Multifunctional metalens optical tweezers for optical information recognition

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Nanotechnology
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional optical information recognition (OIR) and particle manipulation often require bulky optical devices and mechanical components, hindering integration.
• Achieving high integration for on-chip light recognition and operation presents a significant challenge in optical system design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel method for integrated optical information recognition and particle capture and manipulation.
• To demonstrate the capability of a multi-focus metalens to achieve multiple focusing effects using spectral and polarization control.

Main Methods:

• Designed a multi-focus metalens incorporating three visible spectral bands (500 nm, 580 nm, 660 nm).
• Utilized left-handed or right-handed circularly polarized (LCP/RCP) light to achieve six distinct focusing effects on a single focal plane.
• Analyzed normalized light intensity (NLI) at focus positions for detection and manipulation.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated six distinct focusing effects on a single focal plane by combining spectral and polarization selection.
• Enabled optical information recognition for various wavelengths and polarizations.
• Achieved particle capture at different focal positions using the designed metalens.

Conclusions:

• The proposed multi-focus metalens offers a new approach for high integration of on-chip light recognition and operation.
• This work inspires the development of highly integrated optical systems with reduced size and enhanced functionality.
• The method provides a pathway towards miniaturized and multifunctional optical devices.