Applications & Technology (A&T) – demonstration and application of new evolving optical technologies and instrumentation to address problems in the medical, environmental, energy, and manufacturing industrial arenas.

A&T offers a forum for the presentation of the latest advances in optical engineering and its application to real world problems. Based on scientific discovery, engineering progress in maturing and implementing technology is presented. We encourage engineers to submit a paper for consideration to present. Emphasis is placed on uniqueness, impact of the work and how the work advanced the state of the art.

1. Biomedical Applications
2. Laser-based Manufacturing, Machining and Nanoprinting
3. Optical Instrumentation for Measurements and Monitoring
4. Environmental Sensing Applications of Optical Measurements and Instrumentation
5. Quantum Technology in Transition
6. Advances in Semiconductor Technology

Fundamental Science (FS) - involves the theoretical and experimental investigation of the fundamental properties of materials,  radiation interactions, and other physical phenomena using light. Representative areas include; quantum phenomena, nano-optics and photonics, plasmonics, high-field physics/attoscience, and metamaterials/complex media etc.

1. Quantum Optics of Atoms, Molecules and Solids
2. Quantum Information and Communication
3. Quantum Photonics
4. Optical Excitations and Ultrafast Phenomena in Condensed Matter
5. Nonlinear Optics and Novel Phenomena
6. Nano-Optics and Plasmonics
7. Ultrafast Science of Attosecond, X-Ray Free-Electron-Laser, and Ultra-Intense Light
8. Metamaterials and Complex Media

Science & Innovations (S&I) – includes the early development and demonstration of new optical devices and radiation sources, the use of optical technologies to probe and/or modify materials, environment, etc. and the development and application of novel metrology approaches based of optical techniques.

1. Light-Matter Interactions and Materials Processing
2. Laser Systems and Facilities
3. Semiconductor Lasers
4. Nonlinear Optical Technologies
5. Terahertz Science and Technology
6. Optical Materials, Fabrication and Characterization
7. Micro- and Nano-Photonic Devices
8. Ultrafast Optics and Applications
9. Photonic Integration
10. Photonic Innovations for Biological Sciences
11. Fiber Photonics: Novel Phenomena, Lasers, Systems and Fabrication
12. Lightwave Communications and Optical Networks
13. Active Optical Sensing
14. Optical Metrology
15. Quantum and Atomic Devices and Instrumentation

Applications & Technology

1. Biomedical Applications
2. Laser-based Micro-machining for Industrial Applications
3. Optical Instrumentation for Measurements and Monitoring
4. Environmental Sensing Applications of Optical Measurements and Instrumentation
5. Quantum Technology in Transition
6. Advances in Semiconductor Technology

A&T 1 Biomedical Applications

This sub-committee seeks original submissions highlighting the recent progress and trends in developing leading-edge technologies and scientific advancements in photonics for applications in medicine and healthcare. In addition to entries from academic and research institutions, we also encourage strong global participation from industry, startups and government labs. Example topics and areas, but not limited to, are following:

• Biomedical Imaging and Sensing Technologies: advances in lasers and incoherent light sources, optical systems, devices, signal processing, imaging agents
• Imaging for Preclinical Research: advances in structural, molecular and functional imaging of cells, tissue, organs etc. with range of advanced optical microscopic imaging techniques (nonlinear, multiphoton, photoacoustic, fluorescence, spectroscopic)
• Clinical Technologies and Systems: optical coherence imaging systems and techniques (OCT), optical endoscopy, ophthalmic imaging, newer photonics based applications and medical devices in healthcare
• Diagnostics: innovations in system design, multimodality imaging and sensing techniques,  point-of-care diagnostics, ultra-compact or wearable sensors, leveraging advanced algorithms such as machine learning, AI for photonics devices, clinical trials of biophotonics technologies
• Photonics based Therapeutics: surgical or therapeutic applications of lasers, photobiomodulation and laser tissue interactions, ultrashort laser therapeutics, multi-functional materials, novel delivery systems, in-vitro/in-vivo systems, optically controlled methods, robotic and image guided surgery
• Novel Biophotonics Technologies and Applications: nano-bio photonics, neurophotonics, lab-on-a-chip or low resource setting techniques, medical tools and devices

A&T 2 Laser-based Manufacturing, Machining and Nanoprinting 

Papers in this category should be directly related to laser-based machining for industrial applications, such as material ablation, welding, surface modification, fabrication of functional devices and additive manufacturing, including novel methods, laser systems, models, processes, and in-situ metrology. Example topics include but not limited to:

• Novel or improved micro-machining laser sources, beam delivery, beam shaping, wavefront control, laser-material interaction models, and diagnostic systems that can monitor the interaction process.
• Advanced laser machining and 3D nanoprinting techniques for emerging material processing and additive manufacturing
• New manufacturing methods and products that enable laser-modified surfaces or bulk materials
• Metrology and sensing methods for laser-based subtractive and/or additive fabrication processes and manufacturing equipment

A&T 3 Optical Instrumentation for Measurements and Monitoring

This sub-committee seeks original submissions on optical instruments and techniques for measuring and monitoring in a variety of application and technology fields. Such optical techniques could include, but are not limited to spectroscopy, imaging, velocimetry, fiber optic sensing, and standoff detection.  Emphasis should be placed on maturing technology with real world application and operation in the following areas:

• Industrial process monitoring (compliance/tolerance, composition, safety)
• Combustion diagnostics (species, temperature, pressure, velocity)
• Metrology (distance, temperature, composition, laser beam characterization)
• Structural health monitoring (stress/strain, vibration, temperature)
• Security applications (chemical/biological/explosive threat detection)
• Tomography (3D sensing/imaging, transmitter/detector technology)

A&T 4 Environmental Sensing Applications of Optical Measurements and Instrumentation

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in the field of optical devices and instrumentation as applied to environmental sensing and characterization. Example topics include:

• Optical measurements of greenhouse gases, air pollutants, or dissolved gases: Measurements and instrumentation to improve measurement accuracy, reduce measurement costs, and improve our understanding of sources and sinks
• Agri-photonics: Optical measurements and instrumentation to support increased efficiency in agriculture, to facilitate novel smart farming techniques and to reduce agricultural emissions of greenhouse gasses and air pollutants
• Optical measurements of species important for the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles
• Optical measurements in the energy sector: Measurements and instrumentation to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, such as sensors for detection of natural gas or to support the emerging hydrogen economy
• Remote sensing of the atmosphere or environment including satellite and airborne platforms
• Field experiments or field data to address key environmental issues
• Novel applications of optical devices for environmental state parameters
• Remote sensing/LiDAR (reconnaissance, bio-chem, agricultural and mineral sensing)

A&T5 Quantum Technology in Transition

Based on the increased understanding and active control of quantum phenomena we are now able to transition scientific discovery in the quantum world into technology and applications for the marketplace. A very active scene of start-up, early-stage and established companies has emerged pushing the Technology Readiness Level from proof of concept demonstrations to market viable and application ready solutions.

The contributions to this session will address the underlying technology of those solutions, related engineering implementations and challenges, as well as business models and the potential for commercial success in using quantum devices. A key objective is to establish a lively and open platform for critical exchange between scientists and engineers of the emerging industry and their peers in academia and national laboratories. Topics include but are not limited to:

• Quantum Communication and Key Distribution (Terrestrial and Space based)
• Quantum and Quantum Enhanced Imaging
• Quantum Metrology (including optical clocks)
• Quantum Sensing in real life applications (e.g. Quantum Gravimeter, Quantum Magnetometer)
• Quantum Computing (Engineering Implementations and Scaling)
• Quantum Technology in Space or other extreme environmental conditions (e.g. cold atoms in space, or quantum devices for marine applications)
• Verification, Quality Control and Standards for Quantum devices
• Quantum enabling technologies (e.g. light sources, detectors, cooling technologies, microwave devices, quantum control systems and architecture )
• Quantum technology as a business model

A&T 6 Advances in Semiconductor Technology

Over several decades, semiconductor laser light source and detector technology have been transformed from fundamental areas of research into rapidly evolving applications and products. This subcommittee will present recent progress in the development of novel semiconductor based devices and technologies in a broad wavelength range as well as insight into metrology issues, scanner/source improvements and the integration for fabrication and inspection of broader semiconductor products.

Topics include:

• Quantum-well, wire, dash and dot lasers and devices
• Laser dynamics
• MID-IR and Quantum Cascade lasers
• Ultrashort pulse lasers
• Novel light sources (UV, VUV, EUV, x-ray)
• VCSELs/VECSELs and superlattice structures
• UV and visible diode lasers and LEDs
• Compact THz sources and applications
• Silicon photonics
• Group IV Photonics
• Novel semiconductor-based devices and applications: sensors, lidars, etc.
• Biophotonics and emerging applications

Fundamental Science

1. Quantum Optics of Atoms, Molecules and Solids
2. Quantum Information and Communication
3. Quantum Photonics
4. Optical Excitations and Ultrafast Phenomena in Condensed Matter
5. Nonlinear Optics and Novel Phenomena
6. Nano-Optics and Plasmonics
7. Ultrafast Science of Attosecond, X-Ray Free-Electron-Laser, and Ultra-Intense Light
8. Metamaterials and Complex Media  

 FS 1: Quantum Optics of Atoms, Molecules and Solids

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in the general area of atomic, molecular and optical physics that address quantum state characterization, quantum interactions and their applications. Contributions involving quantum dots, color centers and superconductors are encouraged, in addition to those concerning neutral atoms, ions, and molecules. Example topics include but are not limited to:

• Matter-light entanglement, quantum light sources and quantum interferometry, slow/fast light and stationary states of light
• Quantum memories and quantum repeaters
• Entangled two-photon absorption spectroscopy
• Optical characterization of quantum states of matter including matter-matter entanglement
• Novel quantum precision measurement systems and optical frequency standards
• Laser cooling and trapping, cold molecules, trapped ions, optical lattices, cold collisions, degenerate atomic gases, atom optics
• Physics of single quantum emitters: atoms, molecules, quantum dots, color centers.
• Quantum optomechanics, photon-phonon interactions
• Quantum transduction and frequency conversion in atomic, molecular or optomechanical systems

FS 2: Quantum Information and Communication

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in the area of the processing of quantum information with photonics, including enabling photonic technologies for quantum communications, functionalities and applications  of quantum networks and advances in quantum simulation and sensing.

• Fundamental studies of non-classical states of light
• Creation, manipulation and distribution of entangled states
• Quantum communications and cryptography 
• Architecture, topology and functionalities of quantum networks
• Quantum computation and communication protocols and algorithms
• Photonic quantum processors
• Quantum simulations and machine learning
• Quantum metrology and sensing

FS 3: Quantum Photonics

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in generation, detection, characterization and application of faint light, including single-photon and few-photon quantum states as well as supporting optical technologies for their realization. 

• Single-photon and entangled-photon sources, integration, and characterization
• Single-photon detectors, electronics, and time-taggers
• Photon-counting and photon-number resolved faint-light measurements
• Photon-counting and quantum imaging
• Quantum-enabled measurements and characterization of nonclassical states
• Quantum frequency conversion and quantum interconnects

FS 4: Optical Excitations and Ultrafast Phenomena in Condensed Matter

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in the general area of optical processes in condensed matter systems such as quantum wells, wires and dots, graphene and nanotubes, metals, insulators, organics, magnetic materials, and superconductors. Example topics include but are not limited to:
 

• Nonlinear optics in condensed matter and nonlinear phenomena in the THz region
• Continuous-wave and time-resolved optical spectroscopy of elementary and collective excitations, including excitons, magnons, phonons, and polaritons
• Low-energy phenomena at GHz, THz, and infrared frequencies, including cyclotron resonance, cyclotron resonance, gap dynamics and intersubband transitions
• Ultrafast and nonlinear optical phenomena in condensed matter, including strongly driven systems, non-perturbative light-matter coupling, and optically induced reversible structural changes
• Coherent control of condensed matter systems

FS 5: Nonlinear Optics and Novel Phenomena

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in the general area of nonlinear optics and associated novel optical phenomena, encompassing a broad range of material systems and wavelengths. Example topics include but are not limited to:

• Nonlinear optics in fluids, gases, and plasmas
• New nonlinear optical materials, devices and nonlinear plasmonics
• Supercontinuum phenomena, optical combs, UV and X-ray generation
• Nonlinear dynamics of light, including solitons, vortices, light bullets, and related phenomena
• Optics of few-cycle light pulses
• Self-accelerating beams and novel beam shaping techniques
• Nonlinear optics in photonic crystals, waveguide arrays, nano-cavities, nonlinear optical resonators, slow light media, soft-matter, metamaterials, PT and other synthetic structures or materials
• Local field effects, near-field and sub-wavelength linear and nonlinear optics, and single-photon nonlinear optics
• Novel linear and nonlinear surface phenomena, multi-photon spectroscopy, other novel methods for sensing and optical micro-manipulation of particles

FS 6: Nano-Optics and Plasmonics

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in the general area of plasmonics and nano-scale optics, including novel materials and structures, ultrafast and quantum phenomena, and a broad range of related applications. Example topics include but are not limited to:

• Fundamental plasmon and polariton optics
• Near-field optics and its applications in subwavelength resolution imaging
• Novel materials and fabrication methods for plasmonic and nanophotonic devices, including 2D materials such as graphene and materials based on functional polymers
• Ultrafast, nonlinear, and active plasmonics and nanophotonics
• Quantum nanophotonics and plasmonics, including electron-plasmon interactions
• Optomechanics, trapping and manipulation using plasmonics and nanophotonics
• Novel physics and applications of plasmonic and nanophotonic devices in sensing, imaging, spectroscopy and energy harvesting
• Tunable and time-modulated plasmonic and nanophotonic materials and their applications
• Integrated plasmonic for biology application
• Plasmonics at lower energies (THz, GHz) – radioplasmonics
• Machine learning and inverse design methods applied to plasmonic

FS 7: Ultrafast Science of Attosecond, X-Ray Free-Electron-Laser, and Ultra-Intense Light

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in the general area of high-power lasers and attosecond sources, as well as fundamental phenomena and applications that are enabled by interactions between the resulting fields and material systems. Example topics include but are not limited to:

• High-harmonic-generation spectroscopy, rescattering, strong-field physics, and ultrafast quantum phenomena
• Attosecond metrology, attosecond light sources, and time-resolved imaging of ultrafast electron dynamics in atoms, molecules, clusters, liquids, solids, and biological matter
• Ultrafast coherent light-field control and carrier-envelope-phase-dependent phenomena
• Ultrafast electron imaging (ultrashort electron pulses; microscopy and diffraction)
• High-intensity X-ray science enabled by XFELs
• Science of high-repetition-rate and high-average-power high-harmonic and XFEL sources (100kHz, MHz-class/kW)
• Laser filamentation, air lasing, and filamentation-based THz generation;
• Science of multi-TW, PW-peak-power light pulses. Fundamental interactions of ultra-intense light with matter: plasma optics; relativistic nonlinear optics and nano-plasmonics; plasma-based laser amplification; VUV, X-ray, and high-harmonic generation in plasmas; plasma-based particle acceleration, and non-linear quantum electrodynamics in relativistic plasmas
• Novel tools of ultrafast science: advances in XFEL sources, few-cycle near- and mid-IR pulse generation, carrier-envelope-phase stabilization and measurement, multi-color light beam synthesis and applications, optical vortices and high harmonic generation with orbital-angular momentum, and other developments

FS 8: Metamaterials and Complex Media

This subcommittee seeks original contributions in the general area of optical effects enabled by metamaterials and other complex media, including both linear and nonlinear behaviors and their uses. Example topics include but are not limited to:

• Light manipulation with metamaterials, transformation optics, extreme values of refractive index
• Wavefront shaping and other optics of metasurfaces and other complex planar composites
• Enhancement of light-matter interaction, photon/exciton/polariton interaction, and nonlinear optics in structured media/surfaces
• Near-field examination and other characterization of inhomogeneous media/surfaces
• Isotropic and large-scale metamaterials
• Metamaterials and metasurfaces on alternative material platforms
• Gain/loss management in metamatrials and PT-symmetric structures
• Topological optics and photonics
• Random, aperiodic and quasiperiodic media, light localization, optical chaos
• Coherent control of wave propagation and compressed sensing in complex media

Science & Innovations

1. Light-Matter Interactions and Materials Processing
2. Laser Systems and Facilities
3. Semiconductor Lasers
4. Nonlinear Optical Technologies
5. Terahertz Science and Technology
6. Optical Materials, Fabrication and Characterization
7. Micro- and Nano-Photonic Devices
8. Ultrafast Optics and Applications
9. Photonic Integration
10. Photonic Innovations for Biological Sciences
11. Fiber Photonics: Novel Phenomena, Lasers, Systems and Fabrication
12. Lightwave Communications and Optical Networks
13. Active Optical Sensing
14. Optical Metrology
15. Quantum and Atomic Devices and Instrumentation

S&I 1: Light-matter Interactions and Materials Processing

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in the general area of light-matter interactions, with an emphasis on strongly driven processes leading to generation and modification of materials in all forms (solids, soft-materials, liquid, gas, particles) over all temporal (continuous-wave to attosecond) and spatial (macro-, meso-, nano-) scales. Example topics include:

• Fundamentals of light-matter interactions in non-perturbative regimes, including energy-particle coupling dynamics and relaxation processes
• Laser-based 2D or 3D micro- and nano-fabrication, including ablation, cutting, welding, transfer, and periodic surface structures
• Laser synthesis of materials, including ablation, pulsed laser deposition, crystallization, hyperdoping, and defect generation in bulk and on surfaces
• Laser additive manufacturing: principles, characterization, and applications
• Light-matter interactions, nonlinear and non-perturbative physics enabled by micro- and nanostructures
• Laser material processing with spatially and temporally structured light, including vector beams, non-diffractive beams, optical vortices, accelerating beams, and pulse shaping
• Laser-based diagnostics for materials processing, including LIBS and laser-induced secondary radiation (e.g., x-ray and high-harmonic generation in condensed matter)
• Laser-induced secondary particle generation, laser-particle interactions, and their applications
• Plasmon-assisted photochemical and photothermal effects and their applications in photocatalysis, nano-chemistry, nano-fabrication, sensing, and energy
• Optical manipulation of matter and light-controlled self-assembly

S&I 2:  Laser Systems and Facilities

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in the general area of advanced laser systems and facilities. Example topics include:

• Laser sources and gain materials: solid-state, liquid, gas and vapor, Raman, FELs
• Associated laser technology: pump sources, resonator geometries, laser diagnostics, laser beam shaping and combining, temporal pulse shaping, adaptive optics and wavefront control
• Fundamental laser science: theoretical studies and numerical modeling of laser-physical phenomena and processes
• High-average-power and high pulse energy lasers: thermal management and thermo-optical effects
• Large systems and facilities: terawatt to multi-petawatt systems; fusion lasers; CPA, OPCPA, and hybrid systems
• Technology for large systems: front end lasers; ancillary sources, e.g. for seeding, diagnostics, pump-probe studies, photo-injectors; pulse stretchers and compressors; prevention of laser-induced damage; coatings for gain media and components; beam transport
• Secondary sources: high-intensity radiation sources based on laser-plasma interactions in the relativistic regime

S&I 3: Semiconductor Lasers

This subcommittee seeks original submissions in the experimental and theoretical science of semiconductor lasers and amplifiers, focusing on key components that make up a semiconductor laser resonator, especially as a way to enable advances in established and emerging applications. Topics of interest include device design, material characteristics, internal resonator configuration, device technology, characterization and simulation techniques and the interaction of semiconductor gain elements with external resonators. Example topics include:

Gain materials

• Quantum well, wire, and dot lasers,
• Quantum Cascade lasers (inter-subband and inter-band) from near-IR to THz
• Lasers with novel gain materials – from UV to mid-IR

Material characteristics and device technology

• Impact of semiconductor material properties on laser performance,
• Investigation of failure and damage, mechanisms, and device reliability,
• Physics of interfaces (thermal, electrical, optical) and their management
• Integrated laser structures, hybrid and epitaxial Si-based lasers

Internal resonator configurations

• Edge-emitting lasers with ultra-high power, efficiency and brightness
• Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers
• High-power and high-brightness lasers, including 1- and 2-D arrays
• Photonic crystal lasers
• Topological lasers
• Nano-scale, sub-wavelengthplasmonic lasers, polariton lasers
• Tunable and/or single -mode lasers (DFB, DBR, extended-cavity lasers …), and lasers for wavelength division multiplexing and sensing

Characterization and simulation techniques

• Laser dynamics, short-pulse generation, high-speed modulation, mode-locking, feedback effects, chaos, frequency stability, narrow linewidth emission

Interaction with external resonators

• External cavity surface emitting lasers
• Semiconductor amplifiers, MOPA architectures
• Novel laser structures and applications, lasers with novel functionality
• Advances in semiconductor sources for all forms of beam combining, including incoherent (spatial), spectral and coherent beam combining architectures and beam shaping technologies

Enabling advances in emerging applications, including:

• Lasers for quantum technologies, optics, communication
• Lasers with ultra-high reliability under extreme conditions (e.g. space-based) 
• Lasers for pumping large scale systems and facilities

S&I 4: Nonlinear Optical Technologies

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in advanced technologies based on nonlinear optics. Example topics include:

• Nonlinear wavelength conversion
• Applications of three- and four-wave mixing, stimulated scattering, self- and cross-phase modulation
• Supercontinuum generation and applications involving propagation instabilities, filamentation and optical solitons
• Optical parametric oscillation
• Phase-matching techniques and devices
• Applications of nonlinear optical effects in nanostructures
• Exploitation of waveguide, surface, and near-field nonlinear optics
• Nonlinearities in gain media, laser cavities, and optical amplifiers
• Nonlinear processes in microresonators, guided wave devices, χ(3) and χ(2) frequency combs
• Methods and techniques of nonlinear spectroscopy
• Applications of novel nonlinear materials, structure, and phenomena
• Applications of novel nonlinear materials, structure, and phenomena

S&I 5: Terahertz Science and Technology

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in terahertz (~200 GHz to 30 THz) science and technology. We invite submissions on THz-specific technologies (e.g. THz sensing, guiding, imaging, modulation, etc.), as well as submissions of cross-disciplinary impact, such as THz studies relevant to energy, spintronics, biophotonics, catalysis, and other technologies. Example topics include:

• THz generation, detection, modulation and propagation
• Novel concepts in THz spectroscopy and imaging
• THz phenomena, in particular those relevant for technology
• THz nanoscopy and nano-imaging
• Nonlinear THz interactions in materials
• THz characterization of novel materials
• Devices and systems for THz communications and photonics
• Novel applications of THz radiation

S&I 6: Optical Materials, Fabrication and Characterization

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in the development, fabrication, and characterization of optical materials. Example topics include:

• Novel techniques for the synthesis, fabrication, and characterization of optical materials and devices
• Basic properties of emerging optical materials, e.g. topological quantum materials, phase-change materials, active photonic materials, and low-dimensional materials
• Fabrication, characterization, and material properties of various photonic platforms (III-V and group-IV optoelectronics, glass, polymers, nanostructures, 2D materials, phase change materials, magneto-optic materials, etc.)
• Heterogeneous integration and optical packaging/assembly techniques
• Novel materials for optical fibers
• New materials for lasers, quantum optics, plasmonics, metasurfaces, and nanophotonics
• Materials and integration for tunable/reconfigurable photonics and optical computing

S&I 7: Micro- and Nano-Photonic Devices

This sub-committee seeks original submissions covering micro/nano-photonic structures and chip-scale devices, with a primary focus on advanced concepts rather than new applications of established designs. Example topics include:

• Passive structures and devices: waveguides, microresonators, mode converters, photonic crystals, metamaterials, and surface plasmons for chip-scale devices
• Active structures and devices: classical light sources and photodetectors, modulators, and switches
• Materials: group IV, III-V, III-nitride and organic semiconductors; polymers; glass materials; phase change materials; semiconductor nanostructures; 2D materials; hybrid integration platforms
• Devices using nonlinear optics: second-order and Kerr nonlinearities, Raman and Brillouin scattering, frequency conversion, integrated frequency combs, and supercontinuum generation devices
• Engineered light-matter interactions: optomechanics, spontaneous emission control, thermal radiation control, microcavity polaritons, and surface plasmon-polaritons

S&I 8: Ultrafast Optics and Applications

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in ultrafast optics. Papers in this category should be related to the generation, amplification, characterization, and applications of ultrashort optical pulses. Example topics include:

• Techniques for the characterization of ultrashort pulses and ultrafast events, including time-resolved measurements of the electric field and non-standard polarization states of optical pulses, e.g. radially and azimuthally polarized beams, measurements of spatio-temporal coupling and chromatic dispersion
• Optical pulse shaping in space and time, including the generation of trains of pulses, Bessel- and other vector beams, pulse compression, pulse dividing, pulse stacking, and coherent synthesis
•  Carrier-envelope phase stabilization and characterization, including generation of phase-stable few-, single-, or sub-cycle pulses
•  Ultrafast laser oscillators and amplifiers, including solid-state, semiconductor, fiber, gas lasers, mode-locked sources, and CPA systems
• Femtosecond and picosecond optical parametric amplifiers, including OPCPA systems
• Optoelectronics systems for the generation, characterization, and shaping of ultrashort pulses
• Applications of ultrashort pulses, including pump-probe spectroscopy, imaging, microscopy, sampling, and development of secondary sources in new wavelength ranges

S&I 9: Photonic Integration

This sub-committee seeks original submissions related to on-chip integrated photonic components, photonic integrated circuits, assembly, interconnections and signal processing. Example topics include:

• On-chip integrated optoelectronics and quantum photonics
• Electronic-photonic integrated circuits
• Integrated photonic circuits for artificial-intelligence networks, neural networks and neuromorphic computing
• Integrated photonic elements for enhanced virtual reality, augmented reality, autonomous driving, light detection and ranging systems
• Optical interconnects and optical computing
• Heterogeneous integration and new phenomena in optical components
• Optical modulators, switches, and detectors for integrated photonics
• Optical resonators for photonic integration
• Large-scale photonic integrated circuits and microsystem integration
• Integrated microwave photonics and photonic-signal processing

S&I 10: Photonic Innovations for Biological Sciences

This sub-committee seeks original submissions related to the intersection of biosciences and optical approaches that innovate how biological systems are sensed, reported, manipulated, and measured. Example topics include:

• Microscopy techniques: super-resolution, multi-photon, time-resolved, computational, adaptive optics, multimodal imaging, functional, in-vivo, real-time interactions with optical reporters
• Biophotonics: micro-endoscopes and miniaturized microscopes, innovative laser sources for biological imaging and sensing, specialty optical fibers, optogenetics, optical manipulation, neurophotonics, wearable or implantable miniaturized optical imaging and sensing devices for personalized biomedical applications
• Quantum biophotonics: Recent advances in understanding and applying quantum effects to study biological systems and processes, and recently developed photonics methods based on quantum properties and interactions that can lead to major biomedical applications
• Spectroscopy: photochemistry, photobiology, excited-state dynamics, spectral analyses and unmixing, Raman, surface-enhanced Raman, coherent Raman scattering, photoacoustic spectroscopy
• Computational methods: image reconstruction, image processing, deep learning, and machine learning, advanced sensing techniques in aberrated tissue, microscopy beyond imaging reconstruction: methods to capture information encoded in space and time, holography techniques
• Optofluidics and biosensors: microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, photonic integration for novel chip-based diagnostics and sensing, flow cytometry, velocimetry systems and PIV
• Optical reporters: organic fluorophore development, dyes and markers,  inorganic materials for photonic sensing, light scattering approaches, voltage sensing dyes

S&I 11: Fiber Photonics: Novel Phenomena, Lasers, Systems and Fabrication

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in fiber photonics, including fiber lasers and amplifiers, linear and nonlinear effects, devices, fiber materials and fabrication. Example topics include:

• Physics of linear and nonlinear propagation in fibers, including dispersion control, stress-optic, polarization and spatial-mode effects, orbital angular momentum, formation of solitons, breathers, rogue and shock waves, Raman/Brillouin/Rayleigh scattering, optical wave mixing, supercontinuum generation, optical parametric effects, modal instabilities, acousto-optic and thermo-optic effects, and opto-mechanics
• Fiber lasers such as mode-locked lasers, wavelength-tunable lasers, Q-switched lasers, high-power lasers, random lasers, Brillouin/Raman lasers, bi-directional lasers, frequency combs, vortex lasers, and spatial multimode lasers
• Fiber amplifiers, such as rare-earth doped amplifiers, bismuth-doped amplifiers, parametric amplifiers, Raman amplifiers, multimode amplifiers, and multicore amplifiers
• Fiber-based devices, such as gratings, couplers, mode multiplexers, filters, multimode/multicore devices, photonic lanterns, beam-combiners, regenerators, wavelength converters, fiber optical parametric oscillators, multimode nonlinear devices­, and coherent beam steerer
• Design, fabrication, and characterization of optical fibers, including but not limited to large mode area fibers, hollow-core fiber, anti-resonant fibers, photonic bandgap fibers, microstructured fibers, multimode fibers, few-mode fibers, multi-core fibers, highly nonlinear fibers, tapered/micro-fibers, and coatings
• Fiber from novel materials, such as fluoride glass, chalcogenide glass, crystal, polymer, semiconductor, and multi-component glass, and systems based on them
• Specialty optical fibers for application in sensing systems, gyroscopes, quantum-information and quantum-communications systems, and biomedical systems

S&I 12: Lightwave Communications and Optical Networks

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in classical optical communications. Papers submitted to this committee are expected to present quantitative system performance metrics such as bit error rates, error vector magnitudes, quality factor, mutual information (for physical layer demonstration), or resource usage efficiency, energy efficiency, latency, cost (for optical network architectures and solutions).  Example topics include:

• Fiber-optic communication systems for long-haul, metro, and access networks
• WDM, TDM, SDM, OAM and multi-band transmission technologies
• Free-space optical communication links and mitigation of atmospheric effects
• Visible light and optical wireless communication demonstrations and analysis
• Underwater communication demonstrations and analysis
• Modeling and experimental characterization of system-level impairments from linear and nonlinear transmission effects, including those arising in novel SDM fibers, and mitigation techniques
• System applications of optical amplifiers and other devices
• All-optical processing in devices and networks
• Advanced optical modulation formats, coherent detection, and advanced transmitters/receivers, including digital signal processing, machine learning, mitigation of nonlinear signal distortions, and forward error correction for optical communication systems
• Telecommunications applications of microwave photonics
• Optics-based network elements and architectures for routing and switching
• New network architectures and protocols, network security analysis, devices and techniques for secure and resilient optical networks

S&I 13: Active Optical Sensing

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in active optical sensing. Example topics include:

• Tunable laser spectroscopy and sensing, including cavity-enhanced techniques and heterodyne/homodyne detection
• Active standoff and remote sensing, including LIDAR and multi/hyperspectral imaging
• Frequency combs and broadband lasers in sensing, applied spectroscopy, and radiative transfer
• Micro- and nano-optical sensors, including MEMS and integrated waveguide devices, for chemical, biological, and physical sensing
• Fiber-based sensing of chemicals (gas, liquid) or physical properties (temperature, pressure, strain, etc.)
• Optical sensing and transduction for biological and medical applications
• Raman, SERS, CARS, Brillouin, LIBS, and fluorescence sensing
• Optical microscopy combined with chemical or physical sensing
• Active optical sensing of solids, liquids, gases, plasmas, and mixed material systems
• Active sensing in optically-difficult environments or geometries, including seeing through obscurations

S&I 14: Optical Metrology

This sub-committee seeks original submissions in optical metrology. This includes time, frequency, length, distance, and dimensional metrology, as well as other precision measurements using optical signals.  Submissions may cover either the development of sources and novel techniques or the results of optical measurements.  Example topics include: 

• The development of lasers, supercontinua, and frequency combs as well as their control. 
• The development of optical frequency standards and optical clocks
• Frequency comb-based metrology, precision interferometry, and precision spectroscopy
• Optical transmission and dissemination of time and frequency
• Conversion between optical and microwave frequencies

S&I 15: Quantum and Atomic Devices and Instrumentation

This subcommittee seeks original submissions in enabling instrumentation for quantum and atomic devices, for quantum sensing, metrology, quantum information processing, and quantum communication. Example topics include:

• Atomic and quantum sensors for magnetometry, relativistic geodesy, gravimetry, inertial navigation, electrometry, strain sensing, thermometry and other applications
• Solid-state quantum sensors based on optically-active defects (e.g. nitrogen-vacancy centers and rare-earth ions) in diamond, silicon carbide, and other materials
• Micro- and nano-fabrication techniques for quantum and atomic devices
• Miniaturization and integration approaches for portable atomic and quantum devices, and supporting technology
• Instrumentation enabling quantum devices in extreme environments: (space, marine, etc.)
• Gravitational wave detection
• Technologies and instrumentation for scaling up quantum computing/simulation platforms such as trapped ions, Rydberg atoms, and photonic circuits
• Interfacing and integration of atomic systems and devices with photonics, microwaves, electronics (e.g. on-chip photonics, cryogenic analog and digital electronics), enabling instrumentation for the entanglement of quantum devices in quantum networks
• Quantum optomechanics for high precision sensing