Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass

Xiange Wang; Feng Xiao; Yiming Du; Kai Jiao; Keke Chen; Wei Tang; Yuyang Wang; Xiang Shen; Shixun Dai; Maozhi Li; Xunsi Wang; Shengchuang Bai; Rongping Wang; Ganapathy Senthil Murugan; Barry Luther-Davies

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-02098-0

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Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass

Original Articles

- Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass
- Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass
- Light: Science & Applications 2026年15卷第5期页码：1440-1450
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Laboratory of Infrared Material and Devices, The Research Institute of Advanced Technologies, College of Information Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
  2.College of Information and Intelligence Engineering, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo 315000, China
  3.Department of Physics, Beijing Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Functional Materials & Micro-Nano Devices, Key Laboratory of Quantum State Construction and Manipulation (Ministry of Education), Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
  4.Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
  5.Deparment of Quantum Science and Technology, The Australia National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Author bio：
  
  Xunsi Wang (wangxunsi@nbu.edu.cn)
  Rongping Wang (wangrongping@nbu.edu.cn)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-02098-0
  中图分类号：
- 收稿：2025-04-27，
  
  修回：2025-09-30，
  
  录用：2025-10-13，
  
  网络首发：2026-03-02，
  
  纸质出版：2026-05-31
- Accepted：
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Xiange Wang, Feng Xiao, Yiming Du, 等. Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass[J]. Light: Science & Applications, 2026,15(5):1440-1450.

Wang, X. G. et al. Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass. Light: Science & Applications, 15, 1440-1450 (2026).
Xiange Wang, Feng Xiao, Yiming Du, 等. Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass[J]. Light: Science & Applications, 2026,15(5):1440-1450. DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-02098-0.

Wang, X. G. et al. Breaking the mid-infrared interconnection barrier: a robust bonding for high-power optics based on liquid-like chalcogenide glass. Light: Science & Applications, 15, 1440-1450 (2026). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-02098-0.

摘要

Abstract

Achieving low-loss optical interfaces between high-refractive-index (

2) components is critical for mid-infrared photonic systems

yet hindered by the trade-off between refractive index matching

IR transparency and thermal stability. Here

we introduce a groundbreaking soluti

on—bonding the optical lenses and fibers with a liquid-like chalcogenide glass

which possesses an ultra-low glass transition temperature below room temperature

high refractive index and exceptional mid-infrared transparency. The basic performances of the liquid glass are characterized and proved by detailed viscosity distribution

mechanical shear and bonding tensile strength measurements. Most of all

the optical transmission and laser delivery of these bonded chalcogenide glass fiber devices demonstrate a significant improvement

with transmission efficiency increasing from 36% to 91%

and laser power delivery from several hundred mW rising to 14.5 W at a wavelength near 4 µm. Additionally

the system demonstrates long-term stability

maintaining performance over at least 3 months and more than 206 heating-cooling cycles when utilizing this liquid-like glass adhesive. This research not only addresses the challenge of bonding mid-infrared optical components but also holds immense promise for advancing integrated mid-infrared optics applications

including spectroscopy

sensing

and imaging.

关键词

Keywords

references

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