The optics and photonics research community is flourishing with major global investment of funding and new centres being created around the world. To address this growth, IOP Publishing is relaunching Journal of Optics (JOPT) in 2015 with a new, expanded scope and a fresh look.
JOPT, under different journal names, has been part of the optics community for more than 100 years with some of the earliest discoveries in optical manipulation, transformation optics and plasmonic lasers, having been published in the journal. With a deep-rooted history within optics and photonics research, JOPT has evolved its scope as the community has developed.
Today, the journal has an Impact Factor above 2.0 and is an official media partner of the International Year of Light 2015. It will be introducing new topical sections on quantum photonics and photovoltaics and energy harvesting, to complement existing strong areas that include nanophotonics and plasmonics, information and communication optics, and biophotonics.
With help from key researchers in their disciplines, the journal will also launch a series of optics and photonics “Roadmaps”, giving high-level perspectives on how key research areas will develop in future years.
Heading up JOPT’s editorial development is Editor-in-Chief, Professor Nikolay Zheludev, who has recently helped to set up the Photonics Institute at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (created in co-operation with the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton, UK).
Nikolay Zheludev said: “We consider the 2015 International Year of Light to be a unique opportunity to declare that we are determined to build on our successes of JOPT. We will continue providing a fair and highly desirable platform for quality publications in optics and photonics.”
Jamie Hutchins, Head of Publishing, at IOP, said: “It is vital that we continue to review each of our journals to ensure that they remain vital for the communities that they serve. JOPT has had a long history under a number of previous guises and this relaunch marks a new milestone to specifically signal our intention to grow and develop this title to fulfil its potential, and to remain responsive to changes in research focus in optics and photonics.”
To support this growth, JOPT welcomes several new board members and topical editors, including researchers from the US, Europe, China, Singapore and South Africa.
More information about the journal can be found at iopscience.org/jopt.