US 10,795,168 B2 · Transmissive metasurface lens integration

Abstract

Metasurface elements, integrated systems incorporating such metasurface elements with light sources and/or detectors, and methods of the manufacture and operation of such optical arrangements and integrated systems are provided. Systems and methods for integrating transmissive metasurfaces with other semiconductor devices or additional metasurface elements, and more particularly to the integration of such metasurfaces with substrates, illumination sources and sensors are also provided. The metasurface elements provided may be used to shape output light from an illumination source or collect light reflected from a scene to form two unique patterns using the polarization of light. In such embodiments, shaped-emission and collection may be combined into a single co-designed probing and sensing optical system.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method for fabricating one or more metasurface elements or systems comprising:

depositing a hard mask material layer on at least one surface of a substrate, wherein the substrate is transparent to light over a specified operational bandwidth;
depositing a pattern material layer on the hard mask material layer;
patterning the pattern material to form an array pattern atop the hard mask layer, the array pattern comprising one of either a positive or negative reproduction of a metasurface feature array, the metasurface feature array comprising a plurality of metasurface features having feature sizes smaller than the wavelength of light within the specified operational bandwidth and configured to impose a phase shift on impinging light within the plane of plurality of metasurface features;
etching the hard mask layer using an anisotropic etch process to form a plurality of voids and raised features corresponding to the array pattern in the hard mask;
removing any residual pattern material from atop the hard mask layer;
and
depositing a dielectric metasurface material layer on the patterned hard mask material layer such that the metasurface material layer fills the voids in the hard mask material layer and extends above the raised features of the hard mask material layer forming an over-layer of metasurface material atop the hard mask layer;
and
planarizing the over-layer such that the metasurface material layer and the hard mask layer terminate at a uniform height above the substrate.

6 more elements

A method for fabricating one or more metasurface elements or systems comprising:

depositing a hard mask material layer on at least one surface of a substrate, wherein the substrate is transparent to light over a specified operational bandwidth;
depositing a pattern material layer on the hard mask material layer;
patterning the pattern material to form an array pattern atop the hard mask layer, the array pattern comprising one of either a positive or negative reproduction of a metasurface feature array, the metasurface feature array comprising a plurality of metasurface features having feature sizes smaller than the wavelength of light within the specified operational bandwidth and configured to impose a phase shift on impinging light within the plane of plurality of metasurface features;
etching the hard mask layer using an anisotropic etch process to form a plurality of voids and raised features corresponding to the array pattern in the hard mask;
removing any residual pattern material from atop the hard mask layer;
wherein the substrate has a substrate thickness unsuitable for use with a target optical system and further comprising at least one of the following:
removing at least a portion of the backside of the substrate through one or both grinding or chemical etching;
and
aligning and fusing an additional substrate to the substrate of the metasurface element.

6 more elements

A method for fabricating one or more metasurface elements or systems comprising:

depositing a hard mask material layer on at least one surface of a substrate, wherein the substrate is transparent to light over a specified operational bandwidth;
depositing a pattern material layer on the hard mask material layer;
patterning the pattern material to form an array pattern atop the hard mask layer, the array pattern comprising one of either a positive or negative reproduction of a metasurface feature array, the metasurface feature array comprising a plurality of metasurface features having feature sizes smaller than the wavelength of light within the specified operational bandwidth and configured to impose a phase shift on impinging light within the plane of plurality of metasurface features;
etching the hard mask layer using an anisotropic etch process to form a plurality of voids and raised features corresponding to the array pattern in the hard mask;
removing any residual pattern material from atop the hard mask layer;
and
further comprising:
forming a plurality of identical or unique first metasurface elements;
providing a plurality of identical or unique illumination sources disposed in a planar array and integrating at least one of the plurality of first metasurface elements with each of the plurality of illumination sources in the array such that light from each of said plurality of illumination sources passes through at least one of the first metasurface elements and an angular deflection is imposed thereby;
disposing a first spacer layer between the planar array of illumination sources and the first metasurface elements, the first spacer layer being configured to create divergence in light emitted from each of the illumination sources of the planar array prior to impinging on the respective first metasurface element;
disposing a second metasurface element at a distance from the plurality of first metasurface elements, the second metasurface element configured to imprint a far-field illumination pattern onto a light field formed by the emission of all of the plurality illumination sources;
and
disposing a second spacer layer between the first and second metasurface elements such that an offset distance is formed therebetween.

10 more elements

A method for fabricating one or more metasurface elements or systems comprising:

depositing a hard mask material layer on at least one surface of a substrate, wherein the substrate is transparent to light over a specified operational bandwidth;
depositing a pattern material layer on the hard mask material layer;
patterning the pattern material to form an array pattern atop the hard mask layer, the array pattern comprising one of either a positive or negative reproduction of a metasurface feature array, the metasurface feature array comprising a plurality of metasurface features having feature sizes smaller than the wavelength of light within the specified operational bandwidth and configured to impose a phase shift on impinging light within the plane of plurality of metasurface features;
etching the hard mask layer using an anisotropic etch process to form a plurality of voids and raised features corresponding to the array pattern in the hard mask;
removing any residual pattern material from atop the hard mask layer;
and
further comprising:
forming a plurality of identical or unique first metasurface elements;
providing a plurality of identical or unique sensor elements disposed in a planar array and integrating at least one of the plurality of first metasurface elements with each of the plurality of sensor elements in the array such that light impinging on each of said plurality of sensor elements passes through at least one of the first metasurface elements and an angular deflection is imposed thereby;
disposing a first spacer layer between the planar array of sensor elements and the first metasurface elements, the first spacer layer being configured to create convergence in light impinging on each of the first metasurface elements of prior to impinging on the respective sensor elements of the planar array;
disposing a second metasurface element at a distance from the plurality of first metasurface elements, the second metasurface element configured to imprint a far-field illumination pattern onto a light field impinging thereon;
and
disposing a second spacer layer between the first and second metasurface elements such that an offset distance is formed therebetween.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transmissive metasurface lens integration

Life of this patent

Transmissive metasurface lens integration

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25