The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the United States premier laboratory for land forces, was established 25 years ago on October 1, 1992. In celebration of the laboratory’s Silver anniversary, this special issue recognizes the contributions the laboratory has made and is making to the science and application of light and light-based technologies.

Optical technology provides the Army with many critical capabilities. The military’s ability to “own the night” during Operation Desert Storm is the most noteworthy but there exist many others, including imaging, remote detection of chemical and biological agents, free-space communication, and sensor protection.

To provide these capabilities, ARL engages in a wide range of optical research that has both short- and long-term implications. Researchers address near-term needs by exploiting light generation, propagation, light-and-matter interaction, and applying their knowledge and experience in system integration and signal processing. But ARL also strives to provide new capabilities by exploring scientific frontiers in quantum optics, cold-atom optics, metamaterials, nano-photonics, and plasmonics. Although ARL’s foundational contributions are used primarily for national defense, many predictably will contribute to solving global challenges in health, food safety, security, and medicine, and contribute commercially to manufacturing, communications, and lighting.

The laboratory staff deserve to be recognized for their work and their efforts in bringing this special issue to fruition. Special recognition goes to KK Choi and Gary Wood for performing the lion’s share of the work to solicit contributions and organize the issue.

Finally, while serving as editor-in-chief of Applied Optics, I reestablished the journal’s focus on institutions that conduct optics related research. I am pleased to see that my successor, Ron Driggers, has embraced this feature.

While editor-in-chief, I was careful to project an image of impartiality and, therefore, never proposed a focus on ARL. The recent special issue on the Navy Research Laboratory, which contained an impressive number of articles, spurred me into action. Although our issue has slightly fewer articles than theirs, the wide range of research topics still fills me with organizational pride.

Congratulations to ARL on 25 years of excellence. May the next 25 be as fruitful.

Dr. Joseph N. Mait
Chief Scientist and Senior Technical Researcher (ST) for Electromagnetics,
U.S. Army Research Laboratory