Emerging Trends in Ultra-Stable Semiconductor Lasers
A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Semiconductor Devices".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editors
Interests: compact atomic clocks; frequency stabilized diode lasers
Interests: atomic clocks; atomic gravimeters; quantum precision measurement
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Semiconductor lasers offer fundamental advantages, including compact size, low power consumption, spectral versatility, and exceptional reliability, making them indispensable in optical communications, quantum sensing, and precision metrology. Among their key performance metrics, laser linewidth stands out as a critical indicator of coherence, playing a pivotal role in system evaluation.
To achieve linewidth narrowing, two primary approaches are widely employed: optical feedback and electrical feedback techniques.
- Optical Feedback Methods:
- Extended cavities to suppress spontaneous emission noise;
- Injection locking for active linewidth compression.
- Electrical Feedback Methods:
- Atomic spectroscopy stabilization: Locking the laser wavelength to atomic references for frequency stabilization;
- Pound–Drever–Hall (PDH) technique: Frequency stabilization using high-finesse optical resonators or high-Q microcavities for ultra-narrow-linewidth operation.
Beyond conventional methods, recent breakthroughs have introduced Faraday laser technology—an innovative semiconductor laser architecture integrating narrow-bandwidth atomic filters for frequency selection. This approach enables simultaneous linewidth compression and frequency stabilization in external-cavity semiconductor lasers, positioning it as a leading solution for next-generation high-precision, ultra-narrow-linewidth, and frequency-stable laser systems.
Furthermore, alongside linewidth optimization, enhancing frequency stability has become a major focus for expanding semiconductor laser applications in precision measurement. Active stabilization techniques, such as locking laser wavelengths to atomic/molecular transitions or ultra-stable cavity modes, are proving highly effective in broadening their utility.
These advancements are accelerating the adoption of semiconductor lasers across diverse industries, including the following:
- Laser sonar systems;
- Atomic clocks;
- Atomic gravimeters;
- Atomic magnetometers;
- Atomic gyroscopes;
- LIDAR systems;
- Rydberg atom-based radar;
- Optical communication networks.
Dr. Tiantian Shi
Dr. Wei Zhuang
Dr. Zheyi Ge
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. Electronics 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
- ultra-stable frequency
- narrow laser linewidth
- precision measurement
- optical communication
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
