Advanced Electronic Materials and Functional Devices

Dear Colleagues,

The relentless progress in electronics is fundamentally driven by innovations in materials and the clever design of devices that harness their properties. From the ever-shrinking dimensions of silicon-based logic to the emergence of entirely new computing and sensing paradigms, the field is in a constant state of evolution. This Special Issue of Electronics, titled "Advanced Electronic Materials and Functional Devices," aims to capture the latest breakthroughs in this dynamic landscape. It is guest-edited by Jang Yong Kim and Amer Kotb, whose complementary research in micro-nanofabricated functional systems and all-optical photonic devices provide a comprehensive perspective of the field.

(1) Focus, Scope, and Purpose

1. Focus: The primary focus of this collection is on the synergistic relationship between advanced materials and the high-performance electronic and photonic devices they enable. We are particularly interested in work that demonstrates a clear path from material innovation to device functionality and potential system-level integration.
2. Scope: The scope is broad and interdisciplinary, welcoming contributions on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Semiconductor Materials and Devices: Silicon photonics, high-mobility channel materials (e.g., 2D materials, III-V compounds), and advanced transistor architectures.
• Photonic and Optoelectronic Devices: All-optical logic gates, optical amplifiers (SOAs, EDFAs), modulators, photodetectors, and their integration with electronic circuits. This directly aligns with Dr. Kotb’s expertise in simulating all-optical logic devices using silicon and metamaterial waveguides.
• Memory and Logic Technologies: Emerging non-volatile memories (e.g., memristors, phase-change memory, MRAM), in-memory computing concepts, and devices for neuromorphic computing, reflecting Dr. Kim’s experience with memristors and memory technologies.
• Functional and Multifunctional Materials: Ferroelectrics, multiferroics, ferromagnets, and superconductors for applications in spintronics, RF/microwave components, and novel sensors, drawing from Dr. Kim’s extensive background in these areas.
• MEMS/NEMS and Sensor Technologies: Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), physical sensors, chemical sensors, and bioelectronics for wearable and biomedical applications.
• Modeling and Simulation: Theoretical investigations and computational modeling of material properties, device physics, and circuit-level performance, which is a cornerstone of Dr. Kotb’s research methodology.
• RF-based Sensors for Healthcare Applications, RFID and Advanced Antennas for Communication Applications, Nanotechnology, RF Imaging, On-CHIP Antennas and devices drawing from Dr. Kandwal’s extensive background in these areas.

3. Purpose: The purpose of this Special Issue is to curate a collection of high-quality original research articles and comprehensive reviews that highlight the latest advancements in the field. We aim to foster a discussion on the challenges and opportunities in translating the unique properties of advanced materials into reliable, high-performance devices for computing, communication, sensing, and beyond.

(2) Relationship to Existing Literature

While the existing literature extensively covers individual topics like silicon photonics, spintronics, or memristors, this collection is designed to supplement the current body of knowledge by emphasizing the convergence and integration of these fields. Often, breakthroughs occur at the interfaces—for example, combining ferroelectric materials with silicon photonics for novel modulators, or integrating 2D materials with MEMS for ultra-sensitive sensors. By bringing together contributions from leading researchers in these interconnected domains, this Special Issue will provide a holistic view of how different material systems and device concepts can complement each other. It will not only present deep dives into specialized areas but also highlight the cross-cutting themes, such as the importance of thin-film growth, nanofabrication, and multi-physics simulation, that are common to advancing the entire field of electronic materials and devices.

We cordially invite you to contribute your latest findings and join us in creating a valuable resource for the scientific community.

Dr. Jang Yong Kim
Prof. Dr. Amer Kotb
Dr. Abhishek Kandwal
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-anonymized 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.

• advanced electronic materials
• semiconductor devices
• photonic devices
• all-optical logic
• silicon photonics
• spintronics
• memristors
• memory technologies
• micro- and nano-fabrication (MEMS/NEMS)
• sensors and bioelectronics
• ferroelectrics and multiferroics
• metamaterials
• antennas
• device modeling and simulation