Reversible lateral optical force on phase-gradient metasurfaces for full control of metavehicles

Abstract

Photonics is currently undergoing an era of miniaturization thanks in part to two-dimensional (2D) optical metasurfaces. Their ability to sculpt and redirect optical momentum can give rise to an optical force, which acts orthogonally to the direction of light propagation. Powered by a single unfocused light beam, these lateral optical forces (LOFs) can be used to drive advanced metavehicles and are controlled via the incident beam’s polarization. However, the full control of a metavehicle on a 2D plane (i.e. forward, backward, left, and right) with a sign-switchable LOF remains a challenge. Here we present a phase-gradient metasurface route for achieving such full control while also increasing efficiency. The proposed metasurface is able to deflect a normally incident plane wave in a traverse direction by modulating the plane wave’s polarization, and results in a sign-switchable recoil LOF. When applied to a metavehicle, this LOF enables a level of motion control that was previously unobtainable.

Polarization‐Dependent Optical Forces Arising from Fano Interference

“…These unique characteristics of the Fano-resonance-induced forces would provide additional degrees of freedom for optical manipulation. [33][34][35][36][37] For example, achieving controllable optical forces to actuate optomechanical devices is essential for levito-dynamics systems. [38,39] Generally, the gradient force acts as the actuation force and, hence, the force, and therefore the devices, can be controlled by changing the light wavelength.…”

Deep image prior plus sparsity prior: toward single-shot full-Stokes spectropolarimetric imaging with a multiple-order retarder

“…These advantages are helpful for promoting the development of a miniature SPI system using free-space optical components 12 , 31 , 32 , 59 as well as chip-scale integration with silicon photonic circuits 64 or metasurfaces 65 – 72 …”

“…These advantages are helpful for promoting the development of a miniature SPI system using free-space optical components 12,31,32,59 as well as chip-scale integration with silicon photonic circuits 64 or metasurfaces. [65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72] Fig. 13 Acceleration strategy of the DIP-SP processing the images of all spectral bands one by one.…”

Ultrathin, Wide‐Angle, and High‐Resolution Meta‐Imaging System via Rear‐Position Wavevector Filter

“…[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] In particular, a 178°diffraction-limited FOV has been demonstrated by single flat metalenses with a diffraction efficiency approaching 100%. [21] Moreover, many exotic applications with wide FOV have been researched and reported, such as metasurface-enabled AR headsets, [27] metasurface optical tweezers, [28] metavehicles, [29] and so forth, which are of great significance to compact multicolor see-through optics, on-chip particle manipulation, and microscopic bodies' transportation. Besides, the asymmetric photon spin-orbit interaction provides a new degree of freedom for optical field manipulation, facilitating full-space wide-angle detection.…”