Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductors
Abstract In the past decade, organic mixed ion-electron conductors have been successfully adopted in innovative bioelectronic, neuromorphic, and electro-optical technologies, as well as in multiple energy harvesting and printed electronics applications. However, despite the intense research efforts...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53372-5 |
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| author | Cristiano Bortolotti Federico Grandi Matteo Butti Lorenzo Gatto Francesco Modena Christina Kousseff Iain McCulloch Caterina Vozzi Mario Caironi Eugenio Cinquanta Giorgio Ernesto Bonacchini |
| author_facet | Cristiano Bortolotti Federico Grandi Matteo Butti Lorenzo Gatto Francesco Modena Christina Kousseff Iain McCulloch Caterina Vozzi Mario Caironi Eugenio Cinquanta Giorgio Ernesto Bonacchini |
| author_sort | Cristiano Bortolotti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In the past decade, organic mixed ion-electron conductors have been successfully adopted in innovative bioelectronic, neuromorphic, and electro-optical technologies, as well as in multiple energy harvesting and printed electronics applications. However, despite the intense research efforts devoted to these materials, organic mixed conductors have not yet found application in electronic/photonic devices operating in key regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as the microwave (>5 GHz) and terahertz (0.1-10 THz) ranges. A possible reason for this technological gap is the widespread notion that organic electronic materials are unsuitable for high-frequency applications. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the utility of high-performance polymer mixed conductors as electro-active tuning layers in reconfigurable terahertz metasurfaces, achieving modulation performances comparable with state-of-the-art inorganic and 2D semiconductors. Through time-domain terahertz spectroscopy, we show that the large conductivity modulations of these polymers, until now probed only at very low frequencies, are effectively preserved in the terahertz range, leading to optimal metadevice reconfigurability. Finally, we leverage the unique processability of organic materials to develop fully direct-written electrically tuneable metasurfaces onto both rigid and flexible substrates, opening new opportunities for the mass-scale realization of flexible and light-weight terahertz optics with unique mechanical characteristics and environmental footprint. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-23e68e288a414967ac35e7f191a85414 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-23e68e288a414967ac35e7f191a854142024-11-10T12:33:51ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-11-011511710.1038/s41467-024-53372-5Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductorsCristiano Bortolotti0Federico Grandi1Matteo Butti2Lorenzo Gatto3Francesco Modena4Christina Kousseff5Iain McCulloch6Caterina Vozzi7Mario Caironi8Eugenio Cinquanta9Giorgio Ernesto Bonacchini10Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di MilanoDipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di MilanoCenter for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaDipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di MilanoCenter for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaDepartment of Chemistry, University of OxfordDepartment of Chemistry, University of OxfordIstituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Consiglio Nazionale delle RicercheCenter for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaIstituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Consiglio Nazionale delle RicercheDepartment of Information Engineering, Università degli Studi di PadovaAbstract In the past decade, organic mixed ion-electron conductors have been successfully adopted in innovative bioelectronic, neuromorphic, and electro-optical technologies, as well as in multiple energy harvesting and printed electronics applications. However, despite the intense research efforts devoted to these materials, organic mixed conductors have not yet found application in electronic/photonic devices operating in key regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as the microwave (>5 GHz) and terahertz (0.1-10 THz) ranges. A possible reason for this technological gap is the widespread notion that organic electronic materials are unsuitable for high-frequency applications. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the utility of high-performance polymer mixed conductors as electro-active tuning layers in reconfigurable terahertz metasurfaces, achieving modulation performances comparable with state-of-the-art inorganic and 2D semiconductors. Through time-domain terahertz spectroscopy, we show that the large conductivity modulations of these polymers, until now probed only at very low frequencies, are effectively preserved in the terahertz range, leading to optimal metadevice reconfigurability. Finally, we leverage the unique processability of organic materials to develop fully direct-written electrically tuneable metasurfaces onto both rigid and flexible substrates, opening new opportunities for the mass-scale realization of flexible and light-weight terahertz optics with unique mechanical characteristics and environmental footprint.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53372-5 |
| spellingShingle | Cristiano Bortolotti Federico Grandi Matteo Butti Lorenzo Gatto Francesco Modena Christina Kousseff Iain McCulloch Caterina Vozzi Mario Caironi Eugenio Cinquanta Giorgio Ernesto Bonacchini Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductors Nature Communications |
| title | Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductors |
| title_full | Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductors |
| title_fullStr | Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductors |
| title_short | Tuning direct-written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion-electron conductors |
| title_sort | tuning direct written terahertz metadevices with organic mixed ion electron conductors |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53372-5 |
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