metalenses

Doing double duty—researchers develop metalenses that offer both spatial and spectral control of light

By Guest Contributor / March 3, 2023

Traditionally, metalenses offer either spatial or spectral control of light, not both. However, a new metalens developed by researchers from Columbia University and the City University of New York offers both functionalities.

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Metalens may simplify generation and control of vacuum UV light

By Lisa McDonald / May 17, 2022

Vacuum UV light, while beneficial in biomedical and nanoprocessing applications, is difficult to generate and control using current methods. Researchers led by Rice University developed a metalens that can both generate and manipulate vacuum UV light.

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A ‘hole’ new approach to metalens design

By Lisa McDonald / October 22, 2021

Traditionally, metalenses use nanoscale arrays of columns or fin-like structures to focus light. In a new open-access paper, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences developed a metalens that uses very deep, very narrow holes instead.

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Improving production of GaN-based LEDs: Metalens takes ‘exceptional clear’ images of patterned sapphire substrate

By Lisa McDonald / July 23, 2021

Gallium nitride-based blue LEDs are typically grown on patterned sapphire substrates that are imaged using SEM and optical microscope systems to ensure the substrate has the correct structure. Researchers in Taiwan developed a new gallium nitride-based metalens that improves the clarity of substrate images.

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Achieve dynamic control of light—liquid crystals offer way to reconfigure optical properties of metalenses

By Lisa McDonald / August 25, 2020

Metalenses are an emerging technology for controlling light that could someday replace traditional lenses. However, they generally lack dynamic control over their optical properties and are limited to passive optical applications. Researchers from the United States and Italy investigated infiltrating metalenses with liquid crystals to allow for dynamic control.

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From grain-sized to centimeter scale—technique makes mass production of metalenses possible

By Lisa McDonald / December 13, 2019

Metalenses, or flat surfaces that use nanostructures to focus light, are poised to revolutionize cameras, sensors, and displays—if the lenses can be mass produced. Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences found deep-ultraviolet projection lithography can solve this production challenge.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By Lisa McDonald / January 30, 2019

Chemical vapor deposition advancements, negative capacitance in ferroelectric materials, and other materials stories that may be of interest for January 30, 2019.

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Goodbye glass—optical lenses go 2D

By Lisa McDonald / November 30, 2018

Metalenses, a type of metasurface used for focusing light, could replace glass in cameras and imaging systems. Two recent studies advance this possibility.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By April Gocha / March 7, 2018

Splitting crystals for 2-D metallic conductivity, nature-inspired design for new electrode could boost supercapacitors’ performance, and other materials stories that may be of interest for March 7, 2018.

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