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Light-Emitting Materials and Devices: Design, Characterization, and Applications of Optoelectronics...
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Light-Emitting Materials and Devices: Design, Characterization, and Applications of Optoelectronics and Sensing

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Optics and Lasers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 2214

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chiara Olla

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
Interests: carbon nanomaterials; carbon dots; organic dyes; steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence; Raman spectroscopy
Dr. Chengao Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: semiconductor laser diodes; T2SL detectors; quantum dot lasers and detectors; molecular beam epitaxy; antimony; infrared lasers and detectors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qinghua Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: laser materials processing; surface modification; wettability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yiping Cao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Opto-Electronics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
Interests: optics; optical three-dimensional sensing; optical information processing; opto-mechatronics integration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Light-emitting materials and devices have been at the forefront of technological advancements across optoelectronics, communication, health care, and sensing applications. Over recent decades, the development of novel luminescent materials—including organic semiconductors, carbon nanodots, quantum dots, and perovskites—has opened up new opportunities for designing highly efficient, flexible, and tunable light-emitting devices. These materials have led to innovations in devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes, and advanced optical sensors.

Recent progress in nanofabrication techniques and device architecture design has significantly enhanced the performance and multi-functionality of these systems. At the same time, challenges remain in achieving long-term operational stability, scalable manufacturing, and environmentally sustainable processes. Understanding the fundamental photophysical mechanisms through advanced characterization methods is crucial for optimizing efficiency, lifetime, and functionality of light-emitting materials and devices.

This Special Issue invites contributions from researchers working on the cutting edge of material development and device fabrication. We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and case studies that address challenges and opportunities in this dynamic field, aiming to bridge fundamental science with technological innovation.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Synthesis of light-emitting materials:
  • Organic, inorganic, hybrid, and perovskite emitters;
  • Quantum dots and carbon dots.
  • Design and fabrication of light-emitting devices:
  • OLEDs, QD-LEDs, and perovskite LEDs;
  • Laser diodes and novel luminescent devices.
  • Characterization techniques for light-emitting materials and devices:
  • Spectroscopic analysis;
  • Time-resolved photoluminescence;
  •  Imaging;
  • Light-emitting materials for sensing applications:
  • Optical sensors based on luminescence changes;
  • Bio-sensing and environmental monitoring.

We encourage submissions that combine theoretical, experimental, and computational approaches and those that explore interdisciplinary applications of light-emitting materials and technologies.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Dr. Chiara Olla
Dr. Cheng-Ao Yang
Dr. Qinghua Wang
Prof. Dr. Yiping Cao
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 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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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.

Keywords

  • light-emitting materials
  • optoelectronic devices
  • quantum dots
  • carbon dots
  • perovskites
  • LEDs
  • optical sensors
  • photoluminescence

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 11904 KB  
Article
Optical Degradation and Lifetime Assessment of 260–265 nm AlGaN-Based UVC LEDs Under Varying Drive-Current Regimes for Disinfection Systems
by Łukasz Gryko, Sebastian Skłodowski and Urszula Joanna Błaszczak
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(1), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16010483 - 3 Jan 2026
Viewed by 422
Abstract
This investigation examines the optical degradation of 260 nm and 265 nm UVC LEDs subjected to varying drive current conditions, simulating real-world deployment in consumer and professional disinfection systems. The primary aim was to assess lifetime trends and degradation behaviour based exclusively on [...] Read more.
This investigation examines the optical degradation of 260 nm and 265 nm UVC LEDs subjected to varying drive current conditions, simulating real-world deployment in consumer and professional disinfection systems. The primary aim was to assess lifetime trends and degradation behaviour based exclusively on radiometric and spectral data. A total of 24 devices (12 per wavelength group) were operated for 2000 h under a broad range of thermally stabilised current levels, from low-standby to maximum-rated operation. The results demonstrated distinct current-dependent ageing characteristics, wherein, for the tested device sets and operating conditions, 260 nm LEDs exhibited faster optical power degradation than the investigated 265 nm LEDs under nominal drive conditions. Notably, a moderate current derating of approximately 20% resulted in a more than fourfold increase in L70 lifetime and over a threefold extension in the number of effective disinfection cycles. Despite a stable spectral power distribution throughout ageing, significant statistical variation in lifetime metrics (L90, L80, L70, L50) was observed even among identically operated devices, underscoring the need for population-level reliability qualification. Optical lifetime estimates based on empirical model fitting indicated that the Ruschel logarithmic function most accurately captured the long-term degradation trends for the analysed datasets. These findings provide practical guidance for the design of durable and efficient UVC LED systems within the investigated device class and operating regimes, supporting sustained germicidal performance and long-term operational reliability across diverse use cases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light-Emitting Materials and Devices: Design, Characterization, and Applications of Optoelectronics and Sensing)
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18 pages, 4303 KB  
Article
Characterization and Spectroscopic Studies of the Morin-Zinc Complex in Solution and in PMMA Solid Matrix
by Malgorzata Sypniewska, Beata Jędrzejewska, Marek Pietrzak, Marek Trzcinski, Robert Szczęsny, Mateusz Chorobinski and Lukasz Skowronski
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(1), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16010091 - 21 Dec 2025
Viewed by 406
Abstract
Flavonoids, natural organic compounds from the polyphenolic group with broad bioactive and pharmaceutical properties, are strong ligands for many metal ions. This work describes the formation of the complex between Zn(II) and morin. The synthesized compound is characterized using three analytical techniques, i.e., [...] Read more.
Flavonoids, natural organic compounds from the polyphenolic group with broad bioactive and pharmaceutical properties, are strong ligands for many metal ions. This work describes the formation of the complex between Zn(II) and morin. The synthesized compound is characterized using three analytical techniques, i.e., 1H NMR, IR, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Importantly, the complex was successfully obtained in the form of a solid, which enables its further physicochemical and structural characterization. Physicochemical characterization of the Morin-Zn complex was performed by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy. The absorption spectrum of the complex contains two main bands at ca. 407–415 nm and ca. 265 nm, and the complex emits yellow-green light with higher intensity than the free ligand. In the next step, morin and zinc complex were dispersed in a PMMA (poly (methyl methacrylate)) polymer matrix, and respective thin layers were produced. The studied thin films were deposited on silicon substrates by using the spin-coating method and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE), UV-VIS spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL). The absorption of thin layers showed, similarly to solutions, the presence of two transitions: π→π* and n→π*, and a bathochromic shift for the morin-zinc complex compared to morin. The photoluminescence of the complex thin film showed two bands, the first in the range of 380–440 nm corresponding to PMMA, and the second with a maximum at 490 nm, derived from the synthesized compound. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light-Emitting Materials and Devices: Design, Characterization, and Applications of Optoelectronics and Sensing)
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18 pages, 4856 KB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Multispectral LED–Sensor Architectures for Scalable Waste Material Classification
by Anju Manakkakudy Kumaran, Rahmi Elagib, Andrea De Iacovo, Andrea Ballabio, Jacopo Frigerio, Giovanni Isella, Gaetano Assanto and Lorenzo Colace
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(16), 8964; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15168964 - 14 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1093
Abstract
We present a comprehensive study of LED-based optical sensing systems for the classification of waste materials, analyzing recent developments in the field. Accurate identification of materials such as plastics, glass, aluminum, and paper is a crucial yet challenging task in waste management for [...] Read more.
We present a comprehensive study of LED-based optical sensing systems for the classification of waste materials, analyzing recent developments in the field. Accurate identification of materials such as plastics, glass, aluminum, and paper is a crucial yet challenging task in waste management for recycling. The first approach uses short-wave infrared reflectance spectroscopy with commercial Germanium photodetectors and selected LEDs to keep data complexity and cost at a minimum while achieving classification accuracies up to 98% with machine learning algorithms. The second system employes a voltage-tunable Germanium-on-Silicon photodetector that operates across a broader spectral range (400–1600 nm), in combination with three LEDs in both the visible and short-wave infrared bands. This configuration enables an adaptive spectral response and simplifies the optical setup, supporting energy-efficient and scalable integration. Accuracies up to 99% were obtained with the aid of machine learning algorithms. Across all systems, the strategic use of low-cost LEDs as light sources and compact optical sensors demonstrates the potential of light-emitting devices in the implementation of compact, intelligent, and sustainable solutions for real-time material recognition. This article explores the design, characterization, and performance of such systems, providing insights into the way light-emitting and optoelectronic components can be leveraged for advanced sensing in waste classification applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light-Emitting Materials and Devices: Design, Characterization, and Applications of Optoelectronics and Sensing)
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