Laser Technology and Applications, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Since its first demonstration by Theodore Maiman in 1960, laser technology has fundamentally transformed the landscape of basic research, industrial innovation, and societal progress. The advent of femtosecond lasers in the 1980s enabled the direct observation of ultrafast atomic and molecular dynamics. The subsequent maturation of high-power fiber lasers in the 2000s revolutionized industrial manufacturing and defense systems. The breakthrough of optical frequency comb technology opened new frontiers in precision metrology and quantum communication. Most recently, the demonstration of the first attosecond soft X-ray laser in 2025 marked a historic leap in humanity’s ability to probe the most extreme transient processes in nature. These milestones collectively embody the enduring scientific pursuit of excellence.

Amidst the accelerating trend toward deep interdisciplinary integration and multi-scenario applications, the rapid advancement of laser technology has also breathed new life into fields such as atomic physics, astronomy, biology, materials science, and mechanical engineering. Excimer lasers and carbon dioxide (CO₂) lasers are widely applied in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography for semiconductor manufacturing at 3 nm and below, as well as in the field of high-precision material ablation. Solid-state lasers continue to push the limits of peak power and pulse energy, with petawatt-class facilities actively supporting inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research and high-energy physics experiments. Meanwhile, laser guide star systems installed on large telescopes have made possible the direct detection of exoplanets and detailed observations of distant galaxies. The revival of hollow-core fiber technology has triggered a paradigm shift in fiber laser architectures. Kilowatt- to megawatt-class continuous-wave (CW) fiber lasers have become ubiquitous in advanced manufacturing, and their deployment in welding and cutting processes for new energy vehicle production has driven a sustained annual demand growth of approximately 20%. Intelligent laser workstations integrated with artificial intelligence are now the mainstream configuration in high-end manufacturing ecosystems. Driven by the stringent demands of semiconductor chip etching, micro–nano structure fabrication, and pixel-level processing of display panels, ultrafast fiber lasers—spanning picosecond, femtosecond, and emerging attosecond regimes—continue to undergo rapid iteration and performance enhancement. As the most integrated and widely used type of laser, semiconductor lasers have achieved initial breakthroughs in overcoming the bottlenecks of beam divergence and spectral noise, opening up new paths for applications in FMCW lidar and 6G space optical communication. Concurrently, the monolithic integration of semiconductor lasers with CMOS circuits, spectral extension into the mid-infrared band for biochemical sensing and environmental monitoring, and the development of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for quantum computing and high-speed data center interconnects represent the most dynamic research frontiers in the field.

As laser technology enters a new era defined by higher power, higher brightness, shorter pulse durations, narrower linewidths, and broader wavelength coverage from extreme ultraviolet to mid-infrared, the convergence of laser technology with artificial intelligence, quantum science, and materials engineering will unlock unprecedented opportunities. This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest breakthroughs in laser technology and its diverse applications, bringing together researchers in this field to share innovative ideas, cutting-edge achievements, and forward-looking perspectives. We cordially invite submissions that will push the boundaries of laser science and technology, addressing (but not limited to) the following areas:

• High-power semiconductor lasers with advanced integration technologies;
• Attosecond atomic X-ray lasers and their applications;
• Ultrafast fiber lasers for micro-nano processing and biomedicine;
• Laser-based quantum computing and quantum communication;
• Laser applications in aerospace and new energy manufacturing;
• Mid-infrared lasers for environmental sensing and defense;
• Laser additive manufacturing and advanced materials processing;
• Laser-based biophotonics and medical technologies;
• High-energy laser defense systems and their engineering challenges;
• Heterogeneous integration of laser devices with CMOS and photonics platforms.

Dr. Li Zhong
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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