2D materials and their heterostructures have transformed the current landscape of condensed matter physics research. The atomically thin nature of these materials enabled researchers to predict their properties with high precision and allowed studying their material properties with unprecedented control, such as stacking multiple layers, twisting, electrical gating and photo-doping. Going beyond science, researchers are developing a new class of optoelectronic devices using these materials for a myriad of applications including nonlinear photonics and integrated quantum photonics. In fact, this has generated strong interest in the community with several review papers published on this topic [1–3].

This feature issue is intended to bring together some of the recent original contributions to this vibrant field. Instead of review articles, this feature issue highlights eight original research works in the field of 2D material nanophotonics. Deshmukh et al. demonstrated strongly coupled exciton-polaritons in two-dimensional hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite coupled to a planar microcavity with a vacuum Rabi splitting of 290 meV [4]. This polaritonic system could enable a new platform to study polaritonic many body physics. Khodasevych et al. proposed graphene covered subwavelength silicon carbide for tunable meta-optics, with potential applications in optical computation and image processing at mid-wave infrared wavelength range [5]. Granados-Baez et al. reported an optically pumped on-chip laser using tungsten diselenide monolayer integrated silicon nitride micro-ring resonator [6]. Compared to previous works, they demonstrated a much stronger linewidth reduction. Hashemi et al. theoretically showed that by employing monolayer molybdenum disulfide clad gold gratings, the absorption spectrum of light can be significantly altered [7]. Li et al. synthesized a unique heterostructure of multi-wall carbon nanotubes decorated by three-dimensional molybdenum disulfide [8], and demonstrated nonlinear optical processes. Yi et al. experimentally demonstrated phase-locked laser exploiting the saturable absorption of monolayer zirconium triselenide nanoflakes [9]. Siminel et al. explored the possibility of modifying the electronic properties of the van der Waals heterostructures by intercalation of halogen molecules [10]. Chen et al. explored the fundamentals of external electric field effect on 2D transition metal dichalcogenides [11].

This feature issue is by no means a complete display of all the research going on 2D material nanophotonics. However, this issue reveals how fundamental physics of 2D material optoelectronics is still being understood, while at the same time, device engineering is taking place with novel photonic structures. We sincerely hope that you will enjoy this feature issue. We are grateful to all the authors, reviewers and OSA staff members for their contributions and efforts to make this issue possible.