Abstract: According to various embodiments, a device may include a light-emitting diode (LED) to generate optical radiation at an operational wavelength with a divergent emission profile, such as a Lambertian emission profile, relative to a planar face thereof. A metalens may be positioned to modify the divergent emission profile of the optical radiation from the LED to have a modified transmission profile. The metalens may comprise, for example, a substrate and a two-dimensional array of passive pillars that extend from the substrate with a radially symmetric pattern of varying pillar diameters. The pillars may be spaced from one another according to a uniform subwavelength interelement spacing. The diameters of the pillars are selected as a function of the operational wavelength to provide a target phase gradient that modifies the divergent emission profile of the optical radiation from the LED to have the modified transmission profile.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for manufacturing high-index, low-absorption materials for use in visible light optical metasurfaces. Methods of manufacturing or forming hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), silicon-rich nitride (SRN), and hydrogenated silicon-rich nitride (SRN:H) are described herein that exhibit high indices of refraction and low extinction coefficients for visible wavelengths of optical radiation. Optical metasurfaces, including optical metalenses and waveguide couplers, are described herein that utilize the a-Si:H, SRN, and/or SRN:H materials.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for manufacturing high-index, low-absorption materials for use in visible light optical metasurfaces. Methods of manufacturing or forming hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), silicon-rich nitride (SRN), and hydrogenated silicon-rich nitride (SRN:H) are described herein that exhibit high indices of refraction and low extinction coefficients for visible wavelengths of optical radiation. Optical metasurfaces, including optical metalenses and waveguide couplers, are described herein that utilize the a-Si:H, SRN, and/or SRN:H materials.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a device may include a light-emitting diode (LED) to generate optical radiation at an operational wavelength with a divergent emission profile, such as a Lambertian emission profile, relative to a planar face thereof. A metalens may be positioned to modify the divergent emission profile of the optical radiation from the LED to have a modified transmission profile. The metalens may comprise, for example, a substrate and a two-dimensional array of passive pillars that extend from the substrate with a radially symmetric pattern of varying pillar diameters. The pillars may be spaced from one another according to a uniform subwavelength interelement spacing. The diameters of the pillars are selected as a function of the operational wavelength to provide a target phase gradient that modifies the divergent emission profile of the optical radiation from the LED to have the modified transmission profile.

Abstract: This disclosure provides various examples and methods of manufacturing metasurface couplers, including slanted grating metasurface couplers characterized by a plurality of parallel, elongated angled ridges. In some examples, a transmission-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide. In some examples, a reflection-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating and reflective layer is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide.

Abstract: This disclosure provides various examples and methods of manufacturing metasurface couplers, including slanted grating metasurface couplers characterized by a plurality of parallel, elongated angled ridges. In some examples, a transmission-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide. In some examples, a reflection-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating and reflective layer is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide.

Abstract: This disclosure provides various examples and methods of manufacturing metasurface couplers, including slanted grating metasurface couplers characterized by a plurality of parallel, elongated angled ridges. In some examples, a transmission-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide. In some examples, a reflection-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating and reflective layer is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide.

Abstract: This disclosure provides various examples and methods of manufacturing metasurface couplers, including slanted grating metasurface couplers characterized by a plurality of parallel, elongated angled ridges. In some examples, a transmission-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide. In some examples, a reflection-mode metasurface coupler with a slanted grating and reflective layer is used to couple optical radiation into a waveguide.

Abstract: Various embodiments and configurations of optical imaging systems are described herein that utilize a metalens for narrowband deflection of target frequencies. For example, one embodiment of a multifrequency metalens includes an in-plane spatially multiplexed array of frequency-specific nanopillars or frequency-specific rows/columns of nanopillars that are intermingled with one another. In other embodiments, transmissive metalenses and/or reflective metalenses are tuned to focus color-separated visible light into red, green, and blue (RGB) channels of a digital image sensor.

Abstract: An octave bandwidth, achromatic metalens configured to operate in light wavelengths having a range of approximately 640 nm to 1200 nm.

Abstract: A method for detecting an analyte includes providing a sensor that includes a plurality of coupled polaritonic structures having polaritonic resonances. A surface of at least one of the polaritonic structure in the sensor is functionalized by providing a receptor for binding the analyte to the surface. The sensor is operated at an exceptional point (EP). The presence of the analyte on the surface is identified when a degeneracy of resonant frequencies and linewidths is lifted and a splitting of the resonant frequencies and linewidths occurs.

Abstract: Various embodiments of optical metalens and electronic displays using metalenses are described herein. In some embodiments, a metalens includes an array of passive deflector elements with varying diameters that extend from a substrate with a repeating pattern of deflector element diameters. Interelement on-center spacings of the passive deflector elements may be selected as a function of an operational wavelength of the optical metalens. Each passive deflector element has a height and a width that are each less than a smallest wavelength within the operational bandwidth. An electronic display may include a multi-pixel light-emitting diode (LED) display, such as an RGB LED display. A metalens comprising a plurality of metalens subpixels may deflect the optical radiation from each corresponding LED subpixel at a target deflection angle. Each metalens subpixel may include a two-dimensional array of passive deflector elements in a repeating pattern of deflector element diameters.