Meta-image displays using unidirectional guided-wave-driven metasurfaces

Metasurfaces can freely manipulate the wavefronts of incident beams, making them a highly effective platform for holographic imaging or nanoprinting. However, their on-chip integration is hindered by the need for external light excitation, and the resonant nature of the meta-atoms that compose them presents a challenge for achieving meta-image with super-resolution. In this work, by leveraging the unique dispersion properties of unidirectional guided waves instead of resonant meta-atoms, we introduce a novel approach to realize meta-imaging. We validate this approach through the design of two microwave metasurfaces utilizing metal-air-gyromagnetic unidirectional surface magnetoplasmons (USMPs). The metasurfaces efficiently convert guided waves into an image of the letter "A" and the Greek letter "ϕ" with super-resolution, which is a challenge for conventional meta-imaging. The strategy presented here offers a promising alternative for achieving meta-image displays, thus opening new possibilities for the development of integrated plasmonic networks and devices.