{"paper_id":"4e5dacd1-5c71-46ab-a893-6eca91d8f880","body_text":"Performance Comparison of 3D-Printed Terahertz Waveplates Fabricated from PLA, ABS, and HIPS | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Performance Comparison of 3D-Printed Terahertz Waveplates Fabricated from PLA, ABS, and HIPS Gabriel F. Freitas, Lucas T. Roque, Nicolas M. Kawahala, Felix G. G. Hernandez This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7311804/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract We report the fabrication and characterization of birefringent terahertz (THz) waveplates produced via fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing using three widely available thermoplastic filaments: polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS). Form-birefringent subwavelength gratings were printed using a 0.2 mm nozzle to tailor the phase retardance. The intrinsic THz optical properties of each polymer were first assessed through terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) on unstructured slabs, revealing material-dependent absorption. Polarization-resolved THz-TDS was then employed to extract the effective birefringence, retardance, and polarization modulation of the fabricated waveplates. HIPS exhibited the lowest absorption and the most stable birefringent response, followed by ABS, while PLA showed strong absorption and limited polarimetric performance. Measured birefringence spectra agreed with effective medium predictions below the diffraction threshold (0.6 THz); beyond this range, retardance saturation enabled continued phase shifting. Full polarimetric analysis using Stokes parameters confirmed consistent modulation of ellipticity and polarization rotation, particularly in HIPS-based devices. These results provide a comparative framework for selecting printable materials and optimizing designs of low-cost, customizable THz polarization components. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) 3D printing Birefringent waveplates Form-birefringence Polarization control Fused deposition modeling (FDM) Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files 3DprintwaveplateSI.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-7311804\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":true,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":505895522,\"identity\":\"e7275bc1-9626-4926-a738-01b6108a90d2\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Gabriel F. Freitas\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Universidade de São Paulo\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Gabriel\",\"middleName\":\"F.\",\"lastName\":\"Freitas\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":505895523,\"identity\":\"f7b20d1f-c6ff-4591-9cc4-9cd06b3aace6\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Lucas T. 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