Unrestricted Phase Manipulation in Electrically Programmable Terahertz Metadevices via Dual-State Decoupling

Abstract

Abstract Future terahertz (THz) paradigms, particularly in the context of 6G wireless networks and ubiquitous sensing, necessitate highly integrated and reconfigurable platforms capable of high-dimensional wavefront manipulation. However, the development of multifunctional THz metadevices has long been hindered by the fundamental inter-state phase correlation of tunable meta-atoms, which imposes severe constraints on functional density and design freedom. Here, we propose a transformative architecture to achieve unrestricted phase manipulation in electrically programmable THz metadevices that unlocks versatile multifunctional integration via dual-state decoupling. By synergizing the phase-transition dynamics of vanadium dioxide (VO2) with independently engineered metallic resonators, we move beyond treating VO2 as a localized bridging switch within a single resonator geometry. Instead, we exploit its lithography-compatible patternability to build structurally decoupled resonator modes, enabling independent 2π phase-pair responses across the insulating and metallic states. This dual-state decoupling breaks the inter-state phase correlation, thereby expanding the design space for arbitrary combinations of distinct wavefront functions on a single platform. To demonstrate system-level integration, we implement an FPGA-based row-wise electrical addressing scheme, enabling the selective actuation of localized VO2 subarrays. We experimentally demonstrate dynamic switching between single-directional beam steering and symmetric two-beam splitting within one metadevice, supporting both high-gain point-to-point links and simultaneous multiuser communication. Furthermore, we demonstrate the platform’s practical application potential through a proof-of-concept THz communication experiment, successfully establishing a directed data link utilizing a specific beam-steering configuration. This work provides a scalable, full-phase-range programmable framework for next-generation intelligent THz systems, with far-reaching implications for 6G communications, high-resolution imaging, and autonomous sensing.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. ACS Photonics, 2026 · DOI ↗