Laser Focus World Submission Guidelines

How to Get Published

For over a half-century, Laser Focus World has been the international resource for technology and applications in the global photonics industry and offers our audience greater technical depth—thanks to the world's most experienced team of science editors and writers—than any other publication in the field. Laser Focus World is the leading resource for engineers, researchers, scientists, and technical professionals in this worldwide market. Each month, the magazine analyzes the latest developments and significant trends in both technology and business and currently 80,000+ qualified optoelectronics professionals from around the world subscribe.

In addition to providing in-depth articles written by Laser Focus World editors, the magazine accepts articles, news stories, and new product information for publication from qualified outside contributors. 

AUTHOR SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: FEATURE ARTICLES

Feature articles vary from broad coverage of relevant technological issues to discussion of specific subjects such as system designs, novel applications, market trends, and product developments relating to the technologies that Laser Focus World covers.

Our readers are primarily engineers and scientists who are technically sophisticated and knowledgeable about optoelectronics and photonics, but are not specialists in all areas.

CONTENT

The subject and general outline of contributed feature articles should be agreed in advance with the soliciting editor.

LENGTH

Feature articles typically range from 1200 to 1800 words (total file including captions and references).

TEXT

Text files (such as MS Word) should have NO EMBEDDED FORMATTING (examples include embedded footnotes and headers). Also Greek letters and symbols should be inserted using only “Symbol” font.

ART & FIGURES

The article should contain two or three figures. We prefer only one piece of art (photo, chart, or drawing) in each figure. The best illustrations support points made in the text. All illustrations must be supplied with captions in complete sentences.

  • Send art as individual files [.jpg, native Photoshop (.psd), .tif, and .eps files. We can also accept file formats that are compatible with Adobe Photoshop software (.bmp, .gif, .pict)] See also below.
  • Photos should be at least 1200 pixels in size (height or width), or a minimum of 3x5 inches @ 300 dpi resolution
  • Drawings need not be camera-ready; artwork from vector-based drawing programs should NOT be converted to rasterized or bitmapped images
  • Stock product images are discouraged unless they can be supported by the text
  • Use the native file formats: PLEASE DON’T EMBED ART IN WORD OR POWERPOINT FILES.

DEADLINES 

All material is due three months ahead of the scheduled publication date (e.g., Dec. 1 for March publication, and so forth). Necessary clearances or approvals should be obtained in advance of the due date. Anticipated delays should be discussed with the soliciting editor as early as possible.

SUBMISSION

Please email (as attachments) all materials to the soliciting editor at Laser Focus World. Check with the editor before emailing image files that total more than 10 MB per email. If necessary, other methods can be arranged for transfer of larger files.

Your submission should include the following:

  • Full text
  • Abstract: a 100-word summary
  • Suggested headline using an active verb
  • Art and captions, with callouts in the body of the article
  • References, where appropriate, with callouts in the body of the article
  • Biographical information (full title, work address, and email address of the author[s])
  • Electronically signed copyright agreement. Endeavor Business Media assumes copyright of all published material.

NOTE

We cannot guarantee that any article will be published in print, even if is initially planned as such. In the event that print space is unavailable we reserve the right to publish articles exclusively online. In this event the article will be promoted in print by inclusion in the printed table of contents of the magazine.

WHO TO CONTACT

NEW PRODUCTS

Is there someone to contact if I have press release about a new product for the optoelectronics industry?

Send press releases to [email protected]

Include a digital color image (.jpg format preferred; other formats accepted; minimum 1200 pixels in height or width, or 3x5 inches @ 300 dpi resolution)

Keep new product press releases short (less than 200 words) and to the point. Stick to the facts: what's new, what are its benefits, what market is the product aimed at, and who is the contact for more information.

For inquiries only about product submissions, contact Lee Dubay ([email protected])

TECHNICAL NEWS

Where do I send technical news regarding new developments in optoelectronics or its applications?

Contact Sally Cole Johnson ([email protected])

INDUSTRY NEWS

Where do I send business and market news such as financial reports, executive changes, and major industry events?

For consideration as news on our website, send industry news releases to Patricia Panchak ([email protected])

FEATURE IDEAS

Although many of our feature topics are planned with the Editorial Calendar in mind, we regularly publish additional online technical features about advances in lasers and optoelectronics technologies, written by leading research and development scientists and engineers.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

If you would like to comment on something that appeared in the magazine, send us a letter or email—we'd like to know what you think.

  • Send to Patricia Panchak ([email protected])
  • Include address and phone number
  • Keep it short (100200 words)

ACCEPTABLE FORMATS FOR ARTWORK SUBMISSIONS

A. Photographs:

Electronic submissions of photographic images that we can access most reliably include .jpg, native Photoshop (.psd), .tif and .eps files. We can also accept file formats that are compatible with Adobe Photoshop software (.bmp, .gif, .pict). Please do not embed photographic images in Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, etc.

Ideally files will have a resolution of 300 pixels-per-inch or higher at the size they will be printed. Images of lower resolution would have to be reduced in size to increase the relative resolution (for example, a 72 pixel-per-inch image, if used, would have to be printed at approximately 1/4 of its submitted size.) For images to be printed at a large size, such as on the cover of the magazine, a high-resolution image (approx. 300 pixels-per-inch) of adequate size (about 8 × 10 in.) is mandatory.

B. Line art illustrations (charts, graphs, diagrams):

Our art department uses Macintosh computers and Adobe Illustrator software to create illustrations for the magazine. Images submitted as Adobe Illustrator files are ideal. We recommend that artwork from vector-based drawing programs NOT be converted to rasterized or bitmapped images. 

NOTE: Any line art drawing (chart, graph, diagram, sketch, etc.) on paper is considered a traditional hardcopy submission of illustration. This artwork should be clean and clear. All type must be legible. If a specific color or a color variation is important, please make a note of it, provide a color version of the artwork, or include additional references.

C. Cover image candidates:

Final image file should be 8.5” x 11” at 300 dpi minimum (2400 × 3300 pixels). PSD, EPS, or tiff preferred. RGB or CMYK color mode.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA

We can receive reasonably sized files as attachments to e-mail messages. If necessary we can also download files from a web site for large files (for instance, www.yousendit.com). 

Questions? Please contact Kelli Mylchreest, Laser Focus World Art Director, at [email protected].