Broadband long-range thermal imaging via meta-correctors

Long-range imaging in the thermal infrared band is critical for applications, such as environmental monitoring, industrial inspections, and surveillance. To achieve high-quality imaging, these systems typically require large apertures and many elements with aspheric lens profiles to correct aberrations, adding significant weight and cost. Large-area metasurface optics offer a promising solution for weight reduction; however, their substantial chromatic aberrations limit their effectiveness in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) band where broadband imaging is typically desired. In this work, we introduce a hybrid system comprising four refractive lenses and two all-silicon metasurface correctors (meta-correctors) to achieve high-quality, broadband thermal imaging at long range. Compared to a refractive-only assembly, our system demonstrates a threefold contrast enhancement at the detector's half-Nyquist frequency. Testing outside the laboratory reveals noticeably sharper images, with human features clearly recognizable at distances of 250 m. The assembly utilizes off-the-shelf refractive elements and avoids the use of germanium, which poses a supply chain risk. Our findings highlight the potential of hybrid meta-corrector systems to enable long-range, lightweight, and cost-effective LWIR imaging solutions.