{
  "abstract": "Transparent, flexible inorganic-organic composites are essential for next-generation adaptive optics, bio-integrated sensing, and reconfigurable photonics. Despite progress in hybrid material design, achieving a material that is simultaneously flexible and transparent across a broad infrared spectrum remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we report a S 60 Se 40 chalcogenide glass designed with a chain-ring dual-network architecture that overcomes this classic limitation. By integrating a dynamic covalent network of physical cross-links with heavy chalcogen elements (S, Se), this dual-network design suppresses multi-phonon absorption and ensures broadband transparency up to 21 μm, combining these optical properties with an ultralow Young’s modulus ( E ≈ 0.0037 GPa), extreme tensile strain (~650%), and high elastic recovery (~80%). The material further exhibits autonomous self-healing and shape-memory behavior at room temperature. We demonstrate its applicability through IR deformable lenses with tunable focal length and real-time aberration correction, showcasing capabilities in adaptive imaging and wavefront control. This work provides a versatile material platform that bridges the gap between glass-like optical performance and polymer-like mechanics, opening avenues for soft infrared photonics and reconfigurable optical systems.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Engineering Research Center for Advanced Infrared Photoelectric Materials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315211, China",
    "Key Laboratory of Photoelectric Detection Materials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315211, China",
    "Laboratory of Infrared Materials and Devices, The Research Institute of Advanced Technologies, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China",
    "Engineering Research Center for Advanced Infrared Photoelectric Materials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315211, China. tanlinling@nbu.edu.cn",
    "Key Laboratory of Photoelectric Detection Materials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315211, China. tanlinling@nbu.edu.cn",
    "Laboratory of Infrared Materials and Devices, The Research Institute of Advanced Technologies, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China. tanlinling@nbu.edu.cn",
    "College of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China",
    "Engineering Research Center for Advanced Infrared Photoelectric Materials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315211, China. linchanggui@nbu.edu.cn",
    "Key Laboratory of Photoelectric Detection Materials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315211, China. linchanggui@nbu.edu.cn",
    "Laboratory of Infrared Materials and Devices, The Research Institute of Advanced Technologies, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China. linchanggui@nbu.edu.cn"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Saihui Li",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5721-5676"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        4,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Linling Tan",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9498-9731"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Jianqiang Ma",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0615-9445"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Shiliang Kang",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9615-8958"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Chengwei Gao",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7105-2121"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Shixun Dai",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5085-0933"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7,
        8,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Changgui Lin",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0574-6296"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/98r4x7bv1nrwz.bib",
  "cited_by": 9,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41377-026-02409-z",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "98r4x7bv1nrwz",
  "issns": [
    "2047-7538",
    "2095-5545"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-026-02409-z",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2505|Phase-change materials and chalcogenides"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7171765444",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-026-02409-z.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13424142",
  "pmid": "42532986",
  "published": "2026-07-30",
  "publisher": "Springer Nature",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/98r4x7bv1nrwz.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:27:00Z",
      "native_id": "W7171765444",
      "source": "openalex",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-026-02409-z"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:2505|Phase-change materials and chalcogenides",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "An infrared-transparent flexible glass for adaptive optics",
  "title_text": "An infrared-transparent flexible glass for adaptive optics",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T13:21:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/98r4x7bv1nrwz",
  "venue": "Light Science & Applications",
  "versions": []
}