Scientific Achievement
Industry users and Molecular Foundry scientists have created two silicon-based optical metasurfaces that are more versatile and offer more control over light than previous designs.
Significance and Impact
This is the first time that a material has been able to manipulate light over wide angles while maintaining efficiency across the visible light spectrum. These metasurfaces will enable a new generation of ultrathin optical components with advanced functionality.
Research Details
- Silicon ‘nanobeams’ were carved using a focused beam of electrons and were arranged to control either the transmission or reflection of light.
- Both types of metasurfaces can steer visible light from a broad range of angles of incidence to large deflection angles.
- The fabrication uses conventional thin film silicon processes, making the results easily scaled up for production of high-performance devices.
