Advancements in Metasurface-Based Optical and Optoelectronic Sensors
A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 January 2026 | Viewed by 288
Special Issue Editors
2. Optics and Optometry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: semiconductor device physics; photovoltaics; material characterization; thin film fabrication; electrical characterization; nanoelectronics; solar energy materials; nanomaterials; comsol multiphysics; nanophotonics
Interests: optical antennas; metamaterials; biosensing; solar cells; thermopiles
Interests: optics, nanophotonics and diffractive optics; applied optics; optical engineering
2. Instituto Universitario de Ciencia de Materiales Nicolás Cabrera, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: electrochromic smart window devices; crystalline silicon solar cells; phototransistors, biosensors, and nanostructured electrodes used for optoelectronic devices; flexible strain sensors
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Optical sensors represent a powerful class of label-free detection platforms capable of monitoring chemical, physical, and biological interactions as well as compositional changes. These devices operate by acquiring optical or optoelectronic signals, enabling real-time, high-sensitivity measurement without the need for fluorescent or radioactive labeling. Their underlying mechanism relies on the detection of variations in light properties—such as intensity, wavelength, phase, or polarization—in response to analyte binding or environmental changes.
Recent advancements in metasurfaces and nanomaterials have significantly enhanced the performance of optical sensors. Metasurfaces, with their engineered subwavelength structures, and nanomaterials, such as plasmonic nanoparticles, quantum dots, and 2D materials (e.g., graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides), can generate strong optical resonances and narrow spectral responses. These features improve sensitivity, selectivity, and signal-to-noise ratios, enabling detection at ultra-low concentrations (down to single-molecule levels).
The widespread adoption of optical sensors stems from their seamless integrability, high performance, and versatility in enabling various functionalities. To ensure reliable operation under diverse conditions, these sensors can be engineered to account for environmental and operational variables, including temperature varations, spectral characteristics, and electronic signal variations—expanding their utility across numerous use cases. Through the strategic integration of metasurfaces and nanophotonic engineering, optical sensors continue to push the boundaries of innovation, paving the way for smarter, more adaptive sensing solutions.
The integration of these advanced materials has expanded the applications of optical sensors across diverse fields, including
- Environmental and chemical detection (e.g., gas sensing, pollutant monitoring);
- Biomedical diagnostics (e.g., disease biomarkers, DNA hybridization, pathogen detection);
- Spectroscopy and imaging (e.g., surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging);
- Industrial and security applications (e.g., food quality control, explosive detection).
Moreover, these innovations have facilitated the development of multifunctional sensor platforms capable of simultaneously detecting multiple analytes or physical properties (e.g., temperature, refractive index, strain) using a single device. Such integrated systems enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and open new possibilities for smart sensing technologies in the Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, and point-of-care diagnostics.
Future directions in optical sensing include the incorporation of machine learning for data analysis, flexible and biocompatible sensor designs, and on-chip photonic integration, further pushing the boundaries of sensitivity, miniaturization, and real-world applicability.
Dr. Mahmoud Hamdy Mohamed Elshorbagy
Dr. Alexander Cuadrado
Prof. Dr. Javier Alda
Dr. Rehab Ramadan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- optical sensors
- optoelectronic sensing
- metasurfaces
- nanomaterials
- nanophotonics
- 2D materials
- quantum dots
- plasmonic
- spectroscopy and imaging
- environmental detection
- chemical detection
- biomedical diagnostics
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