Achromatic and Coma-Corrected Hybrid Meta-Optics for High-Performance Thermal Imaging

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Infrared Imaging Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Long-wave infrared (LWIR) imaging, or thermal imaging, is crucial for night vision and security but limited by bulky, heavy, and expensive systems.
• Existing meta-optics for LWIR imaging suffer from chromatic and coma aberrations, hindering widespread adoption.
• Miniaturization and cost reduction are key challenges for practical LWIR imager deployment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel hybrid meta-optics approach for overcoming limitations in LWIR imaging.
• To demonstrate achromatic, coma-corrected, and polarization-insensitive thermal imaging using a hybrid metalens doublet.
• To enable the creation of miniaturized, lightweight, and cost-effective LWIR optical imaging systems.

Main Methods:

• Designed and fabricated a hybrid metalens doublet combining a metasurface corrector with a refractive lens.
• Characterized the performance of the hybrid metalens doublet across the 8-12 μm wavelength range.
• Tested the hybrid metalens doublet for indoor and outdoor thermal imaging applications.

Main Results:

• Achieved achromatic and coma-corrected performance with a full field-of-view angle exceeding 20° in the 8-12 μm range.
• Demonstrated polarization-insensitive thermal imaging capabilities.
• Successfully captured ambient thermal radiation in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Conclusions:

• The proposed hybrid metalens doublet effectively addresses aberrations in LWIR imaging.
• This technology offers a viable path towards advanced, compact, and economical LWIR optical imaging solutions.
• The hybrid approach shows significant potential for revolutionizing applications in night vision, security, and beyond.