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Advancements in Optical Materials and Photonic Device Technologies

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical and Photonic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 2847

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Research Center for Non-Destructive Testing GmbH, Linz 4040, Austria
Interests: optics and photonics; interferometry; laser technology; optical coherence tomography; imaging, infrared spectroscopy; quantum sensing; non-destructive testing

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Guest Editor
1. Research Center for Non-Destructive Testing (RECENDT)-GmbH, Linz, Austria
2. Institute for Mathematical Methods in Medicine and Data Based Modelling, Johannes Kepler University (JKU), Linz, Austria
Interests: imaging; optical sensing; digital and computational optics; scattering media
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, the photonics industry has experienced rapid growth in many sectors. The application scenarios range from a biomedicine, telecommunications, routine microscopy, and process monitoring at industrial facilities to telescopy, the observation of gravitational waves, and sensing with quantum light. This progress is generating intense demand for the development and advancement of optical materials, which are the cornerstone of light handling and manipulation. The development of new photonic devices and detectors, extending operating ranges, reducing losses, increasing sensitivity, and the ability to generate light with desired properties are just a few examples related to materials development.

This Special Issue is dedicated to the latest advances in optical materials facilitating the progress of photonic technologies and, thus, aims to dissiminate the most recent result in this field. Topics will cover a broad range of materials: semiconductors, glasses, linear and nonlinear materials, crystals, active and passive systems, fibers and waveguides, metamaterials, quantum dots, mirrors, and coatings.

Researchers that have unpublished original results in the above-mentioned areas and are keen for rapid dissemination are encouraged to contribute in the form of research and review articles.

Dr. Ivan Zorin
Dr. Bettina Heise
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • advanced optical materials
  • enhanced optical properties
  • glasses
  • photonic crystals
  • semiconductors
  • optical fibers
  • nonlinear crystals
  • metamaterials
  • material aspects of photonic devices
  • coatings

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4844 KiB  
Article
Electrical and Optical Properties Depending on the Substitution Position of a Novel Indolocarbazole Dimer
by Jiyun Kim, Suhyeon Jeong, Sangwook Park, Saeyoung Oh, Kiho Lee, Soonhang Lee, Jihoon Lee, Hayoon Lee and Jongwook Park
Materials 2025, 18(9), 2058; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18092058 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 81
Abstract
Two innovative dimeric derivatives of indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICz), named 7,7′-biindolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICzDO) and 4,4′-biindolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICzDM), have been developed. Both dimers consist of two ICz units coupled through distinct ortho and meta positions. In the solution state, ICzDO and ICzDM exhibited photoluminescence (PL) maxima at 379 [...] Read more.
Two innovative dimeric derivatives of indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICz), named 7,7′-biindolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICzDO) and 4,4′-biindolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICzDM), have been developed. Both dimers consist of two ICz units coupled through distinct ortho and meta positions. In the solution state, ICzDO and ICzDM exhibited photoluminescence (PL) maxima at 379 nm and 391 nm, demonstrating emission in the deep-blue region. These compounds show exceptionally narrow emission spectra, characterized by full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 28 nm for ICzDO and 26 nm for ICzDM. In the film state, ICzDM exhibited a photoluminescence (PL) maximum at 428 nm, whereas ICzDO showed a red-shifted emission at 507 nm with a broad full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 87 nm, indicating significant red-shifted excimer emission characteristics. This is attributed to its aggregation-enhanced excimer emission (AEEE) characteristics. When used as host materials for red phosphorescent OLEDs, both compounds enabled efficient energy transfer. Devices using ICzDM as the host attained highly efficient external quantum efficiency (EQE) values of 13.5%, coupled with remarkable color purity represented by Commission Internationale de l’Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.685, 0.314). These findings emphasize how strategic variations in linking positions of identical chromophores can markedly enhance OLED device performance, paving the way for innovative material designs in next-generation organic semiconductor technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Optical Materials and Photonic Device Technologies)
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17 pages, 10621 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Structural Characterization, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis, and Evaluation of Nonlinear Optical Properties of Novel Cocrystal of Acridine with 2,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde
by Patryk Nowak and Artur Sikorski
Materials 2025, 18(7), 1492; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071492 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 247
Abstract
A cocrystal of acridine with 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (2:1 stoichiometric ratio) was synthesized, spectrally and structurally characterized using TG, DSC, ATR-FTIR and Single-Crystal XRD methods and Hirshfeld surface analysis, and its nonlinear optical properties were investigated by DFT at the B3LYP/6-311++Glevel. The obtained compound crystallizes [...] Read more.
A cocrystal of acridine with 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (2:1 stoichiometric ratio) was synthesized, spectrally and structurally characterized using TG, DSC, ATR-FTIR and Single-Crystal XRD methods and Hirshfeld surface analysis, and its nonlinear optical properties were investigated by DFT at the B3LYP/6-311++Glevel. The obtained compound crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric P21 monoclinic space group, with two molecules of acridine and one molecule of 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in the asymmetric unit. The strong O(aldehyde)–H⋯N(acridine) and weak C(aldehyde)–H⋯O(aldehyde) and C(aldehyde)–H⋯O(aldehyde) hydrogen bonds, as well as π(acridine)–π(acridine) and C(acridine)–H⋯π(aldehyde) interactions, are present in the crystal lattice of the title compound. The calculated energy gap (ΔE) between the HOMO-LUMO surfaces shows charge transfer interactions due to the π-π* transitions among the molecules. The calculated first and second hyperpolarizability values indicate that obtained cocrystal is a promising candidate for nonlinear optical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Optical Materials and Photonic Device Technologies)
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10 pages, 5038 KiB  
Communication
ITO Meta-Absorber-Loaded Conformal UHF Monopole Antenna with Wide-Angel RCS Reduction
by Pan Lu, Jiuhao Gong, Xiaona Liu, Yuanxi Cao, Anxue Zhang and Sen Yan
Materials 2025, 18(6), 1379; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18061379 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 293
Abstract
In this paper, a conformal UHF antenna with a wide-angle radar cross section (RCS) reduction capability is proposed. The radiator of the design is a planar monopole antenna. Since the large physical size of the antenna in UHF band can generate a scatter [...] Read more.
In this paper, a conformal UHF antenna with a wide-angle radar cross section (RCS) reduction capability is proposed. The radiator of the design is a planar monopole antenna. Since the large physical size of the antenna in UHF band can generate a scatter beam with a large RCS in the high operating frequency of radars and other sensing applications, i.e., the X band, two types of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) meta-absorber are proposed and loaded onto the monopole antenna to suppress the scatter. For the incident beam around the direction orthogonal to the radiator plane, the periodical meta-absorber can realize around a 20 dB RCS reduction in the X band. The incident wave around the parallel direction of the radiator is absorbed by the taper meta-absorber, which can greatly suppress the surface and then reduce the RCS in the horizontal plane. The combined effect means the antenna can achieve a wide-angle RCS reduction. It should be noted that the antenna can still produce a high-efficiency omnidirectional beam after the lossy meta-absorber is loaded. In our opinion, the advantages of the proposed antenna design, including good radiation performance in UHF band and high RCS reduction in X band, make it a suitable candidate for airborne and drone applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Optical Materials and Photonic Device Technologies)
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11 pages, 2625 KiB  
Article
Sodium and Potassium Mixed Effects on the Viscoelastic Behavior of Silicate Glasses
by Fucheng Wu, Yonggang Huang, Haizheng Tao, Peng Jiao, Ziyang Xiao and Jinsheng Jia
Materials 2025, 18(6), 1337; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18061337 - 18 Mar 2025
Viewed by 241
Abstract
This study investigated the viscoelastic behavior and structural evolution of silicate glasses with the molar composition 70SiO2·(30 − x) Na2O·xK2O, where the molar ratio r = x/30 varied between 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75. A notable [...] Read more.
This study investigated the viscoelastic behavior and structural evolution of silicate glasses with the molar composition 70SiO2·(30 − x) Na2O·xK2O, where the molar ratio r = x/30 varied between 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75. A notable “V”-shaped trend in relaxation activation energy (ΔHGt) was observed, with the energy reaching a minimum of 163.14 kJ/mol at r = 0.5. This trend exhibited a synergistic mixed alkali effect that significantly affected the viscoelastic properties of the glass. Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed dynamic structural reorganization within the [SiO4] network, transitioning from Q4 to Q3 for r < 0.5 and reverting to Q4 for r > 0.5 as the K2O content increased. These structural transformations provide atomic-scale evidence for the observed viscoelastic behavior. The findings offer critical insights into the mixed alkali effect on viscoelasticity, establishing a theoretical foundation for optimizing clad materials in optical fiber imaging arrays. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Optical Materials and Photonic Device Technologies)
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10 pages, 3774 KiB  
Article
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding Performance and Photoelectric Characteristics of ZnS Infrared Window
by Liqing Yang, Rongxing Guo, Fei Gao, Yongmao Guan, Mengwen Zhang and Pengfei Wang
Materials 2025, 18(5), 1067; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18051067 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 557
Abstract
ZnS material shows great application prospects in fields such as infrared windows, fairings, and lenses. In this study, a crack template method was developed to prepare gold meshes with random structures on ZnS optical window. The crack template and gold meshes structures were [...] Read more.
ZnS material shows great application prospects in fields such as infrared windows, fairings, and lenses. In this study, a crack template method was developed to prepare gold meshes with random structures on ZnS optical window. The crack template and gold meshes structures were designed from a completely new perspective focusing on the period and line width ratio. Then, four different structural parameters of the gold mesh were fabricated using the crack template method, their ratios of the aperture to line width were 16.1, 17.4, 18.0, and 19.0. The templates’ morphology and structural traits were examined via optical and laser confocal microscopy. The sample with a ratio of aperture to line width of 16.0 had the best connectivity and the highest coverage, at 15.33%, while the sample with a ratio of aperture to line width of 19.0 had the lowest coverage, at 11.64%. Gold meshes were deposited using these templates, where an increase in the aperture-to-line width ratio resulted in average transmittances of 57.1% and 63.2% over the 2–10 μm range. The electromagnetic shielding efficiency surpassed 22.5 dB within the 1–18 GHz range, while the 1#-mesh, with an aperture-to-line width ratio of 16.0, achieved 33.2 dB at 1 GHz. This research endeavor contributes significantly to advancing the understanding of the ZnS glass’ optoelectric performance and enhances their potential for practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Optical Materials and Photonic Device Technologies)
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15 pages, 3365 KiB  
Article
Theoretical Study of Quaternary nBp InGaAsSb SWIR Detectors for Room Temperature Condition
by Tetiana Manyk, Jarosław Rutkowski, Małgorzata Kopytko, Krzysztof Kłos and Piotr Martyniuk
Materials 2024, 17(22), 5482; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17225482 - 10 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 826
Abstract
This paper presents a theoretical analysis of an nBp infrared barrier detector’s performance intended to operate at a room temperature (300 K) based on AIIIBV materials—In1-xGaxAsySb1−y quaternary compound—lattice-matched to the GaSb [...] Read more.
This paper presents a theoretical analysis of an nBp infrared barrier detector’s performance intended to operate at a room temperature (300 K) based on AIIIBV materials—In1-xGaxAsySb1−y quaternary compound—lattice-matched to the GaSb substrate with a p-n heterojunction ternary Al1−xGaxSb barrier. Numerical simulations were performed using a commercial Crosslight Software—package APSYS. The band structure of the nBp detector and the electric field distribution for the p-n heterojunction with and without a potential barrier were determined. The influence of the barrier-doping level on the detector parameters was analyzed. It was shown that Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination plays a decisive role in carrier transport for lifetimes shorter than 100 ns. The influence of the absorber/barrier thickness on the detector’s dark current density and photocurrent was investigated. It was shown that valence band offset does not influence the device’s performance. The quantum efficiency reaches its maximum value for an absorber’s thickness of ~3 μm. The performed simulations confirmed the possibility of the detector’s fabrication exhibiting high performance at room temperature based on quaternary compounds of AIIIBV materials for the short wavelength infrared range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Optical Materials and Photonic Device Technologies)
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