Real-world Effectiveness of Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir as Treatments for COVID-19 in Patients at High Risk.

BACKGROUND: Using a retrospective cohort study design, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in patients with SARS-CoV-2 who were highly vulnerable. METHODS: The impact of each drug was determined via comparisons with age-matched control groups of patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 who did not receive oral antiviral therapy. RESULTS: Administration of molnupiravir significantly reduced the risk of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR], 0.40; P < .001) and death (OR, 0.31; P < .001) among these patients based on data adjusted for age, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination status, and time elapsed since the most recent vaccination. The reductions in risk were most profound among elderly patients (≥75 years old) and among those with high levels of drug adherence. Administration of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir also resulted in significant reductions in the risk of hospitalization (OR, 0.31; P < .001) and death (OR, 0.28; P < .001). Similar to molnupiravir, the impact of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was more substantial among elderly patients and in those with high levels of drug adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these real-world findings suggest that although the risks of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 have been reduced, antivirals can provide additional benefits to members of highly vulnerable patient populations.

Fabrication and spectroscopic characterization of graphene transparent electrodes on flexible cyclo-olefin substrates for terahertz electro-optic applications.

We demonstrate graphene on flexible, low-loss, cyclo-olefin polymer films as transparent electrodes for terahertz electro-optic devices and applications. Graphene was grown by chemical vapor deposition and transferred to cyclo-olefin polymer substrates by the thermal release tape method as layers on an approximate area of 4 cm2. The structural and electromagnetic properties of the graphene samples as well as their spatial variation were systematically mapped by means of µRaman, terahertz time-domain and mid-infrared spectroscopy. Thanks to the small thickness and very low intrinsic absorption of the employed substrates, both high transmittance and conductivity were recorded, demonstrating the suitability of the technique for the fabrication of a new class of transparent and flexible electrodes working in the terahertz spectrum.

Infiltrated Photonic Crystal Fibers for Sensing Applications.

Photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) are a special class of optical fibers with a periodic arrangement of microstructured holes located in the fiber's cladding. Light confinement is achieved by means of either index-guiding, or the photonic bandgap effect in a low-index core. Ever since PCFs were first demonstrated in 1995, their special characteristics, such as potentially high birefringence, very small or high nonlinearity, low propagation losses, and controllable dispersion parameters, have rendered them unique for many applications, such as sensors, high-power pulse transmission, and biomedical studies. When the holes of PCFs are filled with solids, liquids or gases, unprecedented opportunities for applications emerge. These include, but are not limited in, supercontinuum generation, propulsion of atoms through a hollow fiber core, fiber-loaded Bose⁻Einstein condensates, as well as enhanced sensing and measurement devices. For this reason, infiltrated PCF have been the focus of intensive research in recent years. In this review, the fundamentals and fabrication of PCF infiltrated with different materials are discussed. In addition, potential applications of infiltrated PCF sensors are reviewed, identifying the challenges and limitations to scale up and commercialize this novel technology.

Electrically tunable terahertz polarization converter based on overcoupled metal-isolator-metal metamaterials infiltrated with liquid crystals.

Large birefringence and its electrical modulation by means of Fréedericksz transition makes nematic liquid crystals (LCs) a promising platform for tunable terahertz (THz) devices. The thickness of standard LC cells is in the order of the wavelength, requiring high driving voltages and allowing only a very slow modulation at THz frequencies. Here, we first present the concept of overcoupled metal-isolator-metal (MIM) cavities that allow for achieving simultaneously both very high phase difference between orthogonal electric field components and large reflectance. We then apply this concept to LC-infiltrated MIM-based metamaterials aiming at the design of electrically tunable THz polarization converters. The optimal operation in the overcoupled regime is provided by properly selecting the thickness of the LC cell. Instead of the LC natural birefringence, the polarization-dependent functionality stems from the optical anisotropy of ultrathin and deeply subwavelength MIM structures. The dynamic electro-optic control of the LC refractive index enables the spectral shift of the resonant mode and, consequently, the tuning of the phase difference between the two orthogonal field components. This tunability is further enhanced by the large confinement of the resonant electromagnetic fields within the MIM cavity. We show that for an appropriately chosen linearly polarized incident field, the polarization state of the reflected field at the target operation frequency can be continuously swept between the north and south pole of the Poincaré sphere. Using a rigorous Q-tensor model to simulate the LC electro-optic switching, we demonstrate that the enhanced light-matter interaction in the MIM resonant cavity allows the polarization converter to operate at driving voltages below 10 Volt and with millisecond switching times.

Switchable beam steering with zenithal bistable liquid-crystal blazed gratings.

Switchable beam steerers based on zenithal bistable liquid crystal (LC) gratings are designed and theoretically investigated. The nematic orientation profiles and the optical transmittance properties of the gratings are rigorously calculated, respectively, via a tensorial formulation of the Landau-de Gennes theory and the full-wave finite-element-method. By proper design of the grating geometry, beam steering with high diffraction efficiency is demonstrated between the two stable LC states. The tolerance of the device performance with respect to material parameters is assessed, evidencing spectral operation windows of more than 50 nm in the visible for a beam steering efficiency higher than 90%.

Dual-band electro-optic polarization switch based on dual-core liquid-crystal photonic crystal fibers.

Compact voltage-controlled all-in-fiber polarization switches are designed and investigated based on dual-core photonic crystal fibers, by selectively infiltrating one of the fiber's cores with a nematic liquid crystal. The electro-optical control of the liquid crystal core's optical properties allows for the splitting of the two orthogonal polarizations, showing crosstalk values lower than -20 dB in a 40 nm window at 1550 nm, for an ultracompact length less than 0.6 mm. With proper selection of the control voltage and the component length, dual-band operation with a crosstalk lower than -20 dB is also demonstrated for the 1300 and 1550 nm telecom bands.

Delocalized Electric Field Enhancement through Near-Infrared Quasi-BIC Modes in a Hollow Cuboid Metasurface.

The two main problems of dielectric metasurfaces for sensing and spectroscopy based on electromagnetic field enhancement are that resonances are mainly localized inside the resonator volume and that experimental Q-factors are very limited. To address these issues, a novel dielectric metasurface supporting delocalized modes based on quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BICs) is proposed and theoretically demonstrated. The metasurface comprises a periodic array of silicon hollow nanocuboids patterned on a glass substrate. The resonances stem from the excitation of symmetry-protected quasi-BIC modes, which are accessed by perturbing the arrangement of the nanocuboid holes. Thanks to the variation of the unit cell with a cluster of four hollow nanocuboids, polarization-insensitive, delocalized modes with ultra-high Q-factor are produced. In addition, the demonstrated electric field enhancements are very high (103-104). This work opens new research avenues in optical sensing and advanced spectroscopy, e.g., surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Meta-Atoms with Toroidal Topology for Strongly Resonant Responses.

A conductive meta-atom of toroidal topology is studied both theoretically and experimentally, demonstrating a sharp and highly controllable resonant response. Simulations are performed both for a free-space periodic metasurface and a pair of meta-atoms inserted within a rectangular metallic waveguide. A quasi-dark state with controllable radiative coupling is supported, allowing to tune the linewidth (quality factor) and lineshape of the supported resonance via the appropriate geometric parameters. By conducting a rigorous multipole analysis, we find that despite the strong toroidal dipole moment, it is the residual electric dipole moment that dictates the electromagnetic response. Subsequently, the structure is fabricated with 3D printing and coated with silver paste. Importantly, the structure is planar, consists of a single metallization layer and does not require a substrate when neighboring meta-atoms are touching, resulting in a practical, thin and potentially low-loss system. Measurements are performed in the 5 GHz regime with a vector network analyzer and a good agreement with simulations is demonstrated.

Toroidal metasurface resonances in microwave waveguides.

We theoretically investigate the possibility to load microwave waveguides with dielectric particle arrays that emulate the properties of infinite, two-dimensional, all-dielectric metasurfaces. First, we study the scattering properties and the electric and magnetic multipole modes of dielectric cuboids and identify the conditions for the excitation of the so-called anapole state. Based on the obtained results, we design metasurfaces composed of a square lattice of dielectric cuboids, which exhibit strong toroidal resonances. Then, three standard microwave waveguide types, namely parallel-plate waveguides, rectangular waveguides, and microstrip lines, loaded with dielectric cuboids are designed, in such a way that they exhibit the same resonant features as the equivalent dielectric metasurface. The analysis shows that parallel-plate and rectangular waveguides can almost perfectly reproduce the metasurface properties at the resonant frequency. The main attributes of such resonances are also observed in the case of a standard impedance-matched microstrip line, which is loaded with only a small number of dielectric particles. The results demonstrate the potential for a novel paradigm in the design of "metasurface-loaded" microwave waveguides, either as functional elements in microwave circuitry, or as a platform for the experimental study of the properties of dielectric metasurfaces.

Guided-mode resonant narrowband terahertz filtering by periodic metallic stripe and patch arrays on cyclo-olefin substrates.

We experimentally and theoretically demonstrate a class of narrowband transmissive filters in the terahertz spectrum. Their operation is based on the excitation of guided-mode resonances in thin films of the low-loss cyclo-olefin polymer Zeonor, upon which aluminum stripe and patch arrays are patterned via standard photolithography. The filters are engineered to operate in low atmospheric loss THz spectral windows, they exhibit very high transmittance and quality factors, compact thickness, and mechanical stability. The dependence of their filtering properties on the geometrical parameters, the substrate thickness and the angle of incidence is investigated, discussing the physical limitations in their performance. This class of filters provides a cost-effective solution for broadband source or channel filtering in view of emerging terahertz wireless communication systems.

Anapole Modes in Hollow Nanocuboid Dielectric Metasurfaces for Refractometric Sensing.

This work proposes the use of the refractive index sensitivity of non-radiating anapole modes of high-refractive-index nanoparticles arranged in planar metasurfaces as a novel sensing principle. The spectral position of anapole modes excited in hollow silicon nanocuboids is first investigated as a function of the nanocuboid geometry. Then, nanostructured metasurfaces of periodic arrays of nanocuboids on a glass substrate are designed. The metasurface parameters are properly selected such that a resonance with ultrahigh Q-factor, above one million, is excited at the target infrared wavelength of 1.55 µm. The anapole-induced resonant wavelength depends on the refractive index of the analyte superstratum, exhibiting a sensitivity of up to 180 nm/RIU. Such values, combined with the ultrahigh Q-factor, allow for refractometric sensing with very low detection limits in a broad range of refractive indices. Besides the sensing applications, the proposed device can also open new venues in other research fields, such as non-linear optics, optical switches, and optical communications.

Directional Emission of Fluorescent Dye-Doped Dielectric Nanogratings for Lighting Applications.

By structuring a luminescent dielectric interface as a relief diffraction grating with nanoscale features, it is possible to control the intensity and direction of the emitted light. The composite structure of the grating is based on a fluorescent dye (Lumogen F RED 305) dispersed in a polymeric matrix (poly(methyl methacrylate)). Measurements demonstrate a significant enhancement of the emitted light for specific directions and wavelengths when the grating interface is compared to nonstructured thin films made of the same material. In particular, the maximum enhancement of photoluminescence for a given pump wavelength is obtained at an angle of incidence that is close to the Rayleigh anomaly condition for the first-order diffracted waves. In this condition, the maximum extinction of incident light is observed. Upon excitation with coherent and monochromatic sources, photoluminescence plots show that the Rayleigh anomalies confine the angular interval of the emitted light. Being the anomalies  directly related to the pitch of the diffraction grating, the system can be thus implemented as an optical device whose directional emission can be designed for specific applications. The exploitation of nanoimprinting techniques for the fabrication of the luminescent grating enables production of the device on large areas, paving the way for low-cost lighting and solar applications.

Theoretical and experimental optical studies of cholesteric liquid crystal films with thermally induced pitch gradients.

The reflection properties of cholesteric films with thermally induced pitch gradients are theoretically and experimentally studied. It is shown that the optical behavior of such films corresponds to the averaged contribution of a number of stochastic pitch variation profiles, due to the transversal and longitudinal nonuniformities that develop in the helical structure of such samples. Depending on the annealing time, both narrow-band and broadband behavior can be selectively achieved. The influence of the pitch profile gradient on the broadband reflection performance of cholesteric samples is theoretically analyzed, and a multi-slab structure for achieving optimum efficiency is proposed.

Tunable terahertz fishnet metamaterials based on thin nematic liquid crystal layers for fast switching.

The electrically tunable properties of liquid-crystal fishnet metamaterials are theoretically investigated in the terahertz spectrum. A nematic liquid crystal layer is introduced between two fishnet metallic structures, forming a voltage-controlled metamaterial cavity. Tuning of the nematic molecular orientation is shown to shift the magnetic resonance frequency of the metamaterial and its overall electromagnetic response. A shift higher than 150 GHz is predicted for common dielectric and liquid crystalline materials used in terahertz technology and for low applied voltage values. Owing to the few micron-thick liquid crystal cell, the response speed of the tunable metamaterial is calculated as orders of magnitude faster than in demonstrated liquid-crystal based non-resonant terahertz components. Such tunable metamaterial elements are proposed for the advanced control of electromagnetic wave propagation in terahertz applications.

Beam-splitter switches based on zenithal bistable liquid-crystal gratings.

The tunable optical diffractive properties of zenithal bistable nematic liquid-crystal gratings are theoretically investigated. The liquid-crystal orientation is rigorously solved via a tensorial formulation of the Landau-de Gennes theory and the optical transmission properties of the gratings are investigated via full-wave finite-element frequency-domain simulations. It is demonstrated that by proper design the two stable states of the grating can provide nondiffracting and diffracting operation, the latter with equal power splitting among different diffraction orders. An electro-optic switching mechanism, based on dual-frequency nematic materials, and its temporal dynamics are further discussed. Such gratings provide a solution towards tunable beam-steering and beam-splitting components with extremely low power consumption.