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Feature Papers in Optical Sensors 2026
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Feature Papers in Optical Sensors 2026

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 3791

Editors

Prof. Dr. Gabriele Bolognini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, ISMN Institute, via P Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
Interests: optical fiber sensors; fiber optic communications; lasers; optical amplifiers; integrated optics; photonics and optoelectronics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marilena Giglio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
PolySense Lab—Dipartimento Interateneo di Fisica, University and Politecnico of Bari, Via Amendola 173, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: photoacoustic spectroscopy; gas sensing; environmental monitoring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical sensors are the subject of a large number of studies and applications. Many well-established technologies, including free-space optics, integrated photonics, fiber optics, and spectroscopic approaches, have been developed in recent decades to fabricate and develop increasingly more efficient optical sensors for applications ranging from industrial control to monitoring the environment, in addition to biomedical use and even the Internet of Things.

Following the success of our previous Special Issue, "Feature Papers in Optical Sensors 2025" (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors/special_issues/6I5ML848F9), the purpose of this Special Issue is to publish a set of papers in 2026 that typify the most insightful and influential original articles. Through this Special Issue, our section’s Editorial Board Members are able to discuss key topics in the field, reviewing contributions that demonstrate the advancement of optical sensing technology and that successfully present new and consolidated application areas. Areas of interest include the evaluation of new sensors, new sensing principles, new applications, and new technologies, as well as review papers on the state of the art of well-established technologies for sensing. Topics of interest include group IV photonic sensors, optomechanical sensors, fiber-optic sensors, silicon photonics, plasmonic sensors, metasurfaces, spectroscopic techniques, and other related topics.

Prof. Dr. Gabriele Bolognini
Dr. Marilena Giglio
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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

  • photonic sensors
  • optomechanical sensors
  • fiber-optic sensors
  • silicon photonics
  • plasmonic sensors
  • optoelectronic sensors and devices
  • laser sensing
  • spectroscopy
  • optical diagnostics

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3379 KB  
Article
High-Sensitivity SWIR Photodetector Based on PbS Quantum Dots via Solution-Phase MAPI Ligand Exchange
by Yuntae Ha, JinBeom Kwon, Saewan Kim, Dong Geon Jung and Daewoong Jung
Sensors 2026, 26(11), 3391; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26113391 - 27 May 2026
Viewed by 563
Abstract
The use of LIDAR sensors is rapidly increasing across various fields, including autonomous transportation, robotics, security systems, and biosensing. Among the core components of LIDAR systems, short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors play a crucial role in detecting infrared light reflected from objects to recognize [...] Read more.
The use of LIDAR sensors is rapidly increasing across various fields, including autonomous transportation, robotics, security systems, and biosensing. Among the core components of LIDAR systems, short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors play a crucial role in detecting infrared light reflected from objects to recognize the surrounding environment and humans. Various types of SWIR sensors have been reported, with growing demand for those capable of detecting eye-safe infrared wavelengths above 1400 nm. In particular, quantum dot (QD)-based SWIR sensors are attracting attention due to their tunable wavelength range within the eye-safe region, narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM), and selective detection with minimal interference from other infrared wavelengths. Moreover, QD-based SWIR photodetectors can be synthesized and fabricated via solution-based methods, offering advantages such as low cost and ease of fabrication. However, the long organic ligands typically present on QDs exhibit insulating properties, limiting the sensitivity and stability of the photodetectors. To address this issue, organic ligands can be replaced with short inorganic ligands possessing superior electrical conductivity. In this study, the organic ligands of synthesized PbS QDs were replaced with the inorganic ligand methylammonium lead iodide (MAPI) in solution, and a SWIR photodetector was fabricated. The MAPI-capped PbS QD-based photodetector exhibited remarkable external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 62%, a responsivity of 0.73 A/W, and a detectivity of 2.26 × 1011 Jones within the 1400–1500 nm wavelength range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Optical Sensors 2026)
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15 pages, 2900 KB  
Article
A Tunable Catadioptric Spectrometer with Bragg-Condition-Preserving Rotation for High-Resolution Spectroscopy
by Zhongyi Yao, Shuoying Ren, Xinbing Wang and Duluo Zuo
Sensors 2026, 26(9), 2761; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26092761 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 490
Abstract
High-throughput and compact volume phase holographic (VPH) grating transmission spectrometers are widely employed in scientific research, agriculture, and industrial applications. Conventional transmission spectrometers generally adopt a fixed configuration and therefore have limitations in simultaneously achieving high spectral resolution and broad wavelength coverage. To [...] Read more.
High-throughput and compact volume phase holographic (VPH) grating transmission spectrometers are widely employed in scientific research, agriculture, and industrial applications. Conventional transmission spectrometers generally adopt a fixed configuration and therefore have limitations in simultaneously achieving high spectral resolution and broad wavelength coverage. To address the limited tunability of transmission spectrometers, this work presents the theoretical analysis and experimental validation of a transmission spectrometer incorporating a novel catadioptric grating assembly, which consists of a transmitting VPH and a planar reflector. A catadioptric system is a combination of reflective (catoptric) and refractive (dioptric) elements. In the proposed configuration, a VPH grating and a plane mirror arranged at a fixed 90° angle form the catadioptric dispersion module. Synchronous rotation of this assembly enables wavelength scanning. The structure ensures that the diffracted ray along the optical axis of the imaging lens maintains the Bragg condition across the scanning range, thereby preserving maximum diffraction efficiency. The optical configuration and structural parameters of the spectrometer were theoretically derived, and a prototype spectrometer with an f-number of 1.8 employing a 2400 g/mm grating was constructed. Measurements demonstrate that, when the rotation angle is tuned from 30.5° to 50.5°, the accessible spectral range covers from 410 nm to 650 nm. Spectral response measurements using a tungsten–halogen light source confirm that the spectrometer maintains an acceptable diffraction efficiency across the entire tuning range. The measured spectral resolution is 0.1 nm at 626 nm with a 2400 g/mm grating and 0.18 nm with a 1500 g/mm grating. The spectrometer was further applied to fiber-enhanced gas Raman spectroscopy, where it successfully resolved the closely spaced Raman peaks of CH4 and C2H6 that are difficult to distinguish using conventional compact spectrometers. These results demonstrate that the proposed tunable catadioptric spectrometer simultaneously provides excellent wavelength tunability and high spectral resolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Optical Sensors 2026)
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Review

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30 pages, 23783 KB  
Review
Recent Progress in Silicon-Based On-Chip Integrated Infrared Photodetectors
by Yu He, Hongling Peng, Peng Cao, Zeyu Wang, Jiaqi Wei, Chunxu Song, Wanhua Zheng and Qiandong Zhuang
Sensors 2026, 26(4), 1125; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26041125 - 9 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2075
Abstract
Infrared (IR) photodetectors are indispensable to modern optoelectronic systems, ranging from night vision imaging, surveillance, and industrial process control to environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics. However, traditional detectors based on bulk semiconductors are constrained by prohibitive fabrication costs and the stringent requirement for [...] Read more.
Infrared (IR) photodetectors are indispensable to modern optoelectronic systems, ranging from night vision imaging, surveillance, and industrial process control to environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics. However, traditional detectors based on bulk semiconductors are constrained by prohibitive fabrication costs and the stringent requirement for bulky cryogenic cooling, which severely hinders their widespread deployment in Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP)-sensitive scenarios. Silicon-based on-chip integration, leveraging compatibility with mature CMOS processes, has emerged as a transformative paradigm. It enables the realization of fully functional photonic integrated circuits (PICs) capable of on-chip sensing and high-speed data transmission, offering a pathway toward miniaturized and cost-effective architectures. This article provides a review of recent progress in silicon-based infrared photodetectors across three core material systems: Group IV (Ge/GeSn), III–V compounds, and two-dimensional (2D) materials. In the end, we offer an outlook on the development trends of next-generation intelligent sensing systems driven by optoelectronic convergence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Optical Sensors 2026)
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