Tiny integrated lasers and their application to industrial laser technologies: feature issue introduction

This issue of Optics Express features 18 papers, prepared primarily by authors who participated in the 10^th Tiny Integrated Laser and Laser Ignition Conference 2024 (TILA-LIC 2024), held on 24-26 April 2024 in Pacifico Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan, as part of the Optics and Photonics International Congress 2024; contributions from other authors related to the topic of tiny integrated lasers were welcomed. This review summarizes these articles, covering results in the fields of lasers and laser optics, nonlinear optics, optical fibers, optical materials, and spectroscopy. Innovations in photonics, also called giant micro-photonics, have allowed the creation of ubiquitous lasers that can operate in diverse fields and conditions, thus opening the door to new applications and discoveries that advance humanity.