This Ultra-Thin Device Controls Light Like a Microscopic Spotlight
Summary
Scientists at CUNY ASRC have developed a groundbreaking metasurface chip that converts invisible infrared light into steerable visible beams, paving the way for advanced optical technologies and enhancing the precision of light manipulation in emerging applications.
Key Insights
What is a metasurface?
A metasurface is an ultra-thin chip patterned with tiny structures smaller than the wavelength of light, enabling precise control over light's properties such as phase, polarization, and direction without bulky components.
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How does the device convert infrared light to visible light and steer it?
The chip uses nonlinear light generation via third-harmonic generation, converting 1530 nm infrared light to 510 nm green light through a quasi-bound state in the continuum resonance that amplifies the input; steering is achieved by rotating nanostructures to impart a position-dependent phase, controlled by changing the input light's polarization.