Dynamic Conducting Polymer Plasmonics and Metasurfaces

Metals have been the dominant plasmonic materials for decades, but they suffer from limited tunability. By contrast, conducting polymers offer exceptional tunability and were recently introduced as a new category of dynamic plasmonic materials. Their charge carrier density can be drastically modulated via their redox state, offering reversible and gradual transitions between optically metallic and dielectric behavior. Nanoantennas made from conducting polymers can therefore be reversibly turned off and on again. This enables phase gradient metasurfaces with tunable functionalities, holding promise for applications such as video holograms. In this Perspective, we discuss the emergence of dynamic conducting polymer plasmonics as a new research direction, including recent developments, remaining challenges, and opportunities for future research. We hope that this Perspective will encourage more researchers to join the journey and contribute toward a rapid development of this interdisciplinary field.

Automated summary

Metals have dominated as plasmonic materials for decades, but their limited tunability has been a drawback. In contrast, conducting polymers provide exceptional tunability and have recently emerged as dynamic plasmonic materials. By modulating their charge carrier density through redox state, conducting polymers enable reversible and gradual transitions between optically metallic and dielectric behavior. This opens up possibilities for tunable functionalities in nanoantennas and phase gradient metasurfaces, with potential applications in video holograms. This Perspective discusses the emergence of dynamic conducting polymer plasmonics as a new research direction, highlighting recent developments, challenges, and future opportunities.