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Mechanically steered photon upconversion and circularly polarized luminescence in stretchable photonic crystal films

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  • Zhi-Wang Luo

    (Shenzhen University
    Shenzhen University
    National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST))

  • Honghan Ji

    (National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST)
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xue Jin

    (National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST)
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jun Song

    (Shenzhen University)

  • Zhen-Qiang Yu

    (Shenzhen University)

  • Pengfei Duan

    (National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST)
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Tonghan Zhao

    (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Photon-upconverted circularly polarized luminescence (UC-CPL) based on triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) holds considerable promise for innovative applications. However, existing strategies encounter difficulties in concurrently achieving tunable TTA photon upconversion (TTA-UC) performance and a high luminescence dissymmetry factor (glum) in the solid state. In this study, we design and fabricate flexible and stable upconverted stretchable photonic crystal (SPC) films. These films demonstrate dynamically tunable TTA-UC intensity and UC-CPL in response to mechanical stretching. Notably, while the TTA-UC intensity initially diminishes upon stretching the upconverted SPC film, it subsequently exhibits significant enhancement when the photonic bandgap edge aligns with the TTA-UC emission wavelength. Furthermore, stretching the upconverted SPC film can invert the circular polarization direction of the UC-CPL, with the glum value varying from +0.50 to −0.60. Consequently, these upconverted SPC films, characterized by their tunable structural color and adjustable UC-CPL, achieve visual flexible dynamic information display and encryption. This research offers promising perspectives for the development of advanced chiral UC-CPL materials and their potential applications in fields such as information encryption and flexible 3D displays.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhi-Wang Luo & Honghan Ji & Xue Jin & Jun Song & Zhen-Qiang Yu & Pengfei Duan & Tonghan Zhao, 2025. "Mechanically steered photon upconversion and circularly polarized luminescence in stretchable photonic crystal films," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-64953-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64953-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yonghong Shi & Jianlei Han & Chengxi Li & Tonghan Zhao & Xue Jin & Pengfei Duan, 2023. "Recyclable soft photonic crystal film with overall improved circularly polarized luminescence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Kyle R. Schlafmann & Timothy J. White, 2021. "Retention and deformation of the blue phases in liquid crystalline elastomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Samuel N. Sanders & Tracy H. Schloemer & Mahesh K. Gangishetty & Daniel Anderson & Michael Seitz & Arynn O. Gallegos & R. Christopher Stokes & Daniel N. Congreve, 2022. "Triplet fusion upconversion nanocapsules for volumetric 3D printing," Nature, Nature, vol. 604(7906), pages 474-478, April.
    4. Zeyu Feng & Jialei Li & Peng Yang & Xiangxiang Xu & Di Wang & Jiahe Li & Chutian Zhang & Jingguo Li & Hongli Zhang & Gang Zou & Xin Chen, 2025. "Dynamic multimodal information encryption combining programmable structural coloration and switchable circularly polarized luminescence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
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