05

2026

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06

High-Q, High-Sensitivity Terahertz Guided-Mode Resonance in Metallic Thin-Film Metagratings

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The teams of Federico Capasso and Joshua Mornhinweg at Harvard University have introduced a metagrating platform that leverages guided-mode resonance in a polyimide‑film substrate, achieving a figure of merit (FOM) of 276 RIU, a sensitivity of 403 GHz per RIU, and an experimental quality factor of Q = 466. These results demonstrate that the platform is cost‑effective and highly tolerant to fabrication variations, making it well suited for demanding trace‑level sensing applications.

The research findings were published in Optica on May 21, 2026, under the title “High-Q, high-sensitivity THz guided-mode resonances in metallic thin-film metagratings.”

Figure 1: Thin-Film Metagrating

Figure 2: Band structure and mode distribution

Figure 3: Dependence on Substrate Thickness

Figure 4: Dielectric Environment Sensing

Source: Optics World