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In 1981, the Springer-Verlag Applied Physics journal was split into two parts due to the breadth in the application-oriented research being published therein [1]. Part A was to cover Solids and Surfaces, that being solid materials, preparation, and modification methods, whilst Part B, Photophysics and Laser Chemistry, was to be devoted to optical radiation and interactions with gases and liquids.
Some 13 years later, the technological advances, especially in lasers as a novel key technology, shifted the emphasis for Part B to Lasers and Optics, fostering a physical rather than chemical focus for optical-radiation generation, manipulation, and application, more in line with the core values of the journal and its readership.
Since that change of name in 1994 to Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics (APB), the journal has continued to chart, not only the rise in laser powers and expansion in frequency bands through utilisation of the three phases of matter for gain and non-linear media, but also new techniques that broadened the parameter space for applications of light. These rendering lasers as a cornerstone technology of the twenty-first century. Hence, and kee** true to the founding photophysics-applications remit, APB continues to strive to capture the latest trends and advancements in the science of photons, encompassing the generation of single-photon quantum states through to extreme-light conditions, developments in precision characterisation techniques for spectroscopy, imaging, and metrology applications; and the realisation of optical devices for manipulating and exploiting light’s extraordinary qualities.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Applied Physics B, the most cited and influential authors from the journal’s history were invited to contribute perspective papers on the developments of their fields of interest following on from their original highly impactful papers. The selection of papers in this topical issue, therefore, cover a broad remit, from: fundamental properties of photons [2,3,4]; the development of new and old active and non-linear media [5,6,7]; the humble optical cavity [8]—whose importance is often overlooked, even in the acronym LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation), for which the device (Laser) itself is inextricably dependent; a review on the advances in scaling power and brightness of solid-state lasers [9]; understanding and exploitation of photon-induced material responses [10,11,12,13,14]; and advances in terahertz imaging techniques [15].
I am extremely grateful to the authors for taking the time to prepare this fabulous collection, which is packed full of foundational concepts through to frontier demonstrations that I am confident will be a great resource for scientists in the field for many years to come. Perhaps a milestone to look back on in another 40 years, around the centenary of the first demonstration of the Laser, to take stock of how much more we have learnt about light and its uses.
References
Notes from the editors. Appl. Phys. B 26 (1), A5 (1981).
D. Von Der Linde, Optical beam splitter, mach–zehnder interferometer and the delayed choice issue. Appl. Phys. B 127, 133 (2021)
S. Kück, M. López et al., Single photon sources for quantum radiometry: a brief review about the current state-of-the-art. Appl. Phys. B 128(2), 1–8 (2022)
M. Rodrigues Gonçalves, G.G. Rozenman et al., Bright and dark diffractive focusing. Appl. Phys. B 128, 51 (2022)
S. Kalusniak, E. Castellano-Hernández, H. Yalçinoğlu, H. Tanaka, C. Kränkel, Spectroscopic properties of Tb3+ as an ion for visible lasers. Appl. Phys. B 128, 33 (2022)
A. Sennaroglu, Y. Morova, Divalent (Cr2+), trivalent (Cr3+), and tetravalent (Cr4+) chromium ion-doped tunable solid-state lasers operating in the near and mid-infrared spectral regions. Appl. Phys. B 128, 9 (2022)
L. Liu, L. Zhao, X. Zhou, X. Wang, Recent progress in the development of KBe2BO3F2: a deep-UV nonlinear optical crystal. Appl. Phys. B 128, 17 (2022)
H. Pfeifer, L. Ratschbacher et al., Achievements and perspectives of optical fiber fabry–perot cavities. Appl. Phys. B 128, 29 (2022)
U. Brauch, C. Röcker, T. Graf, M. AbdouAhmed, High-power, high-brightness solid-state laser architectures and their characteristics. Appl. Phys. B 128, 29 (2022)
C. Fruhling, M.G. Ozlu, S. Saha, A. Boltasseva, V.M. Shalaev, Understanding all-optical switching at the epsilon-near-zero point: a tutorial review. Appl. Phys. B 128, 34 (2022)
K. Dobek, Thermal lensing: outside of the lasing medium. Appl. Phys. B 128, 18 (2022)
A. Nussbaum-Lap**, C.R. Phillips, B. Willenberg, J. Pupeikis, U. Keller, Absolute SESAM characterization via polarization-resolved non-collinear equivalent time sampling. Appl. Phys. B 128, 24 (2022)
Z. Sekkat, Enhancement of molecular mobility in solid polymers by light: fundamentals and applications. Appl. Phys. B 128, 19 (2022)
T.A. Sipkens, J. Menser, T. Dreier, C. Schulz, G.J. Smallwood, K.J. Daun, Laser-induced incandescence for non-soot nanoparticles: recent trends and current challenges. Appl. Phys. B 128, 72 (2022)
E. Castro-Camus, M. Koch, D.M. Mittleman, Recent advances in terahertz imaging: 1999 to 2021. Appl. Phys. B 128, 12 (2021)
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Mackenzie, J.I. Topical issue celebrating the 40th anniversary of Applied Physics B: editorial. Appl. Phys. B 128, 96 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-022-07821-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-022-07821-y