Journal of the Optical Society of America B and Applied Optics Feature Announcement

Astrophotonics

Submission Opens:1 November 2020

Submission Deadline: 31 January 2021

Astrophotonics describes integrated photonics that are developed for applications in astronomy and astrophysics. In the long term, such devices could replace bulk optics in astronomical instruments and telescopes enabling reduction of their size, weight, and cost. Photonics-based solutions can reduce the effect of environmental changes (e.g. thermal or mechanical) on the different beam paths, hence significantly improving instrument stability. Furthermore, astrophotonics can provide improved performance, allowing phenomena not possible with classical bulk optics.

Astrophotonics has matured such that a variety of devices have reached a stage beyond design, simulation, and laboratory tests and are ready for advanced and on-sky tests and even for implementation. This feature issue will present cutting-edge advances in devices, instruments, and applications, as well as the status and test results of existing devices in a combination of chip- and fiber-based systems.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Beam combiners, interferometry
  • Integrated spectrographs
  • Fibre Bragg gratings, waveguide gratings
  • OH suppression, noise suppression
  • Frequency combs, frequency references, metrology
  • Photonic lanterns
  • Polarization detection, including OAM
  • Photonic materials for VIS / NIR / MIR astronomy
  • Ultrafast laser inscription for astronomy
  • Space-qualification of astrophotonic devices
  • Integrated photonics for space-based astronomy
  • Astrophotonics design, simulation and manufacturing
  • Properties of starlight: photon count, coherence, time evolution
  • Quantum astronomy, quantum photonics
  • Frequency conversion, optical correlators
  • Adaptive optics, wavefront sensing, coupling optimization
  • Advanced high-contrast coronagraphic masks
  • Platforms for photonics production

Authors may choose between Applied Optics and JOSA B when submitting to the joint feature issue, but should recognize the differences between them and select the appropriate journal. The guest editors may recommend transferring a manuscript to the other journal as needed. Applications-oriented papers will be directed to Applied Optics and papers with more focus on optical physics should be submitted to JOSA B. Articles will appear in their respective journals and a combined table of contents of papers from both journals will appear once all papers are published.

All submissions need to present original, previously unpublished work, and will be subject to the normal standards and peer-review process of the journals. Manuscripts must be prepared according to the usual guidelines for submission to JOSA B and Applied Optics and must be uploaded through OSA's electronic submission system. The standard Applied Optics and JOSA B Publication Charges will apply to all published articles. When submitting, please specify that the manuscript is for the Astrophotonics feature issue (choose from the drop-down menu).

Feature Editors

Joss Bland-Hawthorn, The University of Sydney, Australia (Lead Editor, JOSA B and AO)

JOSA B:

Aline Dinkelaker, AIP, Germany
Simon Ellis, Macquarie University, Australia
Michael Ireland, The Australian National University, Australia
Robert R. Thomson, Heriot Watt University, Scotland

Applied Optics:

Faustine Cantalloube, MPIA, Germany
Philippe Feautrier, First Light Imaging, France
Lucas Labadie, Universität zu Köln, Germany
Aashia Rahman, AIP, Germany