A flexible and stretchable 3D-printed terahertz waveguide

We propose a novel flexible and stretchable terahertz waveguide by 3D printing to guide radiation from terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) lasing at the frequency of 2.58 THz. Composite silver nanoparticles and polydimethylsiloxane are coated on the inner surface of the 3D-printed polycarbonate/rubber substrate tube. The experimental results show that the transmission loss is similar to 0.22 dB/cm for the waveguide with a 4 mm-bore diameter. Both transmission spectra and output beam profile out from the waveguide demonstrate single-mode characteristics. Importantly, preeminent mechanical stability and stretchability of the 3D-printed terahertz waveguide are verified, which lead to broad applications in stretchable and ultra-flexible terahertz devices.