Geometric-phase metasurface optofluidics for dynamic on-demand flat optics and ultra-compact refractometers
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsMark L. Brongersma, Qitong Li, Jorik van de Groep, Jung-Hwan Song
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This work relates to a geometric-phase metasurface combined with a fluidic circuit for tuning the properties of the metasurface (especially its diffraction efficiency). We consider two aspects of particular interest: A) Dynamic on-demand diffractive optics (operating in transmission), both as optical elements for altering incident light, and as sensors of the refractive index of a fluid; and B) Transparent, reflective displays. Here the display itself is transmissive, but operates in reflection. One application of dynamic on-demand diffractive optics is to replace the lens array often needed in light field displays.
Claims13
A tunable transmissive optical element comprising:
- a transparent substrate;
- a resonant metasurface including at least one diffractive optical element configured to operate in a transmissive mode, wherein the resonant metasurface is disposed on the transparent substrate;
- a fluidic circuit configured to provide a tunable index of refraction in proximity to the resonant metasurface;
- wherein one or more metasurface resonances of the resonant metasurface are altered by changes in the tunable index of refraction to alter one or more properties of the diffractive optical element;
- whereby the at least one diffractive optical element has a tunable diffraction efficiency.
A sensor comprising:
- a transparent substrate;
- a resonant metasurface including at least one diffractive optical element configured to operate in a transmissive mode, wherein the resonant metasurface is disposed on the transparent substrate;
- a fluidic circuit configured to provide flow of a fluid analyte in proximity to the resonant metasurface;
- wherein one or more metasurface resonances of the resonant metasurface are altered by changes in an index of refraction of the fluid analyte to alter a diffraction efficiency of the diffractive optical element;
- whereby a sensor for the index of refraction of the fluid analyte is provided.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.