Progress In Electromagnetics Research (E-ISSN: 1559-8985)
also known as
PhotonIcs & Electromagnetics Research
Impactor Factor 2025 = 6.7

PIER published by The Electromagnetic Academy (USA), is a highly selective multidisciplinary journal with a mission to publish ground-breaking, high-quality, and new research and invited reviews of significance across all areas of photonics and electromagnetics. The paper published in PIER should substantially advance a particular field, open a new area of research, or solve a long-standing challenge in an existing field.

Featured Articles View More
2026-09-07 Fellow Article
High-Efficiency Amorphous-Silicon/Silicon-Nitride Grating Couplers for O- and C-Band Photonic Integrated Circuits (Invited Paper)
By William Fraser Pavel Cheben Jens H. Schmid Jianhao Zhang Radovan Korček Shurui Wang Martin Vachon Rubin Ma Daniel Benedikovič Thalia Dominguez Bucio Valerio Vitali Frederic Y. Gardes Winnie N. Ye
Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 186, 40-51, 2026
Abstract
Silicon nitride (Si3N4) has emerged as a compelling platform for visible-light, quantum-photonic, and nonlinear-optical applications because of its broad transparency window, low propagation loss, and negligible two-photon absorption. However, the moderate refractive index of Si3N4 poses a challenge for efficient fiber-to-chip coupling using grating couplers. Although advantageous for wafer-scale testing and flexible layouts, Si3N4 grating couplers suffer from low grating strength, which limits their coupling efficiency. Here, we experimentally demonstrate high-efficiency grating couplers on a hybrid amorphous-silicon/silicon-nitride (a-Si/Si3N4) platform. Uniform devices are presented for TE and TM polarizations in both the O- and C-bands, while apodized-focalizing designs are demonstrated for both polarizations in the O-band and for TE polarization in the C-band. The fabricated devices achieved record coupling efficiencies of -1.6 dB and -1.2 dB in the O-band for TE and TM polarization, respectively, and -1.3 dB and -2.9 dB in the C-band for TE and TM polarization, respectively. The measured peak wavelengths deviated from their nominal values, primarily because of variations in the refractive index of the fabricated Si3N4 and the grating duty cycles relative to their design values. These shifts are well reproduced by simulations incorporating fabrication biases and can be compensated for by adjusting grating parameters or the fiber coupling angle. To the best of our knowledge, these are the highest coupling efficiencies demonstrated to date for silicon nitride grating couplers in the O-band for both polarizations and in the C-band for TM polarization. For TE polarization in the C-band, fabrication deviations shifted the peak coupling wavelength to 1512 nm, resulting in the highest efficiency reported to date for a silicon nitride grating coupler operating in the S-band. These results demonstrate a practical approach for achieving low-loss fiber-to-chip coupling in Si3N4 photonic integrated circuits, addressing a longstanding challenge in the platform and supporting the development of scalable systems for datacom, telecom, nonlinear photonics, and quantum technologies.
High-Efficiency Amorphous-Silicon/Silicon-Nitride Grating Couplers for O- and C-Band Photonic Integrated Circuits (Invited paper)
Fellow Article
2026-07-28
PIER
Vol. 185, 136-144, 2026
download: 696
Ionic-Ferroelectric Halide Perovskite Artificial Synapses with Dual-Mode Synaptic Plasticity (Invited Paper)
Dae-Han Kang, Kwan-Nyeong Kim, Hea-Lim Park, Joo Sung Kim, Jung-Min Heo, Huanyu Zhou, Dong-Hyeok Kim, Gyeong-Tak Go, Ju Yong Park, Antonio Facchetti, Min Hyuk Park, In-Hyeok Park and Tae-Woo Lee
Halide perovskites have demonstrated both short-term and long-term synaptic plasticity behaviors through various physical mechanisms, making them suitable neuromorphic electronics. However, most studies rely on distinct materials or device architectures optimized for one single mechanism, limiting the realization of both forms of synaptic plasticity within a unified material system. Here, we report ionic-ferroelectric halide perovskite (IFHP) artificial synapses that integrate two fundamentally different resistance switching processes within a single material. This functionality is enabled by the ferroelectric Dion-Jacobson perovskite (4-AMP)PbI4 (4-AMP = 4-(aminomethyl)piperidinium), which exhibits ion-migration-dominated behavior below the coercive voltage (VC ~ 3.5 V) and ferroelectric polarization switching above. Accordingly, the device exhibits volatile paired-pulse facilitation without stable non-volatile memory retention under sub-coercive stimulation, while exhibiting increasing non-volatile memory above VC. The ferroelectric-polarization-driven long-term plasticity is further supported by extended retention over 2 × 104 s, cycling operation, and device-to-device reproducibility. In addition, the IFHP artificial synapse emulates bio-inspired associative learning and nociceptive sensory functions, highlighting its potential as neuromorphic hardware. These results establish a single-material pathway for voltage-programmable mixed plasticity, addressing a key challenge in halide perovskite neuromorphic hardware.
Ionic-Ferroelectric Halide Perovskite Artificial Synapses with Dual-Mode Synaptic Plasticity (Invited paper)
Fellow Article
2026-04-13
PIER
Vol. 185, 17-48, 2026
download: 770
Microwave Wire Media: Theory and Main Physical Effects
Denis Sakhno, Constantin Simovski and Pavel A. Belov
We present a review of homogenization models of microwave wire media with different geometries. We begin with a simple (uniaxial) wire medium and then consider more complex types of wire media - double, triple, and interlaced wire media - which remain underexplored. We discuss boundary problems with wire media and the most important physical effects revealed using the reviewed homogenization models.
Microwave Wire Media: Theory and Main Physical Effects
Fellow Article
2026-01-05
PIER
Vol. 185, 1-16, 2026
download: 1760
Progress in Structured Light with Nonlinear Optics
Sachleen Singh and Andrew Forbes
The control of all of light's degrees of freedom and its harnessing for applications is captured by the emergent field of structured light. The modern toolkit includes external modulation of light with devices such as metasurfaces and spatial light modulators, their intra-cavity insertion for structured light directly at the source, and their deployment to engineer quantum structured light at the single photon and entangled state regimes. Historically, this control has involved linear optical elements, with nonlinear optics only recently coming to the fore. This has opened unprecedented functionality while revealing new paradigms for nonlinear optics beyond plane waves. In this review we look at the recent progress in structured light with nonlinear optics, covering the fundamentals and the powerful applications they are facilitating in both the classical and quantum domains.
Progress in Structured Light with Nonlinear Optics
Fellow Article
2025-12-25
PIER
Vol. 184, 98-108, 2025
download: 2763
Air-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives (Invited Paper)
Zhicheng Guan, Binghan Li, Tingwei Ao, Zhifang Shi, Guang Yang and Gang Li
With increasing demand for renewable energy, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a promising alternative due to their high efficiency and solution-based manufacturing processes. However, the fabrication of PSCs in ambient conditions, as opposed to inert environments, remains challenging due to environmental factors such as moisture and oxygen that degrade perovskite materials. Developing air-processed PSCs is therefore critical for reducing fabrication cost, simplifying manufacturing infrastructure, and enabling scalable production compatible with industrial processes. Moreover, air processing represents a key step toward realistic deployment, bridging the gap between laboratory demonstrations and commercial applications. This perspective discusses the progress of air-processed PSCs, highlights the environmental challenges related to stability and performance, and outlines potential strategies for future research, including precursor chemistry, solvent and additive engineering, and interface optimization. In addition, emerging scalable deposition techniques, automated platforms, and machine learning-assisted control are expected to accelerate device optimization and reproducibility. Despite remaining challenges, commercializing air-processed PSCs is increasingly viable, promising a sustainable and efficient approach for solar energy technology.
Air-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives (Invited Paper)
Keynote Article
2025-11-29
PIER
Vol. 184, 14-23, 2025
download: 1426
Serendipity Engineering with Photonics: Harnessing the Unexpected in Biology and Medicine (Invited Paper)
Kelvin C. M. Lee, Walker Peterson, Fabio Lisi, Tianben Ding, Kotaro Nojima, Hiroshi Kanno, Yuqi Zhou, Hiroyuki Matsumura, Yasutaka Kitahama, Ming Li, Petra Paie, Cheng Lei, Tamiki Komatsuzaki, Masahiro Sonoshita, Dino Di Carlo and Keisuke Goda
Serendipity has long shaped transformative scientific discoveries, from penicillin and microwave oven to cosmic microwave background. These advances were not accidents but arose when prepared minds encountered unexpected phenomena in environments that enabled recognition and follow-up. In today's research climate, which often emphasizes narrowly defined goals and short-term deliverables, the role of serendipity is undervalued and frequently left to chance. This review introduces the concept of serendipity engineering: the intentional design of technologies, analytical frameworks, and research cultures that enhance the probability of meaningful chance discoveries. We outline four core principles - (i) expanding the observable space with advanced measurement tools, (ii) preserving anomalies through unbiased data stewardship, (iii) applying analytical methods that surface rare or emergent patterns, and (iv) fostering openness to unexpected results. Emphasis is placed on applications in biology and medicine empowered by advanced photonics and electromagnetism, where system complexity and disease heterogeneity make serendipitous findings particularly impactful. We propose a roadmap for embedding serendipity as a strategic component of 21st-century science, transforming it from a passive hope into an active driver of discovery.
Serendipity Engineering with Photonics: Harnessing the Unexpected in Biology and Medicine (Invited Paper)
Featured Article
2025-10-20
PIER
Vol. 183, 107-129, 2025
download: 1621
Ultrashort Pulse Semiconductor Lasers: A Breakthrough in Triple Limits of Time, Space, and Energy (Invited Review)
Xin Song, Yuxin Lei, Jun Zhang, Wenhao Wu, Yongyi Chen, Lei Liang, Peng Jia, Dexiao Zhang, Yubing Wang, Cheng Qiu, Yue Song, Li Qin and Lijun Wang
Ultrashort pulse semiconductor lasers represent a groundbreaking advancement in photonics by simultaneously overcoming the fundamental constraints of temporal duration, spatial confinement, and energy efficiency. These triple breakthroughs enable unprecedented applications in ultrafast spectroscopy, high-density optical storage, optical atomic clocks, photonic computing, and minimally invasive biomedicine, establishing a new paradigm for precision light-matter interaction in both scientific and industrial domains. This paper analyzes the principle and cutting-edge research progress of ultrashort pulse semiconductor lasers, discusses the implementation difficulties and optimization methods in integrated design, and looks forward to the challenges and future development trends.
Ultrashort Pulse Semiconductor Lasers: A Breakthrough in Triple Limits of Time, Space, and Energy (Invited Review)
Featured Article
2025-02-07
PIER
Vol. 182, 63-75, 2025
download: 1782
Emergence of Diffractive Phenomena in Finite Arrays of Subwavelength Scatterers (Invited Paper)
Ilya Igorevich Karavaev, Ravshanjon Nazarov, Yicheng Li, Andrey A. Bogdanov and Denis G. Baranov
Periodic optical structures, such as diffraction gratings and numerous photonic crystals, are one of the staples of modern nanophotonics for the manipulation of electromagnetic radiation. The array of subwavelength dielectric rods is one of the simplest platforms, which, despite its simplicity exhibits extraordinary wave phenomena, such as diffraction anomalies and narrow reflective resonances. Despite the well-documented properties of infinite periodic systems, the behavior of these diffractive effects in systems incorporating a finite number of elements is studied to a far lesser extent. Here, we theoretically and numerically study the evolution of collective spectral features in finite arrays of dielectric rods. We develop an analytical model of light scattering by a finite array of circular rods based on the coupled dipoles approximation and analyze the spectral features of finite arrays within the developed model. Finally, we validate the results of the analytical model using full-wave numerical simulations.
Emergence of Diffractive Phenomena in Finite Arrays of Subwavelength Scatterers (Invited Paper)
Featured Article
2024-12-27
PIER
Vol. 181, 99-112, 2024
download: 4650
Three-Dimensional Topological Photonic Crystals (Invited Review)
Jian-Wei Liu, Gui-Geng Liu and Baile Zhang
Photonic crystals, often referred to as the ``semiconductors of light,'' have entered a new phase enabling exotic properties once exclusive to topological quantum matter such as topological insulators. While the development of the first three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystal marked the establishment of photonic crystals as an independent field, initial studies in topological photonic crystals focused mainly on one and two dimensions. Though a true photonic crystal counterpart of a 3D strong topological insulator remains elusive, significant progress has been made toward achieving 3D topological photonic crystals. Compared with their lower-dimensional counterparts, 3D topological photonic crystals reveal a richer variety of topological phases and surface manifestation, which enables more degrees of freedom for light manipulation. In this review, concentrating on the novel boundary states unique in 3D systems, we provide a brief survey of the 3D topological photonic crystals and recent advances in this field. We categorize and discuss various topological phases and associated phenomena observed in 3D photonic crystals, including both gapped and gapless phases. Additionally, we delve into some recent developments in this rapidly evolving area, including the realization of 3D topological phases through synthetic dimensions.
Three-dimensional Topological Photonic Crystals (Invited Review)
Featured Article
2024-11-18
PIER
Vol. 180, 79-87, 2024
download: 4309
Some Selected Unsolved Problems in Classical and Quantum Electromagnetics
Weng Cho Chew, Boyuan Zhang and Jie Zhu
In this paper, we propose some suggestions for unsolved problems in classical and quantum electromagnetics. We aim to explain these problems in the simplest way possible. Some issues like the quantum computer may need a lot more work. The subject matter is interdisciplinary needing international collaboration in many different areas such as physics, math, engineering, and material science.
Some Selected Unsolved Problems in Classical and Quantum Electromagnetics
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