Ultrafast Optics: From Fundamental Science to Applications

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 64

Special Issue Editor

School of Instrumentation and Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Interests: ultrafast lasers; optical frequency combs; nanophotonics; laser photonics; metasurface optics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ultrafast optics provide a key observation method for revealing the transient dynamic behavior of photons. Boasting extreme temporal manipulation capabilities, multidimensional spatiotemporal modulation, and ultrahigh measurement precision, ultrafast optics demonstrates immense application potential in optical communication, environmental monitoring, spectroscopy, material processing, biomedicine, and other fields.

In an era marked by groundbreaking advancements in photonics, ultrafast optics stands at the forefront of transformative technology, poised to redefine both scientific inquiry and practical innovation. Currently, further research is essential to advance both the fundamental science and practical applications of ultrafast optics. For fundamental science, it is imperative to systematically investigate the nonlinear dynamic evolution mechanisms in pulsed laser systems. Meanwhile, the regulatory mechanisms of how metasurfaces act on optical fields to achieve on-demand dynamic control of optical field characteristics also need to be explored. In terms of applications, enabled by these characteristics, ultrafast lasers are adopted in different technologies, each of which presents its own challenges. For example, optical frequency combs have important application value in the field of spectroscopy due to their excellent time domain and frequency domain characteristics. However, conventional optical frequency combs require bulky laser architectures that impose fundamental limitations on cost, power efficiency, and system integration, necessitating the development of chip-scale microcavity optical frequency combs with compact nonlinear photonic engineering.

This Special Issue aims to present an informative and inspiring collection of articles on fundamental science and applications in ultrafast optics. Research reports and reviews are both welcomed, and researchers are invited to submit their contributions to this Special Issue on topics that include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Ultrafast photonics;
  • Laser photonics;
  • Nanophotonics;
  • Metasurface optics;
  • Fiber optics;
  • Nonlinear dynamics;
  • On-chip microcavity;
  • Optical frequency combs;
  • Laser absorption spectroscopy.

Dr. Bo Fu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • ultrafast photonics
  • laser photonics
  • nanophotonics
  • metasurface optics
  • fiber optics
  • nonlinear dynamics
  • on-chip microcavity
  • optical frequency combs
  • laser absorption spectroscopy

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