Flexible Terahertz Emitter Works From 80 K to 500 K
A new all-inorganic spintronic device on flexible mica could support wearable and curved-surface terahertz applications.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Materials Science
Researchers demonstrated a flexible spintronic terahertz emitter that operates across temperatures from 80 K to 500 K, a range wider than any previously reported for spintronic terahertz emitters. The device is the first all-inorganic flexible spintronic emitter.
Why it matters
Earlier flexible terahertz emitters built on polymer substrates could not sustain high or low temperatures, limiting where they could be used. A device that keeps most of its output across a broad temperature span could broaden where terahertz sources can operate.
The 19-micrometer mica-supported NiFe/SrRuO3/SrTiO3 stack emitted picosecond pulses covering 0-4 THz under 800 nm, 100 fs laser pulses, with a generation efficiency of 5.9 × 10⁻⁵ for an equivalent 1-mm sample. The source does not report how the device performs over repeated bending cycles or long-term use.
The players
Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
A leading Chinese research institution in condensed matter physics and materials science that led this study.
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering
A Chinese materials research institute that participated in the development of the emitter.
Beihang University
A Beijing-based university with research programs in aerospace and materials engineering that participated in the study.
The details
A femtosecond laser strikes a bilayer of a ferromagnet and a layer with strong spin-orbit coupling, launching a spin current that converts into a transient charge current and radiates a broadband terahertz pulse. The team chose SrRuO3, a 4d transition-metal oxide, for its strong spin-orbit coupling, and grew the stack by pulsed laser deposition on mica.
The Big Picture
Earlier flexible terahertz emitters built on polymer substrates could not withstand high or low temperatures, which limited their deployment. This all-inorganic spintronic design extends flexible terahertz sources into a temperature range that polymer-based devices could not reach.
Wearable terahertz devices and conformal sensors on curved surfaces could become practical if the emitter's temperature tolerance and bending performance hold outside the lab. The source does not indicate commercial availability or a timeline for such products.
The takeaway
Strain engineering of other 4d oxides could further improve emitter performance, so the materials approach here may guide later flexible terahertz designs. Readers tracking device durability should watch for follow-up testing under repeated bending.
Further reading
Explore more on Materials Science for the broader research context behind flexible and high-temperature device materials.
