Acoustoelectric control of optoelectronic anisotropy for reconfigurable polarimetry

Jiang et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eaec4337 (2026) 10 April 2026 S c i e n c e A d va n c e s | R e s e a r c h A r t i c l e 1 of 7 P H YS I C S Acoustoelectric control of optoelectronic anisotropy for reconfigurable polarimetry Chang Jiang1†, Jiaming Gu2†, Hanlin Lu1, Junchen Zhou1, Enze Zhang1, Jinwen Guo1, Cheng Zhang2*, Faxian Xiu1,2,3,4* Harnessing light polarization provides a powerful degree of freedom for optical communications, imaging, and sensing. Two-­dimensional (2D) anisotropic semiconductors have emerged as a promising platform for miniaturized on-­chip polarimetry; however, their polarization responses remain constrained by intrinsic crystal symmetries and static device geometries, limiting functional tunability. Here, we demonstrate continuous and dynamic control over optoelectronic anisotropy in a 2D rhenium disulfide semiconductor through acoustoelectric coupling with surface acoustic waves (SAWs). SAW propagation through the semiconducting channel substantially enhances the photovoltage response via an acousto-­drag photovoltaic mechanism. This acoustoelectric coupling not only amplifies the global photoresponse but also continuously rotates its polarization symmetry axis—shifting from the intrinsic orientation of the rhenium disulfide crystal to that of the lithium niobate substrate—as the acoustic power increases. Crucially, by adopting a machine learning algorithm, i.e., random forest, we achieve independent and simultaneous detection of both optical power and linear polarization angle within a planar, integrated device. These findings establish a previously unknown paradigm in acoustoelectronics for dynamically reconfigurable polarimetry, mediated by hybrid phonon-­charge interactions in 2D materials. INTRODUCTION Polarization, a fundamental property of light alongside intensity and wavelength, carries rich information critical to optical communica- tions, imaging, and environmental sensing. Conventional polarimeters decode polarization states via time-­division (1, 2), amplitude-­division (3), aperture-­division (4, 5), or focal plane–division (6) schemes. These methods rely on discrete optical components, such as polarizers, re- tarders, and beam splitters, to spatially or temporally separate the light field. Despite their effectiveness, these systems are often bulky, mechan- ically complex, and poorly compatible with integration in compact photonic platforms. In contrast, their underlying photodetectors are typically polarization insensitive. An emerging alternative leverages the intrinsic anisotropy of low-­ symmetry two-­dimensional (2D) materials—such as ReSe2 and black phosphorus—which exhibit polarization-­dependent photocurrent aligned with their crystal axes (7–11). Under linearly polarized illumination, these materials produce an anisotropic photocurrent following a cos(2θ−β) dependence, where θ denotes the incident polarization angle and β represents the crystal orientation (9). While this response enables direct electrical detection of polarization, its intrinsic twofold symmetry prevents discrimination between mirror-­ symmetric linear polarization states, thereby limiting comprehensive polarization characterization. To overcome this symmetry constraint, several strategies have been explored to break the symmetry and enhance polarization detection capability. Approaches include stacking 2D materials with misaligned crystallographic axes (12–15), as well as integrating nanostructured meta-­surfaces that impose artificial optical anisotropy (16–18). Although these schemes can extend polarization sensitivity—e.g., enabling Stokes vector detection—their responses remain static, de- termined by fabrication-­defined geometry or interlayer registry, and thus lack dynamic tunability. Here, we demonstrate an approach that enables dynamic, in situ control of the polarization response in optoelectronic devices. This is achieved through the acoustoelectric coupling