For the fourth consecutive year, Talks on Photonics Science and Technology (IZPHOTECH) brought together the photonics community to celebrate World Photonics Day. IZPHOTECH’25 was held on October 21–22, 2025, as a hybrid event at the IZTECH Exhibition Center Conference Hall. The event was organized in collaboration with the IZTECH Optics and Photonics Society Student Chapter, the IEEE IZTECH Photonics Society Student Chapter, and the IZTECH Department of Photonics.
This year’s meeting once again created a vibrant platform where students, researchers, engineers, and industry professionals came together to exchange ideas and explore cutting-edge developments in the field.
Advancing Photonics Through Global Collaboration and Emerging Technologies
The conference began with inspiring opening remarks by Prof. Dr. Canan Varlıklı, Head of the IZTECH Department of Photonics; Yann Amouroux, Director of OPTICA Europe; and Cem Çelebi, Vice Rector of IZTECH. Their speeches emphasized the growing impact of photonics in science, technology, and industry, and highlighted the importance of collaboration across disciplines and borders.
IZPHOTECH’25 featured 13 distinguished speakers and focused on key emerging areas including metasurfaces, intelligent photonics, narrowband THz sources, organic photodetectors, OLED photodegradation, quantum technologies, space photonics, neuromorphic computing, and advanced display systems.
The organizers were pleased to receive 242 registrations, including participants we had connected with during last year’s IZPHOTECH’24 event. The online engagement was equally encouraging, with 252 views on the first day and 205 views on the second day.
Day 1 Highlights: Metasurfaces, Intelligent Photonics, and Advanced Materials
The first day featured an exciting lineup of speakers exploring how photonics is redefining the future of technology.
- Koray Aydın (Northwestern University) opened with a compelling talk on metasurfaces and their transformative role in imaging, sensing, and quantum technologies. He demonstrated how nanoscale light–matter interactions, combined with machine learning and inverse electromagnetic design, enable compact, multifunctional optical components capable of real-time optical computation and edge detection. He also highlighted how resonant metasurfaces can interact with quantum emitters, potentially bridging classical and quantum photonic systems.
- Liangcai Cao (Tsinghua University), presenting online, explored the emerging field of intelligent photonics—the fusion of artificial intelligence and photonic technologies. He described how photonic computing offers a high-speed, energy-efficient alternative to traditional electronics for AI applications. From optimizing smartphone cameras and biomedical microscopy to implementing neural networks directly in photonic hardware, intelligent photonics promises to reshape computing architectures.
- Ümit Demirbaş (Antalya Bilim University / Paul Scherrer Institute) discussed the development of narrowband and tunable THz sources engineered to selectively excite low-energy lattice modes without thermal damage. By leveraging periodically poled lithium niobate and quasi-phase matching, his team achieved bright, tunable THz radiation with narrow bandwidth and improved efficiency.
- İrem Saçın (İzmir Institute of Technology) presented work on enhanced broadband organic photodetectors based on ternary bulk heterojunctions. Her research highlighted how material engineering can improve light–matter interactions and expand the performance of flexible, next-generation optoelectronic devices.
- Bedri Hızkan (İzmir Institute of Technology) concluded the session with insights into OLED material stability. By investigating antifader additives that target distinct photodegradation pathways, he demonstrated strategies to extend device lifetimes and improve performance in solid-state OLED systems.
Author Workshop: Writing and Ethics in Scientific Publishing
An important component of IZPHOTECH’25 was the author workshop on scientific publishing.
- Yalçın Ata (OSTIM Technical University) guided participants through the research article journey, from manuscript preparation and journal selection to navigating peer review and handling rejection constructively.
- Alexey Bogdanov (İzmir Institute of Technology) addressed ethical aspects of scientific publication, outlining formal and informal publication rules, common ethical challenges, and examples of research misconduct. His session emphasized responsible research practices and integrity in scholarly communication.
Day 2 Highlights: Quantum Technologies, Space Photonics, and Future Computing
The second day expanded the conversation to advanced imaging, quantum technologies, space applications, and next-generation computing.
- Yashar A. Kalandaragh (Gazi University) discussed breakthroughs in super-resolution optical microscopy techniques that overcome the diffraction limit, including SIM, STED, PALM, and STORM. He also introduced tunable microlens arrays fabricated using advanced techniques such as femtosecond laser machining and two-photon polymerization, highlighting their role in adaptive optical systems.
- Mehmet Berkay Ön (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) explored how optics can enable neuromorphic computing. He described silicon photonic integrated circuits based on Mach–Zehnder interferometers capable of performing highly parallel matrix-vector multiplications, offering energy-efficient solutions for AI workloads.
- Cem Demir (İzmir Institute of Technology) presented research on fluorescence lifetime variations in blue and green fluorescent proteins under different excitation regimes. Using time-resolved spectroscopy, he revealed important differences in emission dynamics that can inform optimal probe selection in bioimaging.
- Sezin Galioğlu (Bilkent University, UNAM) demonstrated how ultrafast lasers can precisely engineer zeolites, influencing nucleation and growth through nonlinear light–matter interactions. His work provided new insights into CO₂ adsorption and catalytic applications.
- H. Azize Malay (Uludağ University) introduced PhoTEM, a TÜBİTAK-supported STEM-based photonics literacy module aimed at integrating photonics into elementary and high school education, fostering scientific awareness and interdisciplinary learning.
- Cahit Yeşilyaprak presented an overview of the Türkiye National Observatories ecosystem, detailing administrative, technical, and R&D activities supporting national space science initiatives.
- Kadir Durak (Özyegin University) explored entanglement-enabled quantum timing and navigation, demonstrating how quantum-enhanced synchronization and trilateration methods can surpass classical positioning systems.
- Ozan Arı (Hacettepe University) discussed nonlinear quantum light sources and their essential role in quantum computing, sensing, cryptography, and navigation.
- Sercan Özen (Potsdam University) analyzed the stability of multi-junction perovskite solar cells for space applications, revealing how extreme environmental conditions impact device performance.
- Alper Yanılmaz (Vestel) showcased advances in display technologies—from micro-LEDs and OLEDs to quantum-dot systems—and discussed the challenges of scaling lab innovations to industrial production.
Posters, Oral Presentations, and Networking
For the second consecutive year, IZPHOTECH included a poster session, receiving 26 submissions from undergraduate and graduate students, as well as contributors from different cities and countries. Posters were evaluated by a panel of judges, and the top three were awarded prizes.
New this year was the introduction of an oral poster session. Selected participants were interspersed among invited speakers, providing them the opportunity to present their work on stage and experience the atmosphere of a live scientific presentation.
Throughout the event, participants engaged actively during Q&A sessions and coffee breaks, fostering valuable networking opportunities. To further enrich the experience, guest lecturers were invited to join a brief tour of Urla and the IZTECH campus.
