Helicity-dependent continuous varifocal metalens based on bilayer dielectric metasurfaces

Recent developments in Chalcogenide phase change material-based nanophotonics

There is now a deep interest in actively reconfigurable nanophotonics as they will enable the next generation of optical devices. Of the various alternatives being explored for reconfigurable nanophotonics, Chalcogenide phase change materials (PCMs) are considered highly promising owing to the nonvolatile nature of their phase change. Chalcogenide PCM nanophotonics can be broadly classified into integrated photonics (with guided wave light propagation) and Meta-optics (with free space light propagation). Despite some early comprehensive reviews, the pace of development in the last few years has shown the need for a topical review. Our comprehensive review covers recent progress on nanophotonic architectures, tuning mechanisms, and functionalities in tunable PCM Chalcogenides. In terms of integrated photonics, we identify novel PCM nanoantenna geometries, novel material utilization, the use of nanostructured waveguides, and sophisticated excitation pulsing schemes. On the meta-optics front, the breadth of functionalities has expanded, enabled by exploring design aspects for better performance. The review identifies immediate, and intermediate-term challenges and opportunities in (1) the development of novel chalcogenide PCM, (2) advance in tuning mechanism, and (3) formal inverse design methods, including machine learning augmented inverse design, and provides perspectives on these aspects. The topical review will interest researchers in further advancing this rapidly growing subfield of nanophotonics.

Dynamic adjustable metalens based on a stretchable substrate with a double-layer metal microstructure

Based on the impedance-matching theory, a double-layer metal structure dynamical focusing cylindrical metalens with a stretchable substrate was designed at the operation frequency of 0.1 THz. The diameter, initial focal length, and NA of the metalens were 80 mm, 40 mm, and 0.7, respectively. The transmission phase of the unit cell structures could cover 0-2π by changing the size of the metal bars, and then the different unit cells were spatially arranged as the designed phase profile for the metalens. When the stretching range of the substrate was about 100%-140%, the focal length changed from 39.3 mm to 85.5 mm, the dynamic focusing range was about 117.6% of the minimum focal length, and the focusing efficiency decreases from 49.2% to 27.9%. Then, by rearranging the unit cell structures, a dynamically adjustable bifocal metalens was numerically realized. Using the same stretching ratio, compared to a single focus metalens, the bifocal metalens can provide a larger focal length control range.

Visible and near-infrared programmable multi-level diffractive lenses with phase change material Sb2S3

In this paper, we discuss flat programmable multi-level diffractive lenses (PMDL) enabled by phase change materials working in the near-infrared and visible ranges. The high real part refractive index contrast (Δn ∼ 0.6) of Sb₂S₃ between amorphous and crystalline states, and extremely low losses in the near-infrared, enable the PMDL to effectively shift the lens focus when the phase of the material is altered between its crystalline and amorphous states. In the visible band, although losses can become significant as the wavelength is reduced, the lenses can still provide good performance as a result of their relatively small thickness (∼ 1.5λ to 3λ). The PMDL consists of Sb₂S₃ concentric rings with equal width and varying heights embedded in a glass substrate. The height of each concentric ring was optimized by a modified direct binary search algorithm. The proposed designs show the possibility of realizing programmable lenses at design wavelengths from the near-infrared (850 nm) up to the blue (450 nm) through engineering PMDLs with Sb₂S₃. Operation at these short wavelengths, to the best of our knowledge, has not been studied so far in reconfigurable lenses with phase-change materials. Therefore, our results open a wider range of applications for phase-change materials, and show the prospect of Sb₂S₃ for such applications. The proposed lenses are polarization insensitive and can have the potential to be applied in dual-functionality devices, optical imaging, and biomedical science.