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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.20869 |
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Table of Contents:
- Dynamically tunable terahertz (THz) photonics requires low-loss dielectric platforms with practical, continuous control of refractive index. Here we present a mechanically reconfigurable THz photonic material platform: a monolithic, all-silicon (Si) stretchable effective medium whose refractive index is tuned by deformation. A 200 micrometer-thick high-resistivity single-crystal Si slab was patterned into a subwavelength spiral-spring through-hole lattice, rendering bulk Si mechanically compliant while preserving its low-loss dielectric response. THz time-domain spectroscopy demonstrates high transmission below 0.6 THz and reveals a monotonic decrease in the effective refractive index under uniaxial stretching. At 12.6% elongation, the effective index decreases by 6% and 8% for polarizations perpendicular and parallel to the stretch direction, respectively, thereby demonstrating deformation-induced, controllable anisotropy without a detectable increase in extinction. This structurally engineered bulk-Si approach offers a process-compatible route to mechanically tunable, low-loss THz components for adaptive wavefront and polarization control.