Soft Optomechanical Devices Featuring Intrinsic Redox Activity

Soft optomechanical sensors have the ability to combine the high tunability and elasticity of soft polymers with the distinctive optical properties of photonic structures, thus offering unprecedented opportunities for the development high-performance colorimetric sensors. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time the use of optomechanical devices made of off-stoichiometry thiol-ene (OSTE), a polymeric material that features intrinsic redox activity, overcoming some limitations of conventional materials (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane or silicon). Remarkably, this work provides the foundation for a new generation of highly tunable and versatile optomechanical sensors, enabling unexplored functionalities.