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Published
, Published online: 26 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.063
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are promising layered materials for nanophotonics because of their inherent optical anisotropy, large refractive indices, and optical non-linearity, which make them excellent candidates for integration into photonic components. However, current prototyping techniques used to fabricate functional photonic elements rely on post-processing of single-crystal flakes or chemical vapour deposition (CVD)-grown films via focused ion beam milling, which is a throughput-limited and time-consuming approach. Therefore, scalable and rapid patterning methods for TMDC-based photonic devices are required to boost their application in the field of photonic technologies. Herein, we present a laser lithography method that enables the direct production of ultrafine diffractive MoS2 and WS2 structures from their chemical precursors. Thin films of thiosalt precursors, spin-coated onto various substrates, can be patterned with high resolution when exposed to light in the visible and ultraviolet (UV) spectral regions in a photolithographic manner. This allows either the direct synthesis of TMDC structures or the production of micro/nanopatterns consisting of partially synthesised amorphous material from the initial precursor films, which can later be converted to the desired TMDC using a two-step process. Using interferometric lithography, we fabricated of MoS2 and WS2 diffraction gratings with periods as short as 150 nm and aspect ratios ~104 (length/width), as well as MoS2 Fresnel holograms on photonic substrates such as silica (SiO2) and lithium niobate (LiNbO3). An MoS2 grating coupler was fabricated and used to couple light onto a thin-film lithium niobate planar waveguide. The measured diffraction efficiencies of the laser-patterned multi-layer MoS2 gratings at visible wavelengths matched the corresponding values reported for exfoliated TMDC materials, highlighting the potential of this method for fabrication of 2D photonics.
Published
, Published online: 26 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.073
Photodetectors (PDs) are optoelectronic components that transform incident light into electrical output and are broadly applied in areas such as biomedical imaging, chemical sensing, light detection, and environmental monitoring. Although traditional PDs that use materials including Si, InGaAs, MoS2, and ZnO exhibit outstanding sensing performance, their production is expensive and complex. In contrast, perovskite-based PDs offer low-cost processability, bandgap tunability for light selectivity from the UV to IR wavelengths, and comparable detector performance. In addition, they can operate under zero-bias conditions (self-powered mode) via a photodiode configuration. In this study, we report a new hybrid perovskite-based self-powered (zero-bias) light sensor using a mixture of two perovskite materials with different band energies, exhibiting a “chocolate-chip-cookie” structure to achieve energy funnelling from one perovskite (chocolate chip) to another perovskite (cookie). By selecting CsPbBr3 as the chip and Cs0.05FA0.81MA0.14Pb (I0.85Br0.15)3 as the cookie, our device behaves like an energy-selective broadband photocurrent amplifier in self-powered mode by enhancing light detection in both the green and UV regimes (532 and 365 nm, respectively) through electric-field redistribution and energy-funnelling mechanisms. For these two wavelengths, the device achieves external quantum efficiencies of 69.39% and 47.38%, spectral responsivities of 0.30 and 0.14 A·W−1, specific detectivities of 5.67 × 1012 and 2.65 × 1012 cm·Hz1/2·W−1, and on/off ratios of 34 and 12, respectively. Furthermore, the charge-transfer mechanism is revealed by relevant characterisations.
Published
, Published online: 26 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.066
The terahertz (THz) technology has a pivotal role in advancing next-generation communication systems, offering distinctive advantages for high-speed data transmission and precise sensing. Concurrently, flexible functional devices have emerged as a key research focus due to their ability to conform to complex application scenarios through mechanical deformation. The integration of THz wavefront manipulation with flexible platforms is crucial for unlocking innovative applications. However, existing devices often lack the dynamic tunability required for practical implementation. Here, we demonstrate two types of flexible THz metasurfaces for phase modulation based on the Pancharatnam-Berry phase modulation, operating at 0.35 THz. Each device comprises an array of single-walled carbon nanotube resonators on a silicone substrate. The first design is a mechanically tuneable metasurface lens. Under a stretch factor of A = 1.2, the focal spot shifts rearwards, and the focal length increases from 19.4 to 28.2 mm (an increment of 8.8 mm). The second design enables dynamic beam deflection through controlled mechanical stretching. At the same stretch factor (A = 1.2), the deflection angle varies from −19.69° to −16.01°, with a change of 3.68°. These results provide a viable technical pathway for dynamic THz wavefront modulation, laying a solid foundation to enhance THz applications in future communication systems and expand the potential of flexible devices in high-frequency electromagnetic fields.
Published
, Published online: 25 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.041
Laser-resistant coatings are becoming increasingly essential to meet the growing demand for high-power lasers. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of coatings can be significantly improved by constructing dielectric coatings that contain both high-refractive-index (high-n) and low-n layers made from SiO2-based materials with a wide bandgap and low absorption, specifically dense and porous SiO2. This study proposes and demonstrates the fabrication of all-silica laser-resistant anti-reflection (AR) and high-reflection (HR) coatings using a combination of plasma-ion-assisted electron-beam co-evaporation of Al2O3–SiO2 mixtures, followed by selective chemical etching. The suitability of this method for producing large-size single-layer and multilayer coatings was verified experimentally. The porous SiO2 layer exhibited absorption properties comparable to those of a fused silica substrate. Both AR and HR coatings exhibited good laser resistance at a wavelength of 355 nm. Notably, the LIDT of the AR coating (~46.9 J/cm2) exceeded that of the fused silica substrate (~41.1 J/cm2). The proposed fabrication method is simple, cost-effective, and holds great promise for advancing the development of high-performance laser coatings.
Published
, Published online: 22 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.068
Liquid propulsion on overheated surfaces plays an important role in numerous engineering applications. However, most reported methods are limited to homogeneous asymmetric structures such as ratchet-shaped substrates. In this study, a dual heterogeneous structure is designed on an aluminium surface via femtosecond laser direct writing. The substrate surface is alternately covered with non-ablated smooth strips and laser-structured regions composed of periodic ripple microstructures. The droplets on the heated sheet exhibit a hybrid boiling state: film boiling in the smooth regions and intermittent transition boiling in the ripple microstructures. This hybrid state enables the droplets to remain in the Leidenfrost regime and combines the advantages of both the film- and transition-boiling states. The film-boiling regions facilitate the formation of a stable vapour cushion beneath the droplet, whereas the intermittent asymmetric contact boiling on the ripple microstructures produces a directional driving force and unidirectionally propels the Leidenfrost droplets. In particular, the droplets consistently move along the laser-scanning lines and opposite the laser processing direction. By ingeniously designing laser processing paths, diverse functions and applications of Leidenfrost droplet propulsion, including curved-path droplet transport, droplet expulsion, droplet trapping, targeted cooling, and droplet rotors, can be realised.
Published
, Published online: 21 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.067
An ultra-compact silicon photonic solution based on a multimode plasmonic modulator is proposed for signal processing with complementary routing. The Si-ITO-SiO2-Au structure investigated in this study reveals previously unexplored mechanisms for signal management. In this modulator, both intensity and phase modulation can be selectively achieved. By controlling mode excitation, electro-refraction can be effectively converted into variations in multimode interference. As a result, a single-output grating coupler exhibits two spatially separated regions with inverted intensity modulation. Moreover, the modulation depth at these locations can be readily tuned. The measured DC extinction ratio over a voltage range of −2 to 1.5 V reaches 20.6 dB for a 1.6 µm-long modulator, corresponding to a record-high value of 12.8 dB/µm. The directly measured AC extinction ratio is 2.48 dB at a modulation frequency of 10 MHz, decreasing to 1.25 dB at 1 GHz over a voltage range of −2 to 2 V for a 3.6 µm-long modulator. These results demonstrate a significant step towards the integration of compact, high-speed, and reconfigurable analogue optical links for advanced signal processing.
Published
, Published online: 03 April 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.056
Employing optical microscopy for visualisation and quantification of dielectric analytes in the near-field area has been a persistent objective, connecting nanoscale dynamics with macroscopic phenomena. Surface plasmon resonance holographic microscopy (SPRHM) leverages evanescent-field interactions and digital holography to enable label-free wide-field quantitative intensity and phase imaging of the near-field area, emerging as a flexible optical tool for high-throughput visualisation and characterization of chemical reactions. However, current SPRHM demodulation methods remain insufficient to meet the growing demand for a higher measurement sensitivity. Here, we introduce an optimised Ag–Au bilayer SPR excitation configuration and angle-scanning thickness demodulation workflow, designed to achieve ultrahigh-sensitivity Refractive index (RI) and thickness measurements, respectively. Experiment results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed methods: monitoring of RI variations of ethanol-water evaporation dynamics with a resolution of 2.58 × 10−7 RIU and thickness profiling of a graphene terrace specimen with a step-height accuracy of 0.56 nm. Integrated with these advanced methods, we present a versatile SPR holographic microscope prototype that features minimal opto-mechanical complexity, and exceptional stability, enabling unprecedented observations of biomolecular interactions, nanomaterial optics, electrochemical dynamic processes, etc.
Published
, Published online: 15 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.064
In nature, certain insects possess specialised compound eye structures that provide an ultra-wide field-of-view (FoV) and rapid response capabilities, enabling them to capture prey and avoid obstacles. Herein, inspired by compound eyes, a planar intelligent nanophotonic sensor (PINS) based on a metalens array, which possesses an ultrawide horizontal FoV exceeding 135°, is demonstrated. By leveraging a deep neural network, meta-motion sense (MMS), accurate optical flow can be extracted from PINS-captured wide-FoV scenes, enabling a comprehensive characterisation of the motion velocities and directions of all dynamic objects. Compared to traditional machine-vision-based object recognition algorithms, the proposed approach exhibits significantly higher accuracy and robustness, particularly in detecting small, slow, or background-blended moving targets, and offers an intelligent predictive capability for forecasting the motion trajectories of objects. The proposed device combines the advantages of high compactness, superior motion-detection performance, and intelligent functionality, offering a promising foundation for next-generation applications in autonomous navigation, situational awareness, and military surveillance.
Published
, Published online: 13 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.059
Diatoms are single-celled microalgae with highly ordered nano- and microstructured silicon dioxide shells (silica frustules), which function as natural photonic crystals for efficient light management. One of the predicted optical phenomena in diatom frustules is near-field Talbot interference, which provides localised focusing of incident radiation within a cell. In this work, we employed geometric scaling in the terahertz (THz) regime, where the Talbot distance increases to millimetres, allowing direct visualisation of the longitudinal self-imaging process. Scaled-up biomimetic models of diatom frustules were produced using liquid crystal display (LCD) 3D printing, and optical characterisation was performed at a wavelength of λ = 911 µm. The size of the holes in the structure ranged from 100 µm to 1 mm, corresponding to approximately a 2,000-fold geometric scale-up relative to natural diatom features. At a distance of 4.6 mm from the structure, the intensity at the focal points was half that of the original beam. The experimental results are consistent with numerical simulations carried out using the Fourier modal method. This work demonstrates a bioinspired approach to low-dimensional diffractive photonic structures with controllable optical properties by translating diatom-inspired nanophotonic concepts into manufacturable polymers. The designs obtained provide a scalable route to fabricating THz components that can function as flat focusing optics, tunable resonant filters, and wavefront modulators when integrated into devices. Compatibility with additive manufacturing enables large-scale, cost-effective production by allowing the combination of natural photonic architectures with modern fabrication techniques, thereby supporting applications in photonic systems, light harvesting, and smart sensing.
Published
, Published online: 13 May 2026
, doi: 10.37188/lam.2026.042
High-resolution, high-throughput, and minimally invasive imaging is in increasing demand in modern biomedical research. However, conventional single-modality optical microscopy often fails to satisfy these requirements. In this paper, we present a highly integrated multimodal fluorescence-phase microscopy (MFPM) system. By leveraging illumination pattern encoding, a unified wide-field detection configuration, and an integrated computational algorithm, MFPM achieves five imaging modes: optical-sectioning structured illumination microscopy (OS-SIM), super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SR-SIM), polarisation dipole analysis, fast differential phase contrast (fDPC), and quantitative differential phase contrast (qDPC) imaging. By incorporating dark channel prior-based background removal, MFPM achieves improved imaging depth, whereas the frame-reduction strategy enables a higher imaging speed. Consequently, only ten raw frames are required to reconstruct multidimensional information. This integrated platform enables co-registered multimodal imaging for diverse biomedical applications, including the subcellular visualisation of U2OS cells, quantitative auxiliary diagnosis of pathological tissue sections, and analysis of zebrafish heartbeats. With its compact design and multidimensional imaging capabilities, MFPM offers a unified solution for structural and functional imaging. Its scalability toward intelligent event-triggered imaging, and virtual staining integration makes it a promising platform for next-generation automated biomedical imaging.
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