Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques that, in some instances, can help reduce stress and potential damage during the manufacture of optical elements such as those that include a metastructure formed by imprinting. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing an optical element includes imprinting a stamp into a polymeric material on a substrate, wherein the stamp includes first projections corresponding to an active area of the stamp for formation of meta-atoms in the polymeric material. The stamp further includes a protective structure laterally surrounding the first projections. The protective structure includes at least one additional projection extending in parallel to the first projections. The method includes removing the stamp from the polymeric material, thereby forming openings in the polymeric material in positions corresponding to the first projections and in one or more positions corresponding to the at least one additional projection.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing an optical device can include, in some implementations, providing a substrate having a first polymeric layer on a surface of the substrate and a second polymeric layer on the first polymeric layer, forming first openings in the second polymeric layer to define an etch mask composed of material of the second polymeric layer, and etching to form second openings in the first polymeric layer, wherein locations of the second openings are defined by the etch mask. A material is deposited in the second openings to form meta-atoms of a first metastructure, wherein adjacent ones of the meta-atoms are separated from one another by polymeric material of the first polymeric layer. Optical devices including metastructures can be formed, where meta-atoms of the metastructure have a relatively high aspect ratio.

Abstract: Manufacturing an optical device includes providing a substrate (102) having a polymeric layer (104) on a surface of the substrate, forming openings in the polymeric layer, and depositing a material in the openings to form meta-atoms (114, 214) of a first metastructure. Adjacent ones of the meta-atoms are separated from one another by polymeric material of the polymeric layer. Optical devices that include one or more metastructures in which meta-atoms are separated from one another by polymeric material are described, as are modules that incorporate the optical devices.