Electromechanically Reconfigurable Terahertz Stereo Metasurfaces

Abstract

Dynamic terahertz devices are vital for the next generation of wireless communication, sensing, and non-destructive imaging technologies. Metasurfaces have emerged as a paradigm-shifting platform, offering varied functionalities, miniaturization, and simplified fabrication compared to their 3D counterparts. However, the presence of in-plane mirror symmetry and reduced degree of freedom impose fundamental limitations on achieving advanced chiral response, beamforming, and reconfiguration capabilities. In this work, a platform composed of electrically actuated resonators that can be colossally reconfigured between planar and 3D geometries is demonstrated. To illustrate the platform, metadevices with 3D Split Ring Resonators are fabricated, wherein two counteracting driving forces are combined: i) folding induced by stress mismatch, which enables non-volatile state design and ii) unfolding triggered by the strain associated with insulator-to-metal transition in VO₂, which facilitates volatile structural reconfiguration. This large structural reconfiguration space allows for resonance mode switching, widely tunable magnetic and electric polarizabilities, and increased frequency agility. Moreover, the unique properties of VO₂, such as the hysteretic nature of its phase transition is harnessed to demonstrate a multi-state memory. Therefore, these VO₂ integrated metadevices are highly attractive for the realization of 6G communication devices such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, holographic beam formers, and spatial light modulators.

Keywords: MEMS; metasurfaces; phase‐change; terahertz; vanadium dioxide.