Metasurfaces are ultrathin optical elements that are highly promising for constructing lightweight and compact optical systems. For their practical implementation, it is imperative to maximize the metasurface efficiency. Topology optimization provides a pathway for pushing the limits of metasurface efficiency; however, topology optimization methods have been limited to the design of microscale devices due to the extensive computational resources that are required. We introduce a new strategy for optimizing large-area metasurfaces in a computationally efficient manner. By stitching together individually optimized sections of the metasurface, we can reduce the computational complexity of the optimization from high-polynomial to linear. As a proof of concept, we design and experimentally demonstrate large-area, high-numerical-aperture silicon metasurface lenses with focusing efficiencies exceeding 90%. These concepts can be generalized to the design of multifunctional, broadband diffractive optical devices and will enable the implementation of large-area, high-performance metasurfaces in practical optical systems.

A first approach of a modal method by Gegenbauer polynomial expansion (MMGE1) is presented for a plane wave diffraction by a lamellar grating. Modal methods are among the most popular methods that are used to solve the problem of lamellar gratings. They consist in describing the electromagnetic field in terms of eigenfunctions and eigenvalues of an operator. In the particular case of the Fourier modal method (FMM), the eigenfunctions are approximated by a finite Fourier sum, and this approximation can lead to a poor convergence of the FMM. The Wilbraham-Gibbs phenomenon may be one of the reasons for this poor convergence. Thus, it is interesting to investigate other basis functions that may represent the fields more accurately. The approach proposed in this paper consists in subdividing the pattern in homogeneous layers, according to the periodicity axis. The field is expanded, in each layer, on the basis of Gegenbauer's polynomials. Boundary conditions are rigorously written between adjacent layers; thus, an eigenvalue equation is obtained. The approach presented in this paper proves to describe the fields accurately. Finally, it is demonstrated that the results obtained with the MMGE1 are more accurate than several existing modal methods, such as the classical and the parametric FMM.

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Abstract. Horizontal resonances of slit arrays are studied. They can lead to an enhanced transmission that cannot be explained using the single-mode approximation. A new type of cavity resonance is found when the slits are narrow for a wavelength very close to the period. It can be excited for very low thicknesses. Optimization shows these structures could constitute interesting monochromatic filters.