Dynamically tunable membrane metasurfaces for infrared spectroscopy and strong light-matter interactions
LIGHT-SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS, vol.15, no.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 15 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1038/s41377-026-02382-7
- Journal Name: LIGHT-SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Applied Science & Technology Source, Chemical Abstracts Core, Compendex, INSPEC, Directory of Open Access Journals, Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection
- Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Mid-infrared spectroscopy enables biochemical sensing by identifying vibrational molecular fingerprints, but it faces limitations in instrumentation portability and analytical sensitivity. Optical metasurfaces with strong mid-infrared photonic resonances provide an attractive solution towards on-chip spectrometry and sensitive molecular detection, yet their static nature hinders their anticipated impact. Here, we introduce and demonstrate dynamically tunable silicon membrane metasurfaces exhibiting high-Q transmissive resonances in the fingerprint region. By harnessing silicon's thermo-optical properties, we achieve continuous modulation of coupling-induced transparency (CIT) modes that emerge upon the interference of quasi-bound states in the continuum (q-BICs) and surface lattice modes (SLMs). We measure a spectral tuning rate of 0.06 cm(-1) K-1 by continuously sweeping the sharp CIT resonances over a 23.5 cm(-1) spectral range across a temperature range of 300-700 K. In the current proof-of-concept implementation, the dynamic transmission control enables non-contact chemical analysis of polymer films by detecting characteristic absorption bands of polystyrene (1450 and 1492 cm(-1)) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (1730 cm(-1)) without requiring conventional spectrometers. When analyte molecules fill the metasurface-generated photonic cavities, we demonstrate vibrational strong coupling between the poly(methyl methacrylate)'s carbonyl band and the CIT mode, manifested in a Rabi splitting of similar to 43 cm(-1). Our results establish a new photonic platform that unites spectral precision, strong field enhancement, and reconfigurability, offering diverse potential for compact mid-infrared spectroscopy, molecular sensing, and programmable polaritonic photonics.