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Huang L, Han Z, Wirth-Singh A, Saragadam V, Mukherjee S, Fröch JE, Tanguy QAA, Rollag J, Gibson R, Hendrickson JR, Hon PWC, Kigner O, Coppens Z, Böhringer KF, Veeraraghavan A, Majumdar A. Broadband thermal imaging using meta-optics. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1662. [PMID: 38395983 PMCID: PMC10891089 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45904-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Subwavelength diffractive optics known as meta-optics have demonstrated the potential to significantly miniaturize imaging systems. However, despite impressive demonstrations, most meta-optical imaging systems suffer from strong chromatic aberrations, limiting their utilities. Here, we employ inverse-design to create broadband meta-optics operating in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) regime (8-12 μm). Via a deep-learning assisted multi-scale differentiable framework that links meta-atoms to the phase, we maximize the wavelength-averaged volume under the modulation transfer function (MTF) surface of the meta-optics. Our design framework merges local phase-engineering via meta-atoms and global engineering of the scatterer within a single pipeline. We corroborate our design by fabricating and experimentally characterizing all-silicon LWIR meta-optics. Our engineered meta-optic is complemented by a simple computational backend that dramatically improves the quality of the captured image. We experimentally demonstrate a six-fold improvement of the wavelength-averaged Strehl ratio over the traditional hyperboloid metalens for broadband imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luocheng Huang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Zheyi Han
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anna Wirth-Singh
- Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Saswata Mukherjee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Johannes E Fröch
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Quentin A A Tanguy
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joshua Rollag
- KBR, Inc., Beavercreek, OH, USA
- Sensors Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA
| | - Ricky Gibson
- Sensors Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA
| | - Joshua R Hendrickson
- Sensors Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA
| | - Philip W C Hon
- NG Next, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Redondo Beach, CA, USA
| | - Orrin Kigner
- NG Next, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Redondo Beach, CA, USA
| | | | - Karl F Böhringer
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Institute for Nano-Engineered Systems, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Arka Majumdar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Wirth-Singh A, Fröch JE, Han Z, Huang L, Mukherjee S, Zhou Z, Coppens Z, Böhringer KF, Majumdar A. Large field-of-view thermal imaging via all-silicon meta-optics. APPLIED OPTICS 2023; 62:5467-5474. [PMID: 37706864 DOI: 10.1364/ao.493555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
A broad range of imaging and sensing technologies in the infrared require large field-of-view (FoV) operation. To achieve this, traditional refractive systems often employ multiple elements to compensate for aberrations, which leads to excess size, weight, and cost. For many applications, including night vision eye-wear, air-borne surveillance, and autonomous navigation for unmanned aerial vehicles, size and weight are highly constrained. Sub-wavelength diffractive optics, also known as meta-optics, can dramatically reduce the size, weight, and cost of these imaging systems, as meta-optics are significantly thinner and lighter than traditional refractive lenses. Here, we demonstrate 80° FoV thermal imaging in the long-wavelength infrared regime (8-12 µm) using an all-silicon meta-optic with an entrance aperture and lens focal length of 1 cm.
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