Chimera metasurface for multiterrain invisibility.

Invisibility, a fascinating ability of hiding objects within environments, has attracted broad interest for a long time. However, current invisibility technologies are still restricted to stationary environments and narrow band. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a Chimera metasurface for multiterrain invisibility by synthesizing the natural camouflage traits of various poikilotherms. The metasurface achieves chameleon-like broadband in situ tunable microwave reflection mimicry of realistic water surface, shoal, beach/desert, grassland, and frozen ground from 8 to 12 GHz freely via the circuit-topology-transited mode evolution, while remaining optically transparent as an invisible glass frog. Additionally, the mechanic-driven Chimera metasurface without active electrothermal effect, owning a bearded dragon-like thermal acclimation, can decrease the maximum thermal imaging difference to 3.1 °C in tested realistic terrains, which cannot be recognized by human eyes. Our work transitions camouflage technologies from the constrained scenario to ever-changing terrains and constitutes a big advance toward the new-generation reconfigurable electromagnetics with circuit-topology dynamics.

High-Resolution Patterning of Perovskite Quantum Dots via Femtosecond Laser-Induced Forward Transfer.

High-resolution patterning of perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) is of significant importance for satisfying various practical applications, including high-resolution displays and image sensing. However, due to the limitation of the instability of PQDs, the existing patterning strategy always involves chemical reagent treatment or mask contact that is not suitable for PQDs. Therefore, it is still a challenge to fabricate high-resolution full-color PQD arrays. Here, we present a femtosecond laser-induced forward transfer (FsLIFT) technology, which enables the programmable fabrication of high-resolution full-color PQD arrays and arbitrary micropatterns. The FsLIFT process integrates transfer, deposition, patterning, and alignment in one step without involving a mask and chemical reagent treatment, guaranteeing the preservation of the photophysical properties of PQDs. A full-color PQD array with a high resolution of 2 µm has been successfully achieved. We anticipate that our facile and flexible FsLIFT technology can facilitate the development of diverse practical applications based on patterned PQDs.

All-Optical Reconfigurable Excitonic Charge States in Monolayer MoS2.

Excitons are quasi-particles composed of electron-hole pairs through Coulomb interaction. Due to the atomic-thin thickness, they are tightly bound in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and dominate their optical properties. The capability to manipulate the excitonic behavior can significantly influence the photon emission or carrier transport performance of TMD-based devices. However, on-demand and region-selective manipulation of the excitonic states in a reversible manner remains challenging so far. Herein, harnessing the coordinated effect of femtosecond-laser-driven atomic defect generation, interfacial electron transfer, and surface molecular desorption/adsorption, we develop an all-optical approach to manipulate the charge states of excitons in monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). Through steering the laser beam, we demonstrate reconfigurable optical encoding of the excitonic charge states (between neutral and negative states) on a single MoS2 flake. Our technique can be extended to other TMDs materials, which will guide the design of all-optical and reconfigurable TMD-based optoelectronic and nanophotonic devices.

Quantum Emitters with Narrow Band and High Debye-Waller Factor in Aluminum Nitride Written by Femtosecond Laser.

Solid-state quantum emitters (QEs) are central components for photonic-based quantum information processing. Recently, bright QEs in III-nitride semiconductors, such as aluminum nitride (AlN), have attracted increasing interest because of the mature commercial application of the nitrides. However, the reported QEs in AlN suffer from broad phonon side bands (PSBs) and low Debye-Waller factors. Meanwhile, there is also a need for more reliable fabrication methods of AlN QEs for integrated quantum photonics. Here, we demonstrate that laser-induced QEs in AlN exhibit robust emission with a strong zero phonon line, narrow line width, and weak PSB. The creation yield of a single QE could be more than 50%. More importantly, they have a high Debye-Waller factor (>65%) at room temperature, which is the highest result among reported AlN QEs. Our results illustrate the potential of laser writing to create high-quality QEs for quantum technologies and provide further insight into laser writing defects in relevant materials.

Conformation-Confined Organic Butterfly-Molecule with High Photoluminescence Efficiency, Deep-Blue Amplified Spontaneous Emission, and Unique Piezochromic Luminescence.

Organic fluorophores with tunable π-conjugated paths have attracted considerable attention owing to their diverse properties and promising applications. Herein, we present a tailored butterfly-like molecule, 2,2'-(2,5-bis (2,2-diphenylvinyl)-1,4-phenylene)dinaphthalene (BDVPN), which exhibits diverse photophysical features in its two polymorphs. The BP phase crystal, with its "aligned wings" conformation, possesses emissive characteristics that are nearly identical to those in dilute solutions. In contrast, the BN phase crystal, which adopts an "orthogonal wings" conformation, exhibits an unusual hypsochromic-shifted emission compared to its dilute solution counterparts. This intriguing hypsochromic-shifted emission originates from the reduction in the effective conjugated length of the molecular skeleton. Notably, BN phase crystals also exhibit exceptional optical performance, featuring high-efficiency emission (76.6 %), low-loss optical waveguides (0.571 dB mm-1), deep-blue amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) with narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM: 6.4 nm), and a unique 200 nm bathochromic shift of piezochromic luminescence.

Laser-Induced Cavitation-Assisted True 3D Nano-Sculpturing of Hard Materials.

Femtosecond lasers enable flexible and thermal-damage-free ablation of solid materials and are expected to play a critical role in high-precision cutting, drilling, and shaping of electronic chips, display panels, and industrial parts. Although the potential applications are theoretically predicted, true 3D nano-sculpturing of solids such as glasses and crystals, has not yet been demonstrated, owing to the technical challenge of negative cumulative effects of surface changes and debris accumulation on the delivery of laser pulses and subsequent material removal during direct-write ablation. Here, a femtosecond laser-induced cavitation-assisted true 3D nano-sculpturing technique based on the ingenious combination of cavitation dynamics and backside ablation is proposed to achieve stable clear-field point-by-point material removal in real time for precise 3D subtractive fabrication on various difficult-to-process materials. As a result, 3D devices including free-form silica lenses, micro-statue with vivid facial features, and rotatable sapphire micro-mechanical turbine, all with surface roughness less than 10 nm are readily produced. The true 3D processing capability can immediately enable novel structural and functional micro-nano optics and non-silicon micro-electro-mechanical systems based on various hard solids.

High-sensitivity fiber optic temperature sensor based on CTFBG-FPI and Vernier effect.

A novel high-sensitivity temperature sensor based on a chirped thin-core fiber Bragg grating Fabry-Perot interferometer (CTFBG-FPI) and the Vernier effect is proposed and demonstrated. With femtosecond laser direct writing technology, two CTFBG-FPIs with different interferometric cavity lengths are inscribed inside a thin-core fiber to form a Vernier effect system. The two FPIs consist of two pairs of CTFBGs with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 66.5 nm staggered in parallel. The interferometric cavity lengths of the two FPIs were designed to be 2 mm and 1.98 mm as the reference arm and sensing arm of the sensor, respectively. The temperature sensitivity of this sensor was measured to be -1.084 nm/°C in a range of 40-90°C. This sensor is expected to play a crucial role in precision temperature measurement applications.

Three-dimensional on-chip mode converter.

The implementation of transverse mode, polarization, frequency, and other degrees of freedom (d.o.f.s) of photons is an important way to improve the capability of photonic circuits. Here, a three-dimensional (3D) linear polarized (LP) LP11 mode converter was designed and fabricated using a femtosecond laser direct writing (FsLDW) technique. The converter included multi-mode waveguides, symmetric Y splitters, and phase delaying waveguides, which were constructed as different numbers and arrangements of circular cross section waveguides. Finally, the modes (LP11a and LP11b) were generated on-chip with a relatively low insertion loss (IL). The mode converter lays a foundation for on-chip high-order mode generation and conversion between different modes, and will play a significant role in mode coding and decoding of 3D photonic circuits.

Polarization-Orthogonal Nondegenerate Plasmonic Higher-Order Topological States.

Photonic topological states, providing light-manipulation approaches in robust manners, have attracted intense attention. Connecting photonic topological states with far-field degrees of freedom (d.o.f.) has given rise to fruitful phenomena. Recently emerged higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs), hosting boundary states two or more dimensions lower than those of bulk, offer new paradigms to localize or transport light topologically in extended dimensionalities. However, photonic HOTIs have not been related to d.o.f. of radiation fields yet. Here, we report the observation of polarization-orthogonal second-order topological corner states at different frequencies on a designer-plasmonic kagome metasurface in the far field. Such phenomenon stands on two mechanisms, i.e., projecting the far-field polarizations to the intrinsic parity d.o.f. of lattice modes and the parity splitting of the plasmonic corner states in spectra. We theoretically and numerically show that the parity splitting originates from the underlying interorbital coupling. Both near-field and far-field experiments verify the polarization-orthogonal nondegenerate second-order topological corner states. These results promise applications in robust optical single photon emitters and multiplexed photonic devices.

Laser defined and driven bio-inspired soft robots toward complex motion control.

The design and actuation of soft robots are targeted at extreme motion control as well as high functionalization. In spite of robot construction optimized by bio-concepts, its motion system is still hindered by multiple actuator assembly and reprogrammable control for complex motions. Herein, our recent work is summarized and an all-light solution is proposed and demonstrated using graphene-oxide-based soft robots. It will be shown that, with a highly localized light field, lasers can define actuators precisely to form "joints" and facilitate efficient energy storage and release to realize genuine complex motions.

Electronic state evolution of oxygen-doped monolayer WSe2 assisted by femtosecond laser irradiation.

Electronic states are significantly correlated with chemical compositions, and the information related to these factors is especially crucial for the manipulation of the properties of matter. However, this key information is usually verified by after-validation methods, which could not be obtained during material processing, for example, in the field of femtosecond laser direct writing inside materials. Here, critical evolution stages of electronic states for monolayer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) around the modification threshold (at a Mott density of ∼1013 cm-2) are observed by broadband femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, which is associated with the intense femtosecond-laser-assisted oxygen-doping mechanism. First-principles calculations and control experiments on graphene-covered monolayer WSe2 further confirm this modification mechanism. Our findings reveal a photochemical reaction for monolayer WSe2 under the Mott density condition and provide an electronic state criterion to in situ monitor the degrees of modification in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides during the femtosecond laser modification.

Reconfigurable, Reversible, and Redefinable Deformation of GO Based on Quantum-Confined-Superfluidics Effect.

Graphene oxide (GO) films with natural "quantum-confined-superfluidics" (QSF) channels for moisture actuation have emerged as a smart material for actuators and soft robots. However, programming the deformation of GO by engineering QSF nanochannels around 1 nm is extremely challenging. Herein, we report the reconfigurable, reversible, and redefinable deformation of GO under moisture actuation by tailoring QSF channels via moisture-assisted strain-induced wrinkling (MSW). The shape fixity ratio of a general GO film can reach ∼84% after the MSW process, and the shape recovery ratio is ∼83% at room temperature under moisture actuation. The flexible shaping and deformation abilites, as well as the self-healing property of GO make it possible to fabricate soft robots using GO. Besides, as a proof-of-concept, passive electronics and soft robots capable of crawling, turning, switching circuit, and automatic somersault are demonstrated. With unique shaping and deformation abilities, GO may bring great implications for future soft robotics.

High-quality rapid laser drilling of transparent hard materials.

In this study, a hybrid method for high-quality rapid drilling of transparent hard materials which combines femtosecond laser (fs-laser) Bessel beam modifying materials and selective wet etching is presented. Using this method, micro-holes with no taper of different sizes (from 10 to 35 µm) and shapes (square, triangle, circular, and pentagram) are fabricated. Bessel beams of different lengths can be generated flexibly by loading different computer-generated holograms (CGHs) into the spatial light modulator (SLM) and the maximum length of light interacting with materials can reach 320 µm, leading to a reduction of the laser scanning time by two orders of magnitude. Moreover, a set of three-dimensional multi-layer submicron through-holes in crystal materials is also realized, with an aspect ratio of more than 1000 for each hole. These results indicate that this method has broad application potential in chip packaging, aviation manufacturing, single particle catalysis, and other fields.

Polarization-dependent Bloch oscillations in optical waveguides.

Optical systems provide a new and practical platform for studying Bloch oscillations. This study investigates the fundamental-mode propagation of polarization-dependent Bloch oscillations. By using the three-dimensional properties of femtosecond laser direct writing, we fabricate a polymer-based gradient waveguide array and determine the Bloch oscillations under different polarization inputs by using the birefringence gradient and the equivalent refractive index, thus exhibiting a polarization-dependent Bloch period. Our results provide a new, to the best of our knowledge, paradigm for two-dimensional optical Bloch modes and highlight the influence of optical polarization in the same system, which provides a possibility to observe richer physics related to Bloch oscillations in one structure.

Edge State, Localization Length, and Critical Exponent from Survival Probability in Topological Waveguides.

Edge states in topological phase transitions have been observed in various platforms. To date, verification of the edge states and the associated topological invariant are mostly studied, and yet a quantitative measurement of topological phase transitions is still lacking. Here, we show the direct measurement of edge states and their localization lengths from survival probability. We employ photonic waveguide arrays to demonstrate the topological phase transitions based on the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model. By measuring the survival probability at the lattice boundary, we show that in the long-time limit, the survival probability is P=(1-e^{-2/ξ_{loc}})^{2}, where ξ_{loc} is the localization length. This length derived from the survival probability is compared with the distance from the transition point, yielding a critical exponent of ν=0.94±0.04 at the phase boundary. Our experiment provides an alternative route to characterizing topological phase transitions and extracting their key physical quantities.

Modulation Doping: A Strategy for 2D Materials Electronics.

It remains a remarkable challenge to develop practical techniques for controllable and nondestructive doping in two-dimensional (2D) materials for their use in electronics and optoelectronics. Here, we propose a modulation doping strategy, wherein the perfect n-/p-type channel layer is achieved by accepting/donating electrons from/to the defects inside an adjacent encapsulation layer. We demonstrate this strategy in the heterostructures of BN/graphene, BN/MoS2, where the previously believed useless deep defects, such as the nitrogen vacancy in BN, can provide free carriers to the graphene and MoS2. The carrier density is further modulated by engineering the surroundings of the encapsulation layer. Moreover, the defects and carriers are naturally separated in space, eliminating the effects of Coulomb impurity scattering and thus allowing high mobility in the 2D limit. This doping strategy provides a highly viable route to tune 2D channel materials without inducing any structural damage, paving the way for high-performance 2D nanoelectronic devices.

Reconfigurable Metasurface for Image Processing.

Optical Fourier transform-based processing is an attractive technique due to the fast processing times and large-data rates. Furthermore, it has recently been demonstrated that certain Fourier-based processors can be realized in compact form factors using flat optics. The flat optics, however, have been demonstrated as static filters where the operator is fixed, limiting the applicability of the approach. Here, we demonstrate a reconfigurable metasurface that can be dynamically tuned to provide a range of processing modalities including bright-field imaging, low-pass and high-pass filtering, and second-order differentiation. The dynamically tunable metasurface can be directly combined with standard coherent imaging systems and operates with a numerical aperture up to 0.25 and over a 60 nm bandwidth. The ability to dynamically control light in the wave vector domain, while doing so in a compact form factor, may open new doors to applications in microscopy, machine vision, and sensing.

Light-Driven Magnetic Encoding for Hybrid Magnetic Micromachines.

Remote manipulation of a micromachine under an external magnetic field is significant in a variety of applications. However, magnetic manipulation requires that either the target objects or the fluids should be ferromagnetic or superparamagnetic. To extend the applicability, we propose a versatile optical printing technique termed femtosecond laser-directed bubble microprinting (FsLDBM) for on-demand magnetic encoding. Harnessing Marangoni convection, evaporation flow, and capillary force for long-distance delivery, near-field attraction, and printing, respectively, FsLDBM is capable of printing nanomaterials on the solid-state substrate made of arbitrary materials. As a proof-of-concept, we actuate a 3D polymer microturbine under a rotating magnetic field by implementing γ-Fe2O3 nanomagnets on its blade. Moreover, we demonstrate the magnetic encoding on a living daphnia and versatile manipulation of the hybrid daphnia. With its general applicability, the FsLDBM approach provides opportunities for magnetic control of general microstructures in a variety of applications, such as smart microbots and biological microsurgery.

Curcumin attenuates Adriamycin-resistance of acute myeloid leukemia by inhibiting the lncRNA HOTAIR/miR-20a-5p/WT1 axis.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a common subtype of leukemia, and a large proportion of patients with AML eventually develop drug resistance. Curcumin exerts cancer suppressive effects and increases sensitivity to chemotherapy in several diseases. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which curcumin affects the resistance of AML to Adriamycin by regulating HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) expression. Cell viability, colony-formation, flow cytometry, and Transwell assays were used to assess cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the interaction between microRNA (miR)-20a-5p and HOTAIR or Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1). RT-qPCR and Western blotting assays were performed to detect gene and protein expression. The results showed that curcumin suppressed the resistance to Adriamycin, inhibited the expression of HOTAIR and WT1, and promoted the expression of miR-20a-5p in human acute leukemia cells (HL-60) or Adriamycin-resistant HL-60 cells (HL-60/ADR). Furthermore, curcumin suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis of HL-60/ADR cells. Overexpression of HOTAIR reversed the regulatory effect of curcumin on apoptosis and migration and restored the effect of curcumin on inducing the expression of cleaved caspase3, Bax, and P27. In addition, HOTAIR upregulated WT1 expression by targeting miR-20a-5p, and inhibition of miR-20a-5p reversed the regulation of Adriamycin resistance by curcumin in AML cells. Finally, curcumin inhibited Adriamycin resistance by suppressing the HOTAIR/miR-20a-5p/WT1 pathway in vivo. In short, curcumin suppressed the proliferation and migration, blocked the cell cycle progression of AML cells, and sensitized AML cells to Adriamycin by regulating the HOTAIR/miR-20a-5p/WT1 axis. These findings suggest a potential role of curcumin and HOTAIR in AML treatment.

Vector scanning subtractive manufacturing technology for laser rapid fabrication.

Herein, a vector scanning subtractive manufacturing technology is proposed to rapidly fabricate smooth micro-optical components, which is based on the vector scanning method and wet etching. Compared with the raster scanning method, the vector scanning method increases processing efficiency by nearly two orders and mitigates a buildup of stress around the laser processed region, avoiding the generation of cracks. The Letter demonstrates the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) micro-structures with various sizes and morphologies. For example, micro-concave lenses with diameters of 20 µm to 140 µm, heights of 10 µm to 70 µm, and surface roughness of 29 nm are flexibly fabricated on sapphire by vector scanning subtractive manufacturing technology. The results indicate that the technology has broad prospects in the field of monolithic integrated 3D all-solid-state micro-optics.