10.1117/2.1201612.
006831
Dielectric metasurface-based
freeform optics
Arka Majumdar, Alan Zhan, and Shane Colburn
Metasurfaces provide an inexpensive and easily fabricated platform for
building complex optical surfaces that enable novel functionalities and
can be used in simplified compound optical systems.
As light propagates through a material, it accumulates changes
(i.e., to its phase, polarization, and amplitude) that transform
the incident wavefront.1 With conventional refractive optics, the
thickness profile of an element is varied to induce spatially vari-
ant changes to these properties. In this manner, the function of
an optical element is heavily dependent on its geometry. Histor-
ically, manufacturability has limited component types to those
with rotational symmetry and low-curvature profiles. However,
profiles that are characterized by higher-order polynomials (i.e.,
more than two) with high curvatures and asymmetry can exhibit Figure 1. Dielectric metasurface freeform optics. (a) Scanning electron
useful properties that enable the correction of aberrations,2 off- micrograph of the fabricated cubic phase plates, which together form
axis imaging,3 field-of-view expansion,4 and an increase to the a composite Alvarez lens. (b) By laterally displacing these two cubic
depth of field.5 In the field of freeform optics, components of this phase plates, we can realize a lenslike (quadratic) phase profile with
nature are developed with an aim to minimizing their weight varying curvature and, hence, different focal lengths. The phase profiles
and size.6 shown are for lateral displacements of 10, 20, and 80 the metasurface
Recent interest in freeform optics has been driven by poten- periodicity. (c) Experimentally measured focal length as a function of
tial applications in near-eye displays7, 8 and compact optical sys- the lateral displacement, showing a nonlinear change.
tems for medical, aerospace, and mobile devices (i.e., for which
there are stringent size and weight constraints). Unfortunately, operation because of its low propagation loss. Furthermore,
elements with high curvatures and complex forms are often by choosing appropriate geometric parameters (i.e., periodicity,
difficult to manufacture with existing technologies, particularly duty cycle, and thickness), we can tune the phase shift that is
at the micron scale. Metasurfaces—planar structures that are imparted to the incident wavefront. In our design process, we
composed of quasiperiodic arrays of sub-wavelength scatter- take the spatial thickness profile of a freeform element and calcu-
ers (i.e., optical antennas)—can control the phase, amplitude, late the induced phase shift as a function of position. This phase
and polarization of incident light. Such surfaces can mimic shift is then projected onto a lattice of discrete phase-shifting
complex geometric curvatures on a flat, wavelength-scale-thick pixels that are made up of Si3 N4 cylindrical posts on a silicon-
surface,1, 9, 10 thus providing an excellent platform for nanoscale dioxide substrate.12 The feature sizes that we used in our design
freeform optics. Furthermore, inexpensive and simple fabrica- are well within the scope of state-of-the-art deep-UV lithography
tion methods can be used in the development of such freeform and could therefore be manufactured in high volume.
elements. We first evaluated our approach to metasurface-based
We have designed and fabricated metasurfaces that operate freeform optics by designing metasurfaces with cubic profiles. In
at visible frequencies using silicon nitride (Si3 N4 ): see
Figure 1(a).11, 12 Si3 N4 is an ideal material for visible-frequency Continued on next page
10.1117/2.1201612.006831 Page 2/3
conjunction with a lens, cubic elements exhibit a depth-invariant investigating large-scale manufacturing techniques for building
point-spread function (PSF) that can extend the depth of focus of large-area metasurface optics.
an imaging system.13 We measured the PSFs of our cubic meta-
surface elements at different image distances, and for both green
Author Information
and red light. We also performed similar measurements for a
metasurface lens to provide a comparison. In the case of the
Arka Majumdar, Alan Zhan, and Shane Colburn
cubic element, we observed highly invariant PSFs. In contrast,
University of Washington (UW)
those of the lens were very sensitive to on-axis translations.11 By
Seattle, WA
switching between red and green illumination, we also found
that the PSFs were largely invariant. Although metasurfaces are
Arka Majumdar is an assistant professor of physics and electrical
generally highly chromatic, the similarity between the PSFs at
engineering. He received his PhD from Stanford University and
red and green wavelengths could potentially be exploited to
completed his postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley and Intel Labs.
achieve a broadband achromatic metasurface imaging system
His research interests include integrated quantum and nanopho-
for white-light imaging.
tonics devices.
Although the exact definition of freeform optics can be de-
bated, the Alvarez lens is widely considered an archetypal
Alan Zhan is a third-year graduate student in the physics de-
freeform optic. This device comprises two cubic phase plates of
partment. He received his BSc in physics from the University of
opposite sign. As such, their phase contributions exactly cancel
California, Santa Barbara, in 2014, and is currently researching
when they are stacked vertically. When the plates are translated
methods for the integration of multiple metasurfaces into com-
laterally, however, the net phase shift becomes the differential of
pound optical elements. He is a recipient of the Clean Energy
the cubic profile. A quadratic profile, equivalent to that of a lens,
Institute Graduate Fellowship at UW.
is therefore produced (i.e., where the focal length depends on the
magnitude of the displacement). Using two cubic metasurfaces Shane Colburn is a second-year graduate student in electrical
and laterally displacing them, we realized a quadratic lenslike engineering. He received his BSc in physics and electrical
phase profile with a tunable focal length: see Figure 1(b). The engineering at UW in 2015 and is currently conducting re-
change in focal length is inversely proportional to the physical search on tunable and achromatic metasurface optical elements.
displacement, and thus a small range of physical displacement He has won several awards, including the Microsoft Endowed
(i.e., 10m) results in a large focal length tuning range (i.e., Scholarship, UW NASA Space Grant, and the Arthur and
1mm), as illustrated in Figure 1(c). We emphasize that, as this Linda Pederson Engineering Scholarship.
displacement is in the lateral direction, the overall size of the
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c 2016 SPIE