Optical Metasurfaces

Light is one of the fundamental aspects of our universe. It surrounds us, allows us to survive, and prosper as a species. Humanity has endeavored to manipulate light to its advantage for decades. Since the invention of lenses by Egyptians and Mesopotamians, many technologies have been developed, and they have helped us discover new galaxies, study microorganisms, and video call our mother.

Light engineering is typically realized using various materials provided by nature. Light is transmitted, reflected, or absorbed inside the material, depending on the type of atoms. For example, glass appears transparent, polished metal reflects most of the light, while coal appears black due to strong light absorption. The properties of conventional matter are well studied and bonded to what nature has to offer. Attempts to go beyond this limitation created a field of optical metamaterials. An optical metamaterial is a class of matter whose properties can be engineered by will, where the material is made using artificial atoms – meta-atoms. The creation of meta-atoms for optics is realized using nanotechnologies that are typically used for producing electronic chips.

Our lab is pushing the boundaries of the optical metasurfaces research field by developing and testing novel optical components. The developed technologies are advancing commercial and scientific applications, including automotive technologies, microscopy, holography, quantum computing, and other fields.