Magnesium for Transient Photonics

Optical reconfigurability has enabled the realization of photonic devices that change in functionality, including modulators, sensors, and signal processors. Yet, most approaches to date require the application of power, which severely limits their usage in portable devices. We demonstrate the concept of transient photonics based on Mg, a burgeoning material for (nano)photonics. We realize dynamic Mg/MgO/Mg color pixels covering the entire sRGB gamut color spectrum, where all hues vanish completely in less than 10 min upon exposure to water at room temperature and neutral pH, ideal for encryption. This scalable thin-film architecture has a robust angular response, maintaining vivid colors up to 80 degrees of incidence. Our transient photonics approach using materials that are earth-abundant and CMOS-compatible opens the door for the implementation of reconfigurable devices with controlled responses in the UV–IR that can disappear without leaving any trace after stable operation, relevant for healthcare, defense, and energy applications.