What is this collection about? 

As the realm of computing continues to evolve, the integration of optical technologies has emerged as a groundbreaking frontier, presenting new paradigms for processing and information transfer. Traditional electronic computing faces limitations in speed and energy efficiency, especially as data demands escalate in our increasingly connected world. Optical computing, leveraging the principles of light manipulation, offers the potential for parallel processing and ultra-fast data transmission, presenting a compelling alternative.

This Collection seeks to highlight the transformative potential of optical computing across various domains, including communications, data processing, and artificial intelligence, before the submission deadline of 15 July 2026. 

Why is this collection important? 

We hope, by launching this collection, to not only advance our understanding of optical computing technology, but also to inspire future research directions that may redefine the computational landscape.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. 

Why submit to a collection? 

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by Guest Editors and In-House Editors who are experts in their fields and supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest. 

Who is involved? 

The Editor-in-Chief of npj Unconventional Computing is @Wei D. Lu, University of Michigan, USA.

The team of Editors working on this Collection is:

• Guest Editor Miguel C. Soriano, PhD, Spanish National Research Council & IFISC (CSIC-UIB), Spain
• Guest Editor Nianqiang Li, PhD, Soochow University, China
• Guest Editor Antonio Hurtado, PhD, University of Strathclyde, UK 

How can I submit my paper? 

​Visit the Collection page to find out more about this collection and submit your article.