The annual Laser Damage Symposium is the leading forum for the exchange of information on all aspects of laser-induced damage in materials for high-power/high-energy lasers. For over a half-century the symposium has grown to be a highly comprehensive source of information on optics, materials for high-power/high-energy lasers, and various aspects of intensive laser interaction with the optical materials. The materials of interest include but are not limited to optical thin films, bulk optical materials, glasses, nonlinear crystals, semiconductors, fibers, and metaoptics materials with nanostructured surfaces.

Over the past decade, participants of the Laser Damage Symposia expressed a strong demand to publish selected works in a peer-reviewed journal after presenting them at the conference. To meet that need, Special Sections on Laser Damage were published by Optical Engineering on six previous occasions dating back to 2012. These special sections have received remarkable attention from readers and experts from laser-damage and other related fields. The success of those special sections and the continuing demand from symposium participants have motivated a seventh Optical Engineering Special Section on Laser Damage.

As a compilation of the most current research in a refereed format, these special sections provide a unique and centralized resource for the community, co-locating some of the most recent results. This special section is open for submissions from the participants of the Laser Damage Symposium and Pacific Rim Laser Damage Symposium of any year. We also invite researchers worldwide who wish to publish original and novel results, especially if they were not presented at the symposia. The topics of interest for this special section are:

• Measurements of laser-damage threshold
• Laser-induced damage test protocols
• Laser-component fabrication
• Optical materials for high-power and high-energy lasers
• Characterization of properties of the optical materials
• Characterization of defects in optical materials
• Novel materials for high-power lasers, i.e. metasurfaces and metaoptics
• Mid-infrared optical materials and nonlinear crystals
• Materials for thin films and thin-film preparation
• Thin-film properties, design, and durability
• Aging issues for laser optics
• Contamination of optical components
• Influence of ambient conditions on aging and surface contamination
• Novel methods of surface polishing and finishing/re-finishing for optical components
• Methods of laser-damage mitigation
• Final optics of high-power lasers and laser facilities
• Novel lasers and regimes of laser operation
• High-intensity laser-surface interactions
• Generation of periodic surface structures
• Fundamental effects of high-power laser-material interactions
• Fundamental mechanisms of laser damage of optical materials
• Ultrafast laser-material interactions
• Laser-material interactions at mid-infrared wavelengths
• Thermal effects of laser-material interactions
• Laser-defect interactions in optical materials
• Nonlinear effects in laser-solid interactions
• High-power propagation effects in transparent materials
• Modeling of intensive laser-material interactions

The guest editors also seek comprehensive review papers in the areas listed above. Authors interested in submitting a review paper to this special section should contact the guest editors with a brief proposal of the paper.

All submissions will be peer-reviewed. Peer review will start immediately upon manuscript submission, with the goal of making a first decision within six weeks. Special sections are opened online once a minimum of four papers has been accepted. Each paper is published as soon as the copyedited and typeset proofs are approved by the author. Submissions should follow the guidelines of Optical Engineering. Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://oe.msubmit.net.

Optical Engineering welcomes contributions to a special section focused on the exciting and rapidly evolving domain of lensless imaging in optical metrology. This special section aims to explore the dynamic landscape of lensless imaging techniques, their applications, and the advancements that shape the future of industrial inspection.

Scope and Objectives:

Lensless imaging has emerged as a pivotal approach in optical metrology, driving innovation in industrial inspection and measurement. Its unique attributes, including compactness, lightweight sensors, and adaptability, make it a compelling solution for meeting the demands of modern industries. We invite researchers and practitioners to share their insights and discoveries, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the potential, challenges, and advancements in this field.

Topics of Interest:

Contributions are solicited in, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Novel interferometric and structured light approaches in lensless imaging for optical metrology, such as digital holography, computational imaging, compressed sensing, and ghost imaging.
• Instrumentation, miniaturization engineering, micro- and nanofabrication, and rapid prototyping applied to lensless imaging.
• Computational and deep learning techniques and algorithms for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of lensless imaging systems.
• Multimodal, multi-spectral, partial coherence and polarization approaches to lensless imaging.
• Applications of lensless imaging in industrial inspection, quality control and biomedicine.
• Ultra-high-speed metrology and realization of vibration and noise immune metrology.
• Integration of lensless imaging systems with other technologies for multifaceted metrology solutions.

All submissions will be peer-reviewed. Peer review will start immediately upon manuscript submission, with the goal of making a first decision within six weeks. Special sections are opened online once a minimum of four papers has been accepted. Each paper is published as soon as the copyedited and typeset proofs are approved by the author. Submissions should follow the guidelines of Optical Engineering. Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://oe.msubmit.net.

This special section will present results of modern research in the field of optical coatings. Optical coatings are one of the core technologies in modern optics. Recent progress in the field of materials, design philosophy, deposition, and characterization techniques of optical coatings opens a new avenue for developing advanced thin-film optical filters, low-loss coatings, high-power laser coatings, and novel functional optical coatings that are capable of solving numerous complex problems in areas such as biomedical, laser systems, security, remote sensing, astronomy, and aerospace. Considering this rapid progress, Optical Engineering intends to publish a special section to capture the most recent advances in optical coatings.

Topics relevant to this special section include but are not limited to:

• Design, analysis, optimization, and reverse engineering methods of optical coatings.
• Novel development of deposition process, online monitoring technologies, pre- and post-treatment techniques for thin films and substrates.
• Characterization technologies for ultra-low loss, laser damage threshold, environmental stability, stress, etc.
• Composite, metal, organic, and nanostructure materials for thin films and substrates.
• Applications in laser, EUV to FIR, astronomy and aerospace, consumer electronic and optical communication.

This call for papers is open to all professionals and academics in relevant fields of optical coatings. Participants in the Frontiers of Optical Coatings 2023 (FOC 2023) conference are especially encouraged to consider submitting to this special section.

The guest editors are also seeking comprehensive review papers in the above-mentioned research fields. Authors interested in submitting a review paper to this special section should contact the guest editors via email with a brief proposal on the paper. Such proposals should be submitted by November 1, 2024, for consideration.

All submissions will be peer-reviewed. Peer review will start immediately upon manuscript submission, with the goal of making a first decision within six weeks. Special sections are opened online once a minimum of four papers has been accepted. Each paper is published as soon as the copyedited and typeset proofs are approved by the author. Submissions should follow the guidelines of Optical Engineering. Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://oe.msubmit.net.

It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to developing professional skills in optics. There is a present and growing need for optical engineering expertise, with applications including photography, aerospace and defense, medical devices, consumer electronics, environmental monitoring, AR/VR, and machine vision. At the same time, optics is a specialized discipline without the widespread public familiarity and educational resources of some more general fields. The purpose of this special section is to publish high-quality papers and well-researched review articles that provide resources for educators seeking to design optics curricula, for cultivating public understanding of optics, and for professionals seeking to develop optical engineering skills in their careers.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Lens and illumination design education
• Holography, interferometry, spectroscopy, and radiometry instrumentation education
• Analysis of the current workplace and industry needs in optical instrumentation/ lens/illumination design, including assessment of the current workplace, forecasting of future workplace needs, and the effectiveness of programs or mentoring efforts to meet those needs
• Resources for transitioning into a career in optical instrumentation and lens/illumination design
• Course/program/unit creation and teaching practices for lens/illumination/instrumentation design, including promotion of creative approaches and collaborative learning
• Optics education via media (e.g., Zoom, YouTube) and remote teaching techniques

All submissions will be peer-reviewed. Peer review will start immediately upon manuscript submission, with the goal of making a first decision within six weeks. Special sections are opened online once a minimum of four papers has been accepted. Each paper is published as soon as the copyedited and typeset proofs are approved by the author. Submissions should follow the guidelines of Optical Engineering. Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://oe.msubmit.net.