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Micromachines
Special Issues
Micro-Nano Photonics: From Design and Fabrication to Application
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Micro-Nano Photonics: From Design and Fabrication to Application

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A1: Optical MEMS and Photonic Microsystems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 2053

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jin-Kun Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Interests: flexible photonic devices; laser micro/nanomachining; displays
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Tianzi Shen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Instrument Science and Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
Interests: nanomaterials; displays
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chaoping Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Interests: augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR); wearable displays; biomimetic devices; vision sciences

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The macroscopic functionality of optical and photonic devices is governed not only by material composition, but also crucially by the deliberate design of micro/nanoarchitectures. Precisely engineered structures such as photonic crystals, metasurfaces, and liquid-crystal systems allow for the sophisticated manipulation of light–matter interactions, enabling unprecedented control over wavefront dynamics, polarization states, and phase modulation. These capabilities have unlocked groundbreaking advances in high-resolution imaging, cross-disciplinary optical applications, and next-generation displays (e.g., AR, VR, holography, and micro-LED). While micro/nanofabrication bridges theoretical designs with functional devices, critical challenges persist in hybrid-material processing, precision alignment, field-driven reconfigurability, and scalable manufacturing. Overcoming these bottlenecks is essential for realizing the full transformative potential of micro/nanophotonic systems.

Accordingly, this Special Issue welcomes contributions that focus on (1) novel fabrication strategies—ranging from laser-based techniques and advanced lithography to self-assembly, 3D printing, microfluidics, and hybrid methodologies—geared toward realizing emergent photonic functionalities, and (2) cutting-edge applications of micro/nanoarchitectures spanning consumer electronics, industrial instrumentation, defense systems, and space technologies.

Dr. Jin-Kun Guo
Prof. Dr. Tianzi Shen
Dr. Chaoping Chen
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. 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.

Keywords

  • micro/nanophotonics
  • laser micro/nanomachining
  • optical design
  • liquid crystals
  • metasurfaces
  • fabrication techniques
  • displays
  • integrated imaging
  • adaptive optics
  • liquid lenses

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2469 KB  
Article
Tuning Multi-Wavelength Reflection Properties of Porous Silicon Bragg Reflectors Using Silver-Nanoparticle-Assisted Electrochemical Etching
by Sheng-Yang Huang, Hsiao-Han Hsu, Amal Muhammed Musthafa, I-An Lin, Chia-Man Chou and Vincent K. S. Hsiao
Micromachines 2025, 16(11), 1198; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16111198 - 22 Oct 2025
Viewed by 345
Abstract
This study proposes an innovative silver-nanoparticle-assisted electrochemical etching method for the fabrication of porous silicon Bragg reflectors with multi-wavelength reflection characteristics. By introducing silver nanoparticles at varying concentrations (0.1–10 mg/mL) into the conventional HF–ethanol electrolyte and applying periodically modulated current densities (40/100 mA/cm [...] Read more.
This study proposes an innovative silver-nanoparticle-assisted electrochemical etching method for the fabrication of porous silicon Bragg reflectors with multi-wavelength reflection characteristics. By introducing silver nanoparticles at varying concentrations (0.1–10 mg/mL) into the conventional HF–ethanol electrolyte and applying periodically modulated current densities (40/100 mA/cm2), the transition from single-peak to multi-peak reflection spectra was successfully achieved. The results demonstrate that at a concentration of 10 mg/mL silver nanoparticles, up to four distinct reflection bands can be obtained. A systematic investigation was conducted on the influence of etching cycles (4–20 cycles) and silver nanoparticle concentration on the optical performance and microstructure. SEM analysis revealed well-defined periodic multilayer structures, while XPS analysis confirmed the presence of metallic silver on the porous silicon surface. This work provides a simple, controllable, and cost-effective approach to the development of multifunctional photonic devices, with promising applications in laser optics, solar cells, chemical sensing, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro-Nano Photonics: From Design and Fabrication to Application)
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34 pages, 8759 KB  
Article
Robust and Compact Electrostatic Comb Drive Arrays for High-Performance Monolithic Silicon Photonics
by Mohammadreza Fasihanifard and Muthukumaran Packirisamy
Micromachines 2025, 16(10), 1102; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101102 - 28 Sep 2025
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Actuating monolithic photonic components (particularly slab waveguides) requires higher force due to their inherent stiffness. However, two primary constraints must be addressed: actuator footprint and fabrication limits. Increasing the number of fingers to provide the required force is not a viable solution due [...] Read more.
Actuating monolithic photonic components (particularly slab waveguides) requires higher force due to their inherent stiffness. However, two primary constraints must be addressed: actuator footprint and fabrication limits. Increasing the number of fingers to provide the required force is not a viable solution due to space constraints, and we must also adhere to the process design kits of standard fabrications and respect their design limits. Therefore, it is crucial to increase the actuator force output without significantly enlarging the actuator footprint while maintaining the necessary travel range. In order to achieve this, we utilize arrays of electrostatic comb drives, with each repeating cell geometry optimized to produce the highest force per actuator footprint. Our optimization strategy focuses on finger geometry, the arrangement of fingers and arms design in the comb structure, including the number of fingers per arm and arm length, ensuring that each repeating cell delivers maximum force per unit area or force intensity. Co-optimizing a repeatable, footprint-optimized comb-array unit cell (arm length, arm width, finger pitch, finger count) and validating it against an asymmetric slab waveguide load, we reach a maximum pre-pull-in force intensity of about 342 N m−2 at 70 V with about 6 µm travel, confirmed by analytical modeling, numerical simulation, and measurement. Despite fabrication challenges such as over-etching and variations in electrode dimensions, detailed SEM analyses and correction functions ensure that the theoretical models closely match the experimental data, confirming the robustness and accuracy of the design. These optimized actuators, capable of achieving substantial force output without sacrificing travel range or mechanical stability, are particularly effective for applications in optical beam steering for in-plane silicon-photonics and related optical microsystems applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro-Nano Photonics: From Design and Fabrication to Application)
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Review

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34 pages, 4932 KB  
Review
Recent Progress in Liquid Microlenses and Their Arrays for Adaptive and Applied Optical Systems
by Siyu Lu, Zheyuan Cao, Jinzhong Ling, Ying Yuan, Xin Liu, Xiaorui Wang and Jin-Kun Guo
Micromachines 2025, 16(10), 1158; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16101158 - 13 Oct 2025
Viewed by 811
Abstract
Liquid microlenses and their arrays (LMLAs) have emerged as a transformative platform in adaptive optics, offering superior reconfigurability, compactness, and fast response compared to conventional solid-state lenses. This review summarizes recent progress from an application-oriented perspective, focusing on actuation mechanisms, fabrication strategies, and [...] Read more.
Liquid microlenses and their arrays (LMLAs) have emerged as a transformative platform in adaptive optics, offering superior reconfigurability, compactness, and fast response compared to conventional solid-state lenses. This review summarizes recent progress from an application-oriented perspective, focusing on actuation mechanisms, fabrication strategies, and functional performance. Among actuation mechanisms, electric-field-driven approaches are highlighted, including electrowetting for shape tuning and liquid crystal-based refractive-index tuning techniques. The former excels in tuning range and response speed, whereas the latter enables programmable wavefront control with lower optical aberrations but limited efficiency. Notably, double-emulsion configurations, with fast interfacial actuation and inherent structural stability, demonstrate great potential for highly integrated optical components. Fabrication methodologies—including semiconductor-derived processes, additive manufacturing, and dynamic molding—are evaluated, revealing trade-offs among scalability, structural complexity, and cost. Functionally, advances in focal length tuning, field-of-view expansion, depth-of-field extension, and aberration correction have been achieved, though strong coupling among these parameters still constrains system-level performance. Looking forward, innovations in functional materials, hybrid fabrication, and computational imaging are expected to mitigate these constraints. These developments will accelerate applications in microscopy, endoscopy, AR/VR displays, industrial inspection, and machine vision, while paving the way for intelligent photonic systems that integrate adaptive optics with machine learning for real-time control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro-Nano Photonics: From Design and Fabrication to Application)
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