Both nanoscience/nanotechnology and biomaterials are areas known as interdisciplinary research fields that currently include elements from medicine/dentistry, biology, chemistry, engineering, and physical sciences. The convergence of these fields has led to exciting advances in integrating bio-inspired materials and bio-based processes to photonic applications. These developments comprise bio-based materials to replace organic and inorganic components in photonic devices as well as bio-inspired and biomimetic approaches to improve upon existing technologies. Such advances based on interdisciplinary work need more efforts and time than conventional technologies but often lead to unexpected profit. The objective of this call is to bring together researchers and experts from a variety of fields such as life sciences, physics, chemistry, optics, photonics, nanotechnology, engineering, and materials science, who have an interest in the exploitation of optical and photonic phenomena in nanotechnology-based devices adapted from biological matter and design principles in nature. Topics ranging from bio-based and bio-derived materials via photonic devices and their application to bio-inspired and biomimetic approaches are welcome.

Papers are solicited in, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Biomaterials and devices for photonics applications including LEDs, LETs, lasers, optical storage, optical switches, EO modulator devices and BioFETs
• Optical characterization of forming hierarchical structures
• Biomaterials for information processing and information storage
• Biomaterials for IR applications
• Biopolymers
• DNA photonics
• Nanophotonics in human and animal anatomy
• Biotronics
• Nonlinear optical processes in biomaterials
• Biologically synthesized nanomaterials
• Bio-based sensors
• Nanotechnology-based artificial muscles
• Biomimetic and bio-inspired technologies including biomimetic optical devices and biomimetic robotics.

All submissions will be peer reviewed. Peer review will commence immediately upon manuscript submission, with a goal of making a first decision within 6 weeks of manuscript submission. Special sections are opened online once a minimum of four papers have been accepted. Each paper is published as soon as the copyedited and typeset proofs are approved by the author. Submissions should follow the guidelines of the Journal of Nanophotonics. Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://jnp.msubmit.net.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology have been the subjects of enormous research and public interest for the past 20 years. These disciplines cover all aspects of the design and production of materials, devices, and systems by manipulating matter at the nanoscale. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at the nanometer length scale. Since nanostructured thin films display unique physical phenomena, they facilitate the improvement of traditional applications and the development of novel applications. The design, fabrication, characterization, modeling, and manipulation of nanostructured thin films are essential to future scientific progress.

This special section of the Journal of Nanophotonics will be devoted to recent advances in nanostructured thin films, including those presented at the Nanostructured Thin Films X conference at SPIE Optics+Photonics 2017. All authors from this conference are strongly encouraged to submit papers derived from their conference presentations. Contributions from authors not participating in the Nanostructured Thin Films X conference are also welcome.  

Topics of interest cover any relevant aspects of nanostructured thin films, from design, modeling, fabrication, and characterization to practical applications. These topics include, but are not limited to:   

• fabrication techniques
• characterization
• homogenization studies and modeling
• hybrid nanostructures
• multifunctionality at the nanoscale
• plasmonics
• organic and inorganic nanostructured thin films
• sculptured thin films
• nanostructured porous thin films
• two-dimensional materials
• carbon-based nanostructures
• topological insulators and photonic topological insulators
• hybrid nanostructures
• functionalization of nanostructures
• thin-film sensors
• superhydrophobicity
• biomedical applications
• bioinspired and biomimetic thin films
• structural evolution 

Manuscripts should be submitted following the journal guidelines. A cover letter indicating that the submission is intended for this special section should be included. All papers will go through the usual journal peer-review process.