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Full-range birefringence control with piezoelectric MEMS-based metasurfaces.
Chao Meng1, Paul C V Thrane1,2, Fei Ding3
1Centre for Nano Optics, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense, DK-5230, Denmark.
Nature Communications
|April 20, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed dynamic optical metasurfaces (OMSs) using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) for fast, broadband polarization control. These MEMS-OMS dynamic wave plates (DWPs) offer efficient and tunable light manipulation crucial for integrated photonics.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
Background:
- Dynamic polarization control is essential for advanced photonic systems, but current optical metasurfaces (OMSs) face limitations in speed, bandwidth, and tuning range.
- Liquid crystal-based OMSs are slow, while other resonant OMSs have limited operating wavelengths or tuning capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate a novel dynamic optical metasurface (OMS) technology for efficient, fast, and broadband polarization control.
- To overcome the limitations of existing OMS technologies for integrated photonic applications.
Main Methods:
- Development of piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based dynamic optical metasurfaces (OMSs).
- Fabrication and characterization of reflective MEMS-OMS dynamic wave plates (DWPs).
- Evaluation of polarization conversion efficiency, operational bandwidth, response time, and birefringence tuning range.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated reflective MEMS-OMS DWPs with high polarization conversion efficiencies (~75%).
- Achieved broadband operation (~100 nm near 800 nm) with fast response times (<0.4 milliseconds).
- Exhibited full-range birefringence control, enabling complete encirclement of the Poincaré sphere.
Conclusions:
- The developed MEMS-OMS DWPs provide efficient, fast, and broadband dynamic polarization control.
- This technology enables complete electrical control over light polarization, paving the way for integrated and miniaturized optical networks.
