This shift is leading to the development of exciting new modulator materials, configurations, and integration technologies, including thin-film LiNbO3, III-V external modulated lasers, thin-film barium titanate (BTO)-based modulators, and vertical metal-oxide-semiconductor. This shift is leading to the development of exciting new modulator materials, configurations, and integration technologies, including thin-film LiNbO3, III-V external modulated lasers, thin-film barium titanate (BTO)-based modulators, and vertical metal-oxide-semiconductor. An optical modulator is a device that encodes information onto a light wave by modifying one or more of its properties, such as: In integrated photonics, modulators are typically driven electrically and implemented on-chip, allowing high-speed, compact, and scalable solutions suitable for volume. This collection focuses on the latest advances in optical modulation enabled by emerging materials, highlighting their transformative potential in next-generation photonic applications. Optical modulation, a cornerstone in photonics and optoelectronics, underpins technologies ranging from. From powering new optical communication systems to making quantum photonics and LiDAR happen, the materials behind this market—lithium niobate, indium phosphide, gallium arsenide, and even electro-optic polymers—are turning into essentials. The Silicon Ceiling While silicon photonics has enabled significant advancements, it faces inherent challenges, including bandwidth limitations and susceptibility to noise. These. The rise of two-dimensional materials has led to the fabrication of optical modulators with new structures and mechanisms for communication, sensing, and computing Optical modulators are light-manipulating devices used in optical communication, interconnects, computing, sensing, and more.