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Objective To explore the evaluation value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and cytokines in predicting severe and therapeutic retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).MethodsPremature infants from January 2020 to January 2022 were enrolled in this single-center retrospective study. General characteristics, seven cytokines within 24 hours and NT-proBNP on the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 14th days after birth were collected. Evaluated these risk factors by using univariate Logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate the prediction ability. The outcome measures were the occurrence of any stage ROP, severe ROP and therapeutic ROP.Results528 premature infants were involved, 21.4% premature infants (113/528) were diagnosed with ROP, 35.4% (40/113) were diagnosed with severe ROP, 65% (26/40) received intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment. After adjusting confounding factors, NT-proBNP at day 7 of life (NT-proBNP7) and IL-6 still remained significantly associated with ROP (P < 0.05). For severe ROP, the cut off values for IL-6 and NT-ProBNP7 were respectively 16.28 pg/mL (AUC = 0.830) and 2553ng/L (AUC = 0.846). The AUC value for combining the two indices was 0.919. For therapeutic ROP, the cut off values for IL-6 and NT-ProBNP7 were respectively 18.08 pg/mL (AUC = 0.845) and 4699ng/L (AUC = 0.829). The AUC value for combining the two indices was 0.915.ConclusionsNT-proBNP 7 and IL-6 can be used as early biomarkers for severe and therapeutic ROP. More importantly, two indicators have significantly higher efficacy than individual indicators.

We report on the proof-of-principle experiment of generating carrier-envelope phase (CEP)-controllable and frequency-tunable narrowband terahertz (THz) radiation from air-plasma filament prescribed by the beat of temporally stretched two-color laser pulse sequence. The pulse sequence was prepared by propagating the fundamental ultrafast laser pulse through a grating stretcher and Michelson interferometer with variable inter-arm delay. By partially frequency-doubling and focusing the pulse sequence, an air-plasma filament riding a beat note was created to radiate THz wave with primary pulse characteristics (center frequency and CEP) under coherent control. To reproduce experimental results and elucidate complex nonlinear light-matter interaction, numerical simulation has been performed. This work demonstrates the feasibility of generating coherently controlled narrowband THz wave with high tunability in laser-induced air plasma., 14 pages, 4 figures

To extend the detection range of time-domain spectroscopy into the challenging visible frequencies, we propose an interferometry-type frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG). Our numerical simulation shows that, when operating in a double-pulse scheme, a unique phase-locking mechanism can be activated and preserves both zero- and first-order phases (φ0, φ1)—indispensable for phase-sensitive spectroscopic study—that are otherwise inaccessible to standard FROG measurement. Followed by time-domain signal reconstruction and analysis protocol, we show that time-domain spectroscopy with sub-cycle temporal resolution is enabled and well suits the need of a ultrafast-compatible and ambiguity-free method for complex dielectric function measurement at visible wavelengths.

Acetochlor is one of the most widely used chiral herbicides in the world, and it is usually produced and used as racemic form (Rac). The potential effects of acetochlor in human body are mainly induced by its residue in agriculture food. The direct target exposed is the liver in human body. However, the potential toxic and mechanism threat to human liver cells caused by chiral acetochlor has been rarely reported. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential mechanism of the toxicity caused by chiral acetochlor in HepG2 cells. The results revealed that acetochlor and its enantiomers could inhibit cell activity and cause DNA damage in HepG2 cells. The toxicity of Rac was higher than that of the two enantiomers, mainly derived from S configuration. The mechanism is through inducing decreased membrane potential (△Ψ), up-regulated Bax/BcL-2 expression, caused a cascade reaction, activated casepase-3 and casepase-9 and cleaved PARP, which maybe lead to cell death through apoptotic-signaling pathway in the end. These results illuminate that the genotoxic and cytotoxic risks of chiral acetochlor are major coming from S configuration. It provides a theoretical basis for the production of single pesticide to reduce the effects of human health.

Importance:Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a preventable cause of blindness in children. Without treatment, more than 45% of eyes may suffer permanent vision loss. Current ROP screening guidelines, which include a range of birth weights (BWs) and gestational ages (GAs), may require screening many low-risk preemies who might develop severe ROP.Method:All high-risk infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2017 to 2021 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Each of the 27 candidate risk factors was evaluated in univariate analysis and adjusted for known risk factors (i.e., GA and BW). The significant results were analyzed in a backward selection multivariate logistic regression model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and a nomogram were drawn.Results:The study included 2,040 infants who underwent ROP screening. The weight gain rate [OR, 2.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.49–1.21 ≤ 12 g/d vs. > 18 g/d;P= 0.001], blood transfusion (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.14–3.64;P= 0.017), invasive mechanical ventilation (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.15–2.66;P= 0.009) and N-terminal segment of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) ≥ 25,000 ng/L (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.00–2.28;P= 0.048) were four new statistically independent risk factors in addition to GA and BW. The area under the curve (AUC) of the final multivariate model was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.88–0.92;P< 0.001).Conclusions and Relevance:These findings add to our understanding of ROP screening because they include all eligible infants rather than only high-risk infants, as in previous studies. Under the control of BW and GA, low weight gain rate, increased number of blood transfusion, invasive mechanical ventilation and NT-proBNP ≥ 25,000 ng/L were “new” statistically independent risk factors for ROP. The ROP risk can be calculated manually or represented by a nomogram for clinical use.

In quantum materials, exotic quantum states can emerge as a result of strong many-body interaction that are of charge, magnetic, orbital and structural origins. The delicate balance among these interacting degrees of freedom engenders not only a ground state, but also many other competing metastable states with distinct macroscopic properties. Despite static tuning methods, the rapidly developing ultrafast science has now made it possible to dynamically control quantum materials at an unprecedented level, that is, the direct manipulation of elementary excitations at their fundamental time and energy scales. Here, we show examples on how ultrafast laser excitation induces a novel insulator-metal transition in manganite thin film (La1-xCaxMnO3), evidenced by combined methods of ultrafast terahertz spectroscopy, scanning near-field microscopy and X-ray scattering. We acknowledge support from Hong Kong Research Grants Council (Project NO. ECS26302219).

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a common pulmonary disease in newborns and is one of the main causes of death. The aim of this study was to build a new simple-to-use nomogram to screen high-risk populations.Methods: In this single-center retrospective study performed from January 2017 to December 2020, we reviewed data on very-low-birth-weight infants whose gestational ages were below 32 weeks. LASSO regression was used to select variables for the risk model. Then, we used multivariable logistic regression to build the prediction model incorporating these selected features. Discrimination was assessed by the C-index, and and calibration of the model was assessed by and calibration curve and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test.Results: The LASSO regression identified gestational age, duration of ventilation and serum NT-proBNP in the 1st week as significant predictors of BPD. The nomogram-illustrated model showed good discrimination and calibration. The C-index was 0.853 (95% CI: 0.851–0.854) in the training set and 0.855 (95% CI: 0.77–0.94) in the validation set. The calibration curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow test results showed good calibration between the predictions of the nomogram and the actual observations.Conclusion: We demonstrated a simple-to-use nomogram for predicting BPD in the early stage. It may help clinicians recognize high-risk populations.

Patterned high mobility semiconductors enable tunable plasmonic devices at terahertz frequencies. We investigate broadband tuning of localized surface plasmon polaritons in InAs arrays from 1 – 8 THz using mid-IR pump-terahertz probe spectroscopy.

We performed infrared pump-terahertz probe spectroscopy on the excitonic insulator, Ta2NiSe5. Parametric amplification of an IR-active phonon exhibits an order parameter-like temperature dependence, suggesting a novel approach to monitor exciton condensate dynamics.

Two spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) patterns were observed in suspensions of B i 2 T e S e 2 nanosheets. Two mechanisms were found to produce SSPM with different occurrence times and power dependence. The Type I (narrow) rings are attributed to the coherent third-order nonlinear optical Kerr effect, which induces self-diffraction in 2D materials, and the Type II (wide) rings are assigned to the contribution of a thermal effect. The nonlinear refractive index of B i 2 T e S e 2 is found to be 2.30 × 10 − 5 c m 2 W − 1 at 700 nm. The findings described here provide an explanation for the formation of rings in 2D systems due to SSPM.

Terahertz perfect absorbers represent an essential photonic component for detecting, modulating, and manipulating terahertz radiation. We utilize single-layer H-shaped all-silicon arrays to demonst...

Congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) is a neuromuscular transmission disorder caused by mutations in genes encoding neuromuscular junction proteins. CMS due to choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) gene mutation is characterized by episodic apnoea. To date, 52 cases of CMS caused by CHAT gene mutations have been reported. Here, we report a neonate with the third hemizygous mutation [a 4.9 Mb deletion [10q11.22–10q11.23 (chr10: 46123781–51028772)] containing the whole CHAT gene and c.1976A>T (p.Gln659Leu in the CHAT gene)]. The c.1976A>T (p.Gln659Leu) variant had not been reported in the ExAC or gnomAD databases and was predicted to be pathogenic. The alignment of amino acid sequences revealed that glutamine at codon 659 is highly conserved in different species and causes structural changes in the substrate-binding site. Our female patient with neonate-onset CMS presented with apnoea, dyspnoea, feeding difficulties, weak crying, and seizure-like episodes, and her respiration was ventilator dependent. The prostigmine test was positive. This case may help to further elucidate clinical features and treatment methods in neonate-onset CMS caused by CHAT gene mutations.

Metamaterial absorbers are typically comprised of a layer of split-ring resonators and a ground plane with a dielectric spacer layer that provides structural support and in which absorbed energy is deposited. We address the question “What happens to the absorption if the spacer layer is removed?” through the design, fabrication, and characterization of a terahertz metamaterial absorber with air as the spacer layer. Reflection based terahertz time-domain spectroscopy was employed to measure the absorption and interference theory was used to interpret the results. The surface current in the gold ground plane and split-ring resonator layer is solely responsible for the absorption in the form of joule heating. In comparison to dielectric spacer layer absorbers, the quality factor is increased by a factor of ∼3. The electric field is highly concentrated in the volume between split-ring resonator layer and the ground plane offering the potential for novel sensing application if materials can be incorporated into this region (e.g. with microfluidics). In the spirit of this possibility, simulations of the absorption have been performed. The variation of the real part of the permittivity of the spacer material results in an absorption peak frequency shift, while a change in the imaginary part affects the quality factor and amplitude. Ultimately, the high quality factor and the absence of the spacer material provide the air-spacer metamaterial absorber with unique advantages for sensing applications.

A new unsaturated wind-chime model is proposed for calculating the formation time of the diffraction rings induced by spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) in molybdenum disulfide suspension. To optimize the traditional wind-chime model, the concentration variable of 2D materials was introduced. The results of the unsaturated wind-chime model match quite well with the SSPM experimental results of molybdenum disulfide. Based on this model, the shortest formation time of diffraction rings and their corresponding concentration and light intensity can be predicted using limited data. Theoretically, by increasing the viscosity coefficient of the solution, the response time of the diffraction ring, to reach the maximum value, can be significantly reduced. It has advanced significance in shortening the response time of photonic diodes.

Significance The emergence of superconductivity in high-temperature cuprates arises out of a rich landscape of competing order. For example, stripe order can hoard the electrons needed to form Cooper pairs and establish superconductivity. Intriguingly, the complex interactions of such intertwined orders can be manipulated with light, where nonequilibrium dynamics alter the primacy of one order over another. Following photoexcitation of La2−xBaxCuO4 (x = 0.115) with near-infrared pulses, we observe a long-lived state that exhibits enhanced superconducting correlations well above the equilibrium superconducting transition temperature. Our analysis reveals that this metastable phase arises from a collapse of stripe order, providing an important demonstration of light-directed control in quantum materials., Quantum materials are amenable to nonequilibrium manipulation with light, enabling modification and control of macroscopic properties. Light-based augmentation of superconductivity is particularly intriguing. Copper-oxide superconductors exhibit complex interplay between spin order, charge order, and superconductivity, offering the prospect of enhanced coherence by altering the balance between competing orders. We utilize terahertz time-domain spectroscopy to monitor the c-axis Josephson plasma resonance (JPR) in La2−xBaxCuO4 (x = 0.115) as a direct probe of superconductivity dynamics following excitation with near-infrared pulses. Starting from the superconducting state, c-axis polarized excitation with a fluence of 100 μJ/cm2 results in an increase of the far-infrared spectral weight by more than an order of magnitude as evidenced by a blueshift of the JPR, interpreted as resulting from nonthermal collapse of the charge order. The photoinduced signal persists well beyond our measurement window of 300 ps and exhibits signatures of spatial inhomogeneity. The electrodynamic response of this metastable state is consistent with enhanced superconducting fluctuations. Our results reveal that La2−xBaxCuO4 is highly sensitive to nonequilibrium excitation over a wide fluence range, providing an unambiguous example of photoinduced modification of order-parameter competition.

We present a single-layer H-shaped all-silicon array exhibiting tunable ultra-broadband terahertz wave absorption. Experiment and simulation reveal near unity absorption at ~1 THz, with a bandwidth of ~913 GHz for ≥90% absorbance. The absorption is optically tunable, exhibiting a resonance frequency blueshift by 420 GHz, while the peak absorbance remains over 99%. The dynamic response upon optical excitation depends upon the penetration depth of the pump beam in silicon, as demonstrated from simulation taking into account the depth dependence of the carrier concentration in the all-silicon metamaterial perfect absorber. The results unveil the tuning mechanisms in optically tunable all-silicon metamaterials and metasurfaces, guiding the development of functional all-dielectric functional terahertz devices, such as switches and modulators.

Transition metal oxides possess complex free energy surfaces with competing degrees of freedom. Photoexcitation allows shaping of such rich energy landscapes. In epitaxially strained $\mathrm{La_{0.67}Ca_{0.33}MnO_3}$, optical excitation with a sub-100 fs pulse above $2\ \mathrm{mJ/cm^2}$ leads to a persistent metallic phase below 100 K. Using single-shot optical and terahertz spectroscopy, we show that this phase transition is a multi-step process. We conclude that the phase transition is driven by partial charge order melting, followed by growth of the persistent metallic phase on longer timescales. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model can describe the fast dynamics of the reflectivity, followed by longer timescale in-growth of the metallic phase., 5 pages plus 7 pages supplement, 4 figures plus 2 figures supplement

Manipulating the phase of electromagnetic radiation is of importance for applications ranging from communication to imaging. Here, real-time reconfigurable phase response and group delay of a tunable terahertz metamaterial consisting of dual-layer broadside coupled split-ring resonators is demonstrated. Utilizing electrostatic comb-drive actuators, the metamaterial resonant frequency is tuned by changing the lateral distance between the two layers which modifies the transmission amplitude and phase spectrum. The phase modulation is approximately 180\ifmmode \mathring{}\else \r{}\fi{} in the vicinity of the resonant frequency. In addition, remarkable modulation in the group delay of transmitted pulses (from \ensuremath{-}7 to 3 ps) is evaluated based on the measured frequency response using the convolution method when the lateral distance is changed from 0 to $24\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$. A two-port resonator model, derived from coupled-mode theory and supported by finite-element full-wave simulations, reveals the underlying physics of the modulation. Specifically, the coupling factor between the two layers plays a critical role, the tuning of which provides a route for structure design and optimization. The capability of tuning the phase response and group delay enables applications, such as phase compensation and group-delay equalization at terahertz frequencies.

We investigate THz conductivity dynamics in NdNiO$_3$ and EuNiO$_3$ thin films following a photoinduced thermal quench into the metallic state and reveal a clear contrast between first- and second-order dynamics. While in EuNiO$_3$ the conductivity recovers exponentially, in NdNiO$_3$ the recovery is non-exponential and slower than a simple thermal model. Crucially, it is consistent with first-order dynamics and well-described by a 2d Avrami model, with supercooling leading to metastable phase coexistence. The large transients seen in our films are promising for fast electronic (and magnetic) switching applications., includes supplemental material

The ground-state properties of correlated electron systems can be extraordinarily sensitive to external stimuli, offering abundant platforms for functional materials. Using the multi-messenger combination of atomic force microscopy, cryogenic scanning near-field optical microscopy, magnetic force microscopy and ultrafast laser excitation, we demonstrate both 'writing' and 'erasing' of a metastable ferromagnetic metal phase in strained films of La

The nonlinear response of the two-dimensional materials could be measured by the spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) and Z scan. Most of these materials are irregular shapes. In this paper, we studied the nonlinear optical properties of rectangular layered MoS2 and the corresponding MoS2/TiO2 composite in dispersion and the film, respectively. For dispersion measured by SSPM, the nonlinear refraction index of rectangular layered MoS2 dispersion is larger than that of the MoS2/TiO2 composite dispersion. For film measured by Z scan, the nonlinear refractive index of the MoS2/TiO2 composite thin film is larger than that of the rectangular layered MoS2 thin film. This research confirms the possibility of the nonlocal electron coherence established among the alignment in SSPM and provides two different paths for the enhancement of the nonlinear optical properties of MoS2.

The reorientation of 2D materials caused by nonlocal electron coherence is the formation mechanism of 2D material spatial self-phase modulation under laser irradiation, which is widely known as the “wind-chime” model. Here, we present a method that provides strong evidence for the reorientation of 2D-material-induced spatial self-phase modulation. The traditional “wind-chime” model was modified by taking into account the attenuation, i.e., damping of the incident light beam in the direction of the optical path. Accordingly, we can extract the nonlinear refractive index of a single MoS 2 nanosheet, instead of simply obtaining the index from an equivalent MoS 2 film that was constructed by all nanosheets. Our approach introduces a universal and accurate method to extract intrinsic nonlinear optical parameters from 2D material systems.

Quantum materials are amenable to nonequilibrium manipulation with light, enabling modification and control of macroscopic properties. Light-based augmentation of superconductivity is particularly intriguing. Copper-oxide superconductors exhibit complex interplay between spin order, charge order, and superconductivity, offering the prospect of enhanced coherence by altering the balance between competing orders. We utilize terahertz time-domain spectroscopy to monitor the c-axis Josephson plasma resonance (JPR) in La 2−x Ba x CuO 4 (x = 0.115) as a direct probe of superconductivity dynamics following excitation with near-infrared pulses. Starting from the superconducting state, c-axis polarized excitation with a fluence of 100 μJ/cm 2 results in an increase of the far-infrared spectral weight by more than an order of magnitude as evidenced by a blueshift of the JPR, interpreted as resulting from nonthermal collapse of the charge order. The photoinduced signal persists well beyond our measurement window of 300 ps and exhibits signatures of spatial inhomogeneity. The electrodynamic response of this metastable state is consistent with enhanced superconducting fluctuations. Our results reveal that La 2−x Ba x CuO 4 is highly sensitive to nonequilibrium excitation over a wide fluence range, providing an unambiguous example of photoinduced modification of order-parameter competition.

The ground state properties of correlated electron systems can be extraordinarily sensitive to external stimuli, such as temperature, strain, and electromagnetic fields, offering abundant platforms for functional materials. We present a metastable and reversible photoinduced ferromagnetic transition in strained films of the doped manganite La(2/3)Ca(1/3)MnO3. Using the novel multi-messenger combination of atomic force microscopy, cryogenic scanning near-field optical microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, and ultrafast laser excitation, we demonstrate both "writing" and "erasing" of a metastable ferromagnetic metal phase with nanometer-resolved finesse. By tracking both optical conductivity and magnetism at the nano-scale, we reveal how spontaneous strain underlies the thermal stability, persistence, and reversal of this photoinduced metal. Our first-principles electronic structure calculations reveal how an epitaxially engineered Jahn-Teller distortion can stabilize nearly degenerate antiferromagnetic insulator and ferromagnetic metal phases. We propose a Ginzburg-Landau description to rationalize the co-active interplay of strain, lattice distortion, and magnetism we resolve in strained LCMO, thus guiding future functional engineering of epitaxial oxides like manganites into the regime of phase-programmable materials., Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, supplementary information

We utilize terahertz time domain spectroscopy to investigate thin films of the heavy fermion compound $\mathrm{Sm}{\mathrm{B}}_{6}$, a prototype Kondo insulator. Temperature-dependent terahertz (THz) conductivity measurements reveal a rapid decrease in the Drude weight and carrier scattering rate at $\ensuremath{\sim}{T}^{*}=20\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$, well below the hybridization gap onset temperature (100 K). Moreover, a low-temperature conductivity plateau (below 20 K) suggests the emergence of a surface state with an effective electron mass of $0.1{m}_{e}$. The conductivity dynamics following optical excitation is also measured and interpreted using Rothwarf-Taylor (R-T) phenomenology, yielding a hybridization gap energy of 17 meV. However, R-T modeling of the conductivity dynamics reveals a deviation from the expected thermally excited quasiparticle density at temperatures below 20 K, indicative of another channel opening up in the low-energy electrodynamics. Taken together, these results are consistent with the onset of a surface state well below the crossover temperature (100 K) after long-range coherence of the $f$-electron Kondo lattice is established.

We present our recent progress on a highly flexible tunable perfect absorber at terahertz frequencies. Metamaterial unit cells were patterned on thin GaAs patches, which were fashioned in an array on a 10 μm thick polyimide substrate via semiconductor transfer technique, and the backside of the substrate was coated with gold film as a ground plane. Optical-pump THz-probe reflection measurements show that the absorptivity can be tuned up to 25% at 0.78 THz and 40% at 1.75 THz through photo-excitation of free carriers in GaAs layers in presence of 800 nm pump beam. Our flexible tunable metamaterial perfect absorber has potential applications in energy harvesting, THz modulation and even camouflages coating.

Metamaterial absorbers typically consist of a metamaterial layer, a dielectric spacer layer, and a metallic ground plane. We have investigated the dependence of the metamaterial absorption maxima on the spacer layer thickness and the reflection coefficient of the metamaterial layer obtained in the absence of the ground plane layer. Specifically, we employ interference theory to obtain an analytical expression for the spacer thickness needed to maximize the absorption at a given frequency. The efficacy of this simple expression is experimentally verified at terahertz frequencies through detailed measurements of the absorption spectra of a series of metamaterials structures with different spacer thicknesses. Using an array of split-ring resonators (SRRs) as the metamaterial layer and SU8 as the spacer material we observe that the absorption peaks redshift as the spacer thickness is increased, in excellent agreement with our analysis. Our findings can be applied to guide metamaterial absorber designs and understand the absorption peak frequency shift of sensors based on metamaterial absorbers.

We present a detailed analysis of the conditions that result in unity absorption in metamaterial absorbers to guide the design and optimization of this important class of functional electromagnetic composites. Multilayer absorbers consisting of a metamaterial layer, dielectric spacer, and ground plane are specifically considered. Using interference theory, the dielectric spacer thickness and resonant frequency for unity absorption can be numerically determined from the functional dependence of the relative phase shift of the total reflection. Further, using transmission line theory in combination with interference theory we obtain analytical expressions for the unity absorption resonance frequency and corresponding spacer layer thickness in terms of the bare resonant frequency of the metamaterial layer and metallic and dielectric losses within the absorber structure. These simple expressions reveal a redshift of the unity absorption frequency with increasing loss that, in turn, necessitates an increase in the thickness of the dielectric spacer. The results of our analysis are experimentally confirmed by performing reflection-based terahertz time-domain spectroscopy on fabricated absorber structures covering a range of dielectric spacer thicknesses with careful control of the loss accomplished through water absorption in a semiporous polyimide dielectric spacer. Our findings can be widely applied to guide the design and optimization of the metamaterial absorbers and sensors.

Conventional dielectric metasurfaces achieve their properties through geometrical tuning and consequently are static. Although some unique properties are demonstrated, the usefulness for realistic applications is thus inherently limited. Here, control of the resonant eigenmodes supported by Huygens' metasurface (HMS) absorbers through optical excitation is proposed and demonstrated. An intensity transmission modulation depth of 99.93% is demonstrated at 1.03 THz, with an associated phase change of greater than π/2 rad. Coupled mode theory and S-parameter simulations are used to elucidate the mechanism underlying the dynamics of the metasurface and it is found that the tuning is primarily governed by modification of the magnetic dipole-like odd eigenmode, which both lifts the degeneracy, and eliminates critical coupling. The dynamic HMS demonstrates wide tunability and versatility which is not limited to the spectral range demonstrated, offering a new path for reconfigurable metasurface applications.

Dynamic polarization control of light is essential for numerous applications ranging from enhanced imaging to material characterization and identification. We present a reconfigurable terahertz metasurface quarter-wave plate consisting of electromechanically actuated microcantilever arrays. Our anisotropic metasurface enables tunable polarization conversion through cantilever actuation. Specifically, voltage-based actuation provides mode-selective control of the resonance frequency, enabling real-time tuning of the polarization state of the transmitted light. The polarization tunable metasurface has been fabricated using surface micromachining and characterized using terahertz time domain spectroscopy. We observe a ∼230 GHz cantilever actuated frequency shift of the resonance mode, sufficient to modulate the transmitted wave from pure circular polarization to linear polarization. Our CMOS-compatible tunable quarter-wave plate enriches the library of terahertz optical components, thereby facilitating practical applications of terahertz technologies.

Ultrafast optical pump--optical probe and optical pump--terahertz probe spectroscopy were performed on vanadium dioxide (${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$) and vanadium sesquioxide (${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$) thin films over a wide temperature range. A comparison of the experimental data from these two different techniques and two different vanadium oxides, in particular a comparison of the spectral weight oscillations generated by the photoinduced longitudinal acoustic modulation, reveals the strong electron-phonon coupling that exists in both materials. The low-energy Drude response of ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ appears more amenable than ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$ to ultrafast strain control. Additionally, our results provide a measurement of the temperature dependence of the sound velocity in both systems, revealing a four- to fivefold increase in ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$ and a three- to fivefold increase in ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ across the insulator-to-metal phase transition. Our data also confirm observations of strong damping and phonon anharmonicity in the metallic phase of ${\mathrm{VO}}_{2}$, and suggest that a similar phenomenon might be at play in the metallic phase of ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. More generally, our simple table-top approach provides relevant and detailed information about dynamical lattice properties of vanadium oxides, paving the way to similar studies in other complex materials.

In this paper, we present a three-dimensional (3D) terahertz metamaterial perfect absorber (MPA) with a high quality factor. The absorption response of the proposed structure is analyzed and optimized using coupled mode theory and numerical simulations. Subsequently, we fabricate the 3D MPA by employing the multi-layer electroplating process and characterize it using terahertz time domain spectroscopy. A quality factor of 20 is verified by the experimental results, which agrees well with the simulation. The high-Q MPA has potential applications in chemical and biological sensing.

We designed, fabricated, and characterized a metamaterial perfect absorber at terahertz (THz) frequency range utilizing air as the dielectric material. Due to the avoidance of the loss usually introduced by the dielectric material, there was a three times improvement of the quality factor. Also, with metamaterials fabricated on a free-standing silicon nitride membrane, high sensitivity can be achieved compared with traditional metamaterials on thick substrate. Moreover, the absence of the dielectric materials presents the special opportunity to use liquid or gas as the dielectric layer for permittivity characterization or sensing and detection purposes

Development of tunable, dynamic, and broad bandwidth metamaterial designs is a keystone objective for metamaterials research, necessary for the future viability of metamaterial optics and devices across the electromagnetic spectrum. Yet, overcoming the inherently localized, narrow bandwidth, and static response of resonant metamaterials continues to be a challenging endeavor. Resonant perfect absorbers have flourished as one of the most promising metamaterial devices with applications ranging from power harvesting to terahertz imaging. Here, an optically modulated resonant perfect absorber is presented. Utilizing photo-excited free carriers in silicon pads placed in the capacitive gaps of split ring resonators, a dynamically modulated perfect absorber is designed and fabricated to operate in reflection. Large modulation depth (38% and 91%) in two absorption bands (with 97% and 92% peak absorption) is demonstrated, which correspond to the LC (0.7 THz) and dipole (1.1 THz) modes of the split ring resonators.

We present optically tunable metamaterials (MMs) on flexible polymer sheets operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies. The flexible MMs, consisting of electric split-ring resonators (eSRRs) on patterned GaAs patches, were fabricated on a thin polyimide layer using a transfer technique. Optical excitation of the GaAs patches modifies the metamaterial response. Our experimental results revealed that, with increasing fluence, a transmission modulation depth of ~ 60% was achieved at the LC resonant frequency of 0.98 THz. In addition, a similar modulation depth was obtained over a broad range from 1.1 to 1.8 THz. Numerical simulations agree with experiment and indicate efficient tuning of the effective permittivity of the MMs. Our flexible tunable device paves the way to create multilayer nonplanar tunable electromagnetic composites for nonlinear and multifunctional applications, including sensing, modulation, and energy harvesting.