. Francesco Enrichi
Collection 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. 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 collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines 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 2100 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.