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Colorimetric sensing, which provides effective detection of bio-molecular signals with one’s naked eye, is an exceptionally promising sensing technique in that it enables convenient detection and simplification of entire sensing system. Though colorimetric sensors based on all-dielectric nanostructures have potential to exhibit distinct color variations enabling manageable detection due to their trivial intrinsic loss, there is crucial limitation that the sensitivity to environmental changes lags behind their plasmonic counterparts because of relatively small region of near field-analyte interaction of the dielectric Mie-type resonator. To overcome this challenge, we proposed all-dielectric metasurface colorimetric sensor which exhibits dual-resonance in the visible region. Thereafter, we confirmed with simulation that, in the elaborately designed dual-Lorentzian-type spectra, highly perceptible variations of structural color were manifested even in minute change of peripheral refractive index. In addition to verifying physical effectiveness of the superior colorimetric sensing performance appearing in the dual-resonance type sensor, by combining advanced optimization technique utilizing deep neural networks, we attempted to maximize sensing performance while obtaining dramatic improvement of design efficiency. Through well-trained deep neural network that accurately simulates the input target spectrum, we numerically verified that designed colorimetric sensor shows a remarkable sensing resolution distinguishable up to change of refractive index of 0.0086.

Effective dynamic modulation of visible light properties has been significantly desired for advanced imaging and sensing technologies. In particular, phase-change materials have attracted much attention as active material platforms owing to their broadband tunability of optical dielectric functions induced by the temperature-dependent phase-changes. However, their uses for visible light modulators are still limited to meet multi-objective high performance owing to the low material quality factor and active tunability in the visible regime. Here, a design strategy of phase-change metafilm absorber is demonstrated by making the use of the material drawbacks and extending design degree of freedom. By engineering tunability of effective anisotropic permittivity tensor of VO2-Ag metafilm around near-unity absorption conditions, strong dynamic modulation of reflection wave is achieved with near-unity modulation depth at desired wavelength regions without sacrificing bandwidth and efficiency. By leveraging effective medium theory of metamaterial and coupled mode theory, the intuitive design rules and theoretical backgrounds are suggested. It is also noteworthy that the dynamic optical applications of intensity modulation, coloring, and polarization rotation are enabled in a single device. By virtue of ultrathin flat configuration of a metafilm absorber, design extensibility of reflection spectrum is also verified. It is envisioned that our simple and powerful strategy would play a robust role in development of miniaturized light modulating pixels and a variety of photonic and optoelectronic applications.

The development of optical elements has seen tremendous advances over the last few decades for a variety of applications, including displays, cameras, and microscopes. Various optical elements have been developed, ranging from refractive elements to diffractive elements. In recent years, metasurfaces have been in the spotlight to develop next-generation optical elements beyond existing refractive or diffractive optics. A metasurface is a two-dimensional metamaterial composed of subwavelength artificial structures and has been studied for the development of optical elements with the major advantage that the properties of light can be freely adjusted by a thin flat structure. Optical lenses using metasurfaces can be hundreds of times thinner than conventional lenses, while at the same time, provide excellent focusing performance. This suggests that they can be applied to mobile and high-performance imaging applications in the future. Here, we discuss developments of optical elements from refractive or diffractive optics to metasurface optics, including basic principles and properties, current issues, and future perspectives.

Topography measurement is essential for surface characterization, semiconductor metrology, and inspection applications. To date, performing high-throughput and accurate topography remains challenging due to the trade-off between field-of-view (FOV) and spatial resolution. Here we demonstrate a novel topography technique based on the reflection-mode Fourier ptychographic microscopy, termed Fourier ptychograhpic topography (FPT). We show that FPT provides both a wide FOV and high resolution, and achieves nanoscale height reconstruction accuracy. Our FPT prototype is based on a custom-built computational microscope consisting of programmable brightfield and darkfield LED arrays. The topography reconstruction is performed by a sequential Gauss-Newton-based Fourier ptychographic phase retrieval algorithm augmented with total variation regularization. We achieve a synthetic numerical aperture (NA) of 0.84 and a diffraction-limited resolution of 750 nm, increasing the native objective NA (0.28) by 3×, across a 1.2 × 1.2 mm2 FOV. We experimentally demonstrate the FPT on a variety of reflective samples with different patterned structures. The reconstructed resolution is validated on both amplitude and phase resolution test features. The accuracy of the reconstructed surface profile is benchmarked against high-resolution optical profilometry measurements. In addition, we show that the FPT provides robust surface profile reconstructions even on complex patterns with fine features that cannot be reliably measured by the standard optical profilometer. The spatial and temporal noise of our FPT system is characterized to be 0.529 nm and 0.027 nm, respectively.

One of the most important research topic in optics and photonics is the design of metasurfaces to substitute conventional optical elements that demonstrate unprecedented merits in terms of performance and form factor. In this context, full-space control of metasurfaces that makes it possible to manipulate scattered light in transmission and reflection spaces simultaneously, is proposed as the next-generation scheme in optics, with a potential for applications such as 360° holographic images and novel optical systems. However, previously designed metasurfaces lacked functionality because the desired operation occurs under preconditioned light; therefore, they are difficult to use in real applications. Here, we present a design method that enables polarization-dependent full-space control, in which two independent and arbitrary phase profiles can be addressed to each space. Upon introducing a phase gradient value to realize the critical angle condition, conversion of transmissive into reflective operation is realized. Then, rectangular nanopillars are utilized to facilitate polarization beam splitting with the desired phase. Three samples were fabricated and measured based on the proposed scheme.

Metasurface color filters (MCFs) have attracted considerable attention thanks to their compactness and functionality as a candidate of an optical element in a miniaturized image sensor. However, conventional dielectric and plasmonic MCFs that have focused on color purity and efficiency cannot avoid reflection in principle, which degrades image quality by optical flare. Here, we introduce absorptive-type MCFs through truncated-cone hyperbolic metamaterial absorbers. By applying a particle swarm optimization method to design multiple parameters simultaneously, the proposed MCF is theoretically and numerically demonstrated in perceptive color on CIELAB and CIEDE2000 with suppressed-reflection. Then, a color filter array is numerically proven in 255 nm of sub-pixel pitch.

We experimentally demonstrate that dielectric metasurface can generate multi-channel vortex beams possessing different orbital angular momentums with arbitrarily engineered spin-orbit interactions. We propose a design principle of the proposed meta-atom that can modulate and switch spatial complex-amplitude information. Experimental results show that the proposed metasurface can generate multi-channel vortex beam arrays without interval noises, and it can make each vortex beam channel possess different spin-orbit conversion when the incident polarization is changed. These results provide a new opportunity to implement a novel vortex beam modulator, which can be applied for future development of quantum optics and optical communications.

Here, we present the metasurface design to split the incident light into transmission and reflection spaces according to its polarization states, and at the same time, the distinct phase profiles are imparted to each space. For implementation of this scheme, the linearly birefringent meta-atom is utilized for distinct phases at different polarization states. Interleaving methods is also utilized for switching the transmission-type into reflection-type. Three samples are fabricated for experimental demonstration of proposed scheme, each of them is operating in linear, circular, and elliptical polarization pair. We expect the miniaturization of conventional system might be achieved using this scheme.

Nanophotonic all-optical devices have been enthusiastically studied to overcome the speed bottleneck of electrical devices. Recently, chalcogenide phase change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) based active metasurfaces have emerged as a novel platform as complement of all-optical device. GST has two phase, so called amorphous and crystalline phases that can be changed within nanosecond scale by applying external thermal stimuli. Hence, various ultrafast 2-level switchable GST based meta-devices have been proposed and demonstrated. However, since only two switching levels are provided, there are limitations in applying to various photonic fields. In this paper, we expand its switching functionality to three-level through designing two different sizes of GST nanorod that exhibits different heat generation density in case of top-hat shape light illumination. Thanks to this thermo-optical phenomenon, we can obtain partial phase changed state, so called intermediate state once the appropriate intensity of control light is illuminated. Harnessing intermediate state, we propose novel cryptography platform that can provide high security level encryption while providing ultrafast communication speed.

We propose an optical switching metasurface in the designed visible region (680 nm) based on circularly polarized light using PB phase. It can generate holographic information encrypted by inserting control light.

Nano-structural colour pixels have attracted much attention as promising solutions for compact display devices. However, it is difficult to miniaturize and integrate conventional transmissive colour filtering components for high resolution pixels within subwavelength scale without sacrificing colour depth. Here, we propose a novel colour pixel structure using bi-layered hybrid metasurfaces that are composed of aluminum nanograting and amorphous silicon nanorod layers. The independent high-contrast control of resonance intensity and spectral position is achieved by anisotropic Mie resonances and cavity effect between stacked two metasurfaces. Moreover, the proposed structures permit the wide colour gamut through the novel physical principles. In addition, a meta-pixel which can provide gradual tuning of colour is demonstrated to obtain high colour depth. The proposed structures are expected to be fruitful for the development of next generation display and imaging systems.

We demonstrate the wavelength-selective beam deflector based on the Fano-resonant metasurface, which is composed of rotating double nanorods with metal film as reflector. By combining two concepts of phase modulation, geometric phase and Fano phase, we introduce the wavelength selective characteristics in optical beam switching. Our results can extend the studies for the application of metasurface that requires narrowband as well as broadband, such as optical switching and filtering.

We present recent advances on metasurface-originated applications. Two metasurfaces for full complex-amplitude hologram and full-space phase control and in particular, metalens for augmented reality with wide viewing angle are discussed.

In this paper, temperature- and thickness-dependent variation of dielectric functions of VO 2 film deposited by pulsed-laser deposition is characterized at both insulating and metallic phases by ellipsometry.

A novel metasurface providing arbitrarily designed spin-orbit interactions of light has been proposed. Our theoretical and experimental demonstrations show the great potential of the phenomenon for various applications including optical communications and quantum optical process.

Taking the advantage of propagation phase with geometric phase, we designed a novel reflection-type metasurface enabling independent phase control of two polarization states. This method achieves phase control with the high efficiency up to 95%.

We present a novel complex amplitude modulation method for linear polarization from incident circular polarization. We achieved high efficiency up to 98 % with fulfilling continuous and independent modulation of amplitude and phase.

We present a bilayer metasurface which has alignment-free characteristics. By adjusting the structural parameters, independent phase control is achieved in transmitted and reflected cross-polarized circular polarized light. In addition, the proposed metasurface shows high efficiency up to 50 % at the wavelength of 1550 nm by using all-dielectric materials as building blocks of the device.

We propose a novel method for active switching of optical deflection angle via the phase change of Ge2Sb2Tes (GST) metasurface. The 1650nm wavelength light deflects to the opposite directions according to amorphous or crystalline phase of GST in case of normal incidence with circular polarization.

We proposed a refractive index sensor using a phase-compensated cavity whose resonant wavelength can be tuned by the alignment between layers. The structures are composed of double-layered nanoslit array, which has total thickness of 100 nm while the cavity length is 30 nm thick. Using nanoslit array as a reflector has made it possible to design the phase shift carefully so that the subwavelength Fabry-Perot cavity can be obtained. When the cavity is filled with sensing medium, where the field enhancement is achieved by Fabry-Perot (FP) resonance, the proposed structure is found to achieve sensitivity ranging from 337 nm/RIU to 1250 nm/RIU at each different alignment. The resonant wavelength ranges from 1100 nm to 2500 nm, which contains biological windows and telecommunication wavelength range, so the structure is expected to be used in various purposes.

Active switching of near-field directivity, which is an essential functionality for compact integrated photonics and small optoelectronic elements, has been challenging due to small modulation depth and complicated fabrication methods for devices including active optical materials. Here, we theoretically and experimentally realize a nanoscale active directional switching of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) using a phase transition material for the first time. The SPP switching device with noticeable distinction is demonstrated based on the phase transition of vanadium dioxide (VO2) at the telecom wavelength. As the insulator-to-metal phase transition (IMT) of VO2 induces the large change of VO2 permittivity at telecom wavelengths, the plasmonic response of a nanoantenna made of VO2 can be largely tuned by external thermal stimuli. The VO2-insulator-metal (VIM) nanoantenna and its periodic array, the VIM metagrating, are suggested as optical switches. The directional power distinction ratio is designed to change from 8.13:1 to 1:10.56 by the IMT and it is experimentally verified that the ratio changes from 3.725:1 to 1:3.132 as the VIM metagratings are heated up to 90 °C. With an electro-thermally controllable configuration and an optimized resonant design, we expect potential applications of the active switching mechanism for integrable active plasmonic elements and reconfigurable imaging.

Ultra-compact dynamically reconfigurable modulation of optical transmission has been widely studied by using subwavelength-spaced resonant metasurface structures containing reconfigurable optical materials. However, it has been difficult to achieve high transmissivity, large modulation depth, and broad bandwidth simultaneously with the conventional resonance-based metasurface schemes. Here, we propose a reconfigurable phase-transition diffractive grating, made of thick VO2 ridge waveguides, for achieving the above-mentioned three goals simultaneously in the near-infrared range. Based on the large dielectric-to-plasmonic transition characteristic of VO2 in the near-infrared range, diffraction directivity of dual-VO2 ridge waveguide is designed to be tuned by thermally driven phase transition of VO2 for transverse electrically polarized illumination. Then, the diffractive VO2 ridge waveguide grating composed of the periodically arranged dual VO2 ridge waveguides is designed with on-state efficiency around 0.3 and minimum modulation depth about 0.35 over a broad bandwidth of 550 nm (1100-1650 nm). The working principle and excellent modulation performance are thoroughly verified through numerical and experimental studies.

In this paper, the broadband transmissive modulation of polarization and amplitude is demonstrated with high efficiency and tunability using multi-layered aluminum metasurfaces. Broadband and nondispersive optical rotation in the optical frequency region is realized by using Fabry-Pérot-like cavity and phase compensation. Simultaneously, the transmission amplitude can be independently controlled by adjusting the twist angle of the anisotropic metasurfaces. The proposed polarization-amplitude modulators are numerically demonstrated to achieve large tunability with an amplitude modulation depth of 0.95 and maximum rotation angle of 180°.

We propose the active metasurface using phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST), which has two distinct phases so called amorphous and crystalline phases, for an ultrathin light path switching device. By arranging multiple anisotropic GST nanorods, the gradient metasurface, which has opposite directions of phase gradients at the two distinct phases of GST, is demonstrated theoretically and numerically. As a result, in the case of normal incidence of circularly polarized light at the wavelength of 1650 nm, the cross-polarized light deflects to −55.6° at the amorphous phase and +55.6° at the crystalline phase with the signal-to-noise ratio above 10 dB.