AI for Photonics: Intelligent Imaging, Learning-Driven Optics, and Photonic Computing

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Data-Science Based Techniques in Photonics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 766

Special Issue Editors

Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Theranostics and Medical Instrumentation, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (SIBET), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
Interests: AI for photonics; lensless fiber endomicroscopy; digital holography; optical trapping; optical tomography; wavefront shaping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Key Laboratory on Adaptive Optics, Institute of Optics and Electronics, Chinese Academy of Science, Chengdu, China
Interests: adaptive optics; wavefront sensing; laser communication; flow measurements
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Laboratory of Measurement and Sensor System Technique, TU Dresden, Helmholtzstrasse 18, 01069 Dresden, Sachsen, Germany
Interests: intelligent photonics; physics-informed deep learning; multimode fiber; optical computing; wavefront shaping; optical communication

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

AI for photonics replaces handcrafted optics with learning-driven design and closed-loop control, delivering faster development and robust performance in complex environments. It enables inverse-designed devices, adaptive wavefront shaping, intelligent imaging, and reliable control of nonlinear/high-power lasers—shrinking the gap from lab prototypes to real-world systems.

This Special Issue on “AI for Photonics: Intelligent Imaging, Learning-Driven Optics, and Photonic Computing” welcomes basic, methodological, and applied contributions, as regular and review papers, covering (but not limited to):

  • Development and validation of AI-enhanced microscopic or imaging instruments;
  • Modelling of light–matter interactions and learning-based methods;
  • Processing of multidimensional optical data using machine-learning methods;
  • Development of multimodal, multispectral, and multiscale approaches;
  • Advancement of adaptive optics and wavefront shaping in complex media and links;
  • Optical computing methods or optical neural networks.

We look forward to contributions that connect rigorous physical modelling with data-driven intelligence, and that demonstrate compelling progress from fundamental concepts to robust, real-world photonic systems.

Dr. Jiawei Sun
Dr. Zhaohong Liu
Dr. Zeyu Gao
Dr. Qian Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • AI for photonics and learning-driven optics
  • inverse design and differentiable photonics
  • adaptive optics and wavefront sensing or shaping
  • digital holography and computational imaging
  • lensless and fiber endomicroscopy
  • optical tomography and quantitative phase imaging
  • optical neural networks and photonic computing
  • nonlinear optics and high-power or solid-state lasers
  • stimulated Brillouin scattering and Raman sensing
  • physics-informed machine learning and digital twins

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

20 pages, 26650 KB  
Review
Advancements in Optical Diffraction Neural Networks
by Tianyu Han, Jiawei Sun and Xibin Yang
Photonics 2025, 12(12), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12121187 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 664
Abstract
Optical diffraction neural networks (ODNNs) represent a promising advancement in computational optics, with significant potential for applications in image classification, image reconstruction, and biomedical imaging. By using the principles of light diffraction for neural network computations, ODNNs enable low-power, real-time data processing without [...] Read more.
Optical diffraction neural networks (ODNNs) represent a promising advancement in computational optics, with significant potential for applications in image classification, image reconstruction, and biomedical imaging. By using the principles of light diffraction for neural network computations, ODNNs enable low-power, real-time data processing without the need for traditional electronic computing units. This review provides an overview of the foundational concepts behind ODNNs, starting with the principles of artificial neurons and progressing to the specific implementation of optical diffraction in neural network architectures. We examine recent advancements in key components of ODNNs, including optical signal processing, activation functions, and training algorithms. Additionally, we highlight the practical applications of ODNNs in areas such as signal analysis, optical imaging, image processing, and high-dimensional optical communications. This paper concludes with a discussion of the current challenges and future directions for ODNN research, emphasizing the potential for overcoming existing limitations and further expanding their capabilities. Full article
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