Physicists Harness Light To Control Semiconductors in Trillionths of a Second

A peer-reviewed study reports the development of ultrafast modulation technology in nanoelectronics.

Physicists from Bielefeld University and the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW Dresden) have introduced a new technique that uses ultrashort light pulses to manipulate atomically thin semiconductors. Their research, published in Nature Communications, could lead to the development of optoelectronic components that operate at extremely high speeds using light as the control mechanism, opening the door to next-generation technologies.

The team achieved this by designing nanoscale antennas that transform terahertz light into vertical electric fields within atomically thin materials such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). Terahertz radiation falls in the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and microwave frequencies. Thanks to the novel antenna design, the resulting electric fields can reach strengths of several megavolts per centimeter.

“Traditionally, such vertical electric fields, used, for example, to switch transistors and other electronic devices, are applied using electronic gating, but this method is fundamentally limited to relatively slow response times,” explains the project leader, physics professor Dr Dmitry Turchinovich from Bielefeld University. “Our approach uses the terahertz light itself to generate the control signal within the semiconductor material – allowing an industry-compatible, light-driven, ultrafast optoelectronic technology that was not possible until now.”

Ultrafast material control

The technique allows real-time control of the electronic structure on timescales of less than a picosecond — that is, one trillionth of a second. The scientists were able to experimentally demonstrate that the optical and electronic properties of the material could be selectively altered using light pulses.

The fundamental concept, along with the experimental implementation and theoretical modelling, was developed at Bielefeld University. Dr Tomoki Hiraoka, lead author of the study and a Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellow in Professor Turchinovich’s group at the time, played a key role in the project. “Seeing such a strong and coherent effect induced purely by terahertz light pulses was very rewarding,” says Tomoki Hiraoka.

The complex 3D–2D nanoantennas necessary to produce this effect were fabricated at IFW Dresden by a team led by Dr Andy Thomas. “It took us a lot of work to develop the optimal devices — we had to fabricate and test many different structures before achieving the desired performance,” says Andy Thomas.

Applications in future technologies

This development could lead to ultrafast signal control devices, electronic switches, and sensors. Such components are used in data transmission, cameras, and laser systems. Potential application areas include communication systems, computing, imaging, and quantum technologies.

Reference: “Terahertz field effect in a two-dimensional semiconductor” by Tomoki Hiraoka, Sandra Nestler, Wentao Zhang, Simon Rossel, Hassan A. Hafez, Savio Fabretti, Heike Schlörb, Andy Thomas and Dmitry Turchinovich, 5 June 2025, Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60588-6

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