Optically controllable deformation and phase change in VO2/Si3N4/Au hybrid nanostructures with polarization selectivity.

Optically spatial displacement and material modification hold great potential for the appealing applications in nanofabrication and reconfiguration of functional optical devices. Here, we propose and demonstrate a scheme to achieve simultaneous deformation and phase change in vanadium dioxide (VO₂)/Si₃N₄/Au hybrid nanostructures by laser stimuli. Low triggering threshold and significant deformation characteristics of VO₂, based on controllable phase transition, are demonstrated in microscale cantilevers. The plasmonic properties of the nanostructure array are further utilized to achieve a polarization-selective dynamic response. The persistence of deformation and dynamical optical modulation are further demonstrated. Such high-precision fabrication methods and non-contact reconfiguration methods are useful for future applications in dynamic optical manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]