The structured light has found a wide variety of applications, such as optical manipulation, optical metrology, optical imaging, classical optical communications and quantum communications. This feature issue will highlight research spanning all fields influenced. In this perspective, we thus offer our take on a few key applied research fields where structured light is particularly promising, as well as some pivotal generation and characterisation techniques. In addition, we share our vision of where we believe structured light's applications are moving. Structured light refers to custom light fields with tailored phase, intensity or polarization. Generation of various types of the structured beams is possible, depending on the spatial beam profile.
[PDF Version]