Imagine manipulating light with ultra-thin, flat sheets instead of bulky lenses and mirrors. That’s the promise of metasurfaces, a revolutionary nanostructure technology that can twist and bend light in ways never before possible.
Metasurfaces are artificially engineered surfaces composed of meticulously designed nanostructures, each smaller than the wavelength of light. By controlling the geometry and arrangement of these tiny structures, scientists can create metasurfaces that precisely control the amplitude, phase, and polarization of light waves at the two-dimensional interface. This unprecedented control over light’s properties unlocks a vast array of potential applications previously unattainable with conventional optics.
Traditional optical components, such as lenses and prisms, use bulky structures and precise curvatures to manipulate light. On the other hand, metasurfaces achieve similar optical feats within a fraction of the size and complexity. They offer a flat, ultra-thin, lightweight alternative, paving the way for more compact and integrated devices.
The potential applications of metasurfaces span a wide range of fields, including beam steering and focusing, holography and 3D imaging, polarization control and analysis, exotic light beam generation, biomedical imaging and sensing, and optical cloaking.
While metasurfaces offer immense potential, challenges remain in their fabrication and integration. Manufacturing them at large scales with high precision and low cost is a hurdle yet to be overcome. Additionally, fully realizing their miniaturization potential requires addressing the reliance on bulky components in current metasurface devices.
Researchers worldwide are actively addressing these challenges, exploring innovative nanofabrication techniques and integration strategies. The future of metasurfaces promises a world where light is harnessed and manipulated with unprecedented control, leading to transformative advancements in optics, communications, sensing, imaging, and beyond. Stay tuned for the next chapter in this exciting technological journey!
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References
DOI
Original Source URL
https://www.light-am.com/en/article/doi/10.37188/lam.2024.005
Funding information
This work was supported by the University Grants Committee / Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China [Project No. AoE/P-502/20, CRF Project: C1015-21E; C5031-22G; and GRF Project: CityU15303521; CityU11305223; CityU11310522; CityU11300123], the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province [Project No. 2020B1515120073], City University of Hong Kong [Project No. 9380131, 9610628, and 7005867], the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant Nos. 2021YFA1400802), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 62125501, and 6233000076), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2022FRRK030004), and Shenzhen Fundamental Research Projects (Grant Nos. JCYJ20220818102218040).
About Light: Advanced Manufacturing (LAM)
Light: Advanced Manufacturing (LAM) is a new, highly selective, open-access, and free of charge international sister journal of the Nature Journal Light: Science & Applications. The journal aims to publish innovative research in all modern areas of preferred light-based manufacturing, including fundamental and applied research as well as industrial innovations.
