Decoupling optical function and geometrical form using conformal flexible dielectric metasurfaces

Physical geometry and optical properties of objects are correlated: cylinders focus light to a line, spheres to a point and arbitrarily shaped objects introduce optical aberrations. Multi-functional components with decoupled geometrical form and optical function are needed when specific optical func...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2016-05, Vol.7 (1), p.11618-11618, Article 11618
Main Authors: Kamali, Seyedeh Mahsa, Arbabi, Amir, Arbabi, Ehsan, Horie, Yu, Faraon, Andrei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/301/119/995
639/766/25
639/766/400
Aerodynamics
cloak
Cylinders
Decoupling
design
Dielectric properties
efficiency
elements
Ergonomics
Humanities and Social Sciences
lenses
MATERIALS SCIENCE
metamaterials
Metasurfaces
multidisciplinary
Optical properties
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Silicon substrates
skin
Wave fronts
wavelengths
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Summary:Physical geometry and optical properties of objects are correlated: cylinders focus light to a line, spheres to a point and arbitrarily shaped objects introduce optical aberrations. Multi-functional components with decoupled geometrical form and optical function are needed when specific optical functionalities must be provided while the shapes are dictated by other considerations like ergonomics, aerodynamics or aesthetics. Here we demonstrate an approach for decoupling optical properties of objects from their physical shape using thin and flexible dielectric metasurfaces which conform to objects’ surface and change their optical properties. The conformal metasurfaces are composed of silicon nano-posts embedded in a polymer substrate that locally modify near-infrared ( λ =915 nm) optical wavefronts. As proof of concept, we show that cylindrical lenses covered with metasurfaces can be transformed to function as aspherical lenses focusing light to a point. The conformal metasurface concept is highly versatile for developing arbitrarily shaped multi-functional optical devices. Realizing components with decoupled geometrical form and optical function are of interest for various applications. Here, Kamali et al . introduce flexible metasurfaces based on a transmitarray platform that can be conformed to a non-planar arbitrarily shaped object to modify its optical properties at will.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/ncomms11618