Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Sustainable materials offer eco-friendly, cost-effective, and biocompatible alternatives for THz functional devices, addressing electronic waste concerns. • The review systematically covers sources and types of sustainable materials and their advantages in high-performance THz device fabrication. • Applications span wireless communication, molecular sensing, and biomedical detection, with emphasis on hazardous substance and protein detection. • Challenges and future prospects in intelligent modulation and perception of sustainable materials-assisted THz devices are highlighted.
Abstract
Terahertz (THz) devices, owing to their distinctive optical properties, have achieved myriad applications in diverse domains including wireless communication, medical imaging therapy, hazardous substance detection, and environmental governance. Concurrently, to mitigate the environmental impact of electronic waste generated by traditional materials, sustainable materials-based THz functional devices are being explored for further research by taking advantages of their eco-friendliness, cost-effective, enhanced safety, robust biodegradability and biocompatibility. This review focuses on the origins and distinctive biological structures of sustainable materials as well as succinctly elucidates the latest applications in THz functional device fabrication, including wireless communication devices, macromolecule detection sensors, environment monitoring sensors, and biomedical therapeutic devices. We further highlight recent applications of sustainable materials-based THz functional devices in hazardous substance detection, protein-based macromolecule detection, and environmental monitoring. Besides, this review explores the developmental prospects of integrating sustainable materials with THz functional devices, presenting their potential applications in the future.
1. Introduction
Terahertz (THz) waves occupy the spectrum between infrared and microwave regions. The frequency range of THz wave is 0.1–10 THz, which corresponds to 30 μm–3 mm in wavelength [1–3]. THz waves have garnered considerable applications across various fields [4], primarily attributed to their unique ability to penetrate non-conductive materials [5], inherently low photon energy levels [6], pronounced sensitivity to water and their significant capacity in communication [7, 8]. Besides, THz waves are particularly well-suited for investigating and analyzing collective vibrational and rotational modes, due to the unique spectral signatures generated by complex molecules within the THz frequency region [9, 10]. These distinctive features offer a unique perspective of the underlying molecular dynamics and contribute to the enhanced understanding of spectroscopic analysis [11]. Given the aforementioned advantages, THz waves have been incorporated into the design of functional devices such as modulators and sensors [12, 13]. Moreover, the applications based on THz functional devices have been further extended across multiple domains, including communication systems [14], biomedical technology [15, 16], food safety assessments and detection [17–19], and automated agricultural engineering [20]. This wide-scale dissemination certifies the versatile nature of THz wave technology.
Currently, the construction of THz functional devices incorporates a variety of materials including semiconductors, phase change materials, two-dimensional (2D) materials, and organic polymers, each offers distinct advantages for applicability in diverse fields. However, these materials have certain limitations, including high cost and complex process at nanoscale. For instance, conductive polymers made from organic materials have poor durability, making them susceptible to environmental factors and eventually leads to discharge issues in THz functional devices [21, 22]. To avoid excessive resource and minimize environmental impact, it is imperative to apply sustainable material in THz functional devices. Sustainable materials, with their excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, are aptly used in the construction of THz biosensors, human health monitoring devices, and wearable sensors [23]. Additionally, their ability to actively regulate degradation time makes them suitable for medical clinical research. Furthermore, materials like cellulose, due to their inherent properties, demonstrate excellent THz wave absorption characteristics, making them effective in regulating signals within THz wave modulators and filters [24]. Thereby, those sustainable materials offer alternative choices for sustainable and environmentally friendly applications [25].
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Baoning Wang, Haolan Wang, Ying Bao, Waqas Ahmad, Wenhui Geng, Yibin Ying, Wendao Xu (2025). Sustainable Materials Enabled Terahertz Functional Devices. Nano-Micro Letters. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01732-1
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are sustainable materials in the context of THz devices?
Sustainable materials are eco-friendly, biodegradable, and biocompatible materials such as cellulose, silk, and other natural polymers that can be used to fabricate THz functional devices, reducing electronic waste and environmental impact.
What are the main applications of sustainable materials-based THz devices?
These devices are applied in wireless communication, molecular sensing, biomedical detection, hazardous substance detection, and environmental monitoring, leveraging the unique properties of THz waves and the advantages of sustainable materials.
Why are sustainable materials advantageous for THz devices?
They offer eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, enhanced safety, robust biodegradability, and biocompatibility, which are beneficial for biosensors and wearable devices, and they can also exhibit excellent THz wave absorption for signal regulation.
What challenges are associated with sustainable materials in THz devices?
Challenges include achieving intelligent modulation and perception, improving durability and performance stability, and addressing fabrication complexities to fully realize their potential in practical applications.
What is the future outlook for sustainable materials in THz technology?
The integration of sustainable materials with THz functional devices holds promise for developing environmentally friendly, high-performance devices for advanced sensing, communication, and biomedical applications, with ongoing research focusing on overcoming current limitations.
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