Printable meta-assemblies enable synergetic colouration

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Biological systems utilize multiscale structures for multifunctionality.
• Artificial optical systems face challenges in scalability, tunability, and functionality due to single-scale fabrication.
• Metamaterials offer potential for advanced optical properties but are limited by current manufacturing techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a printable meta-assembly strategy for fabricating multiscale hierarchical optical architectures.
• To overcome the scalability and tunability limitations of current artificial optical systems.
• To explore synergetic coloration with high designability and tunability using a novel manufacturing approach.

Main Methods:

• Developed a continuous roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing process for meta-assembly.
• Embedded polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix to create a nanolattice-based microconcave optical interface.
• Utilized optical coupling to achieve distinct synergetic coloration.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated metre-scale meta-assembly prints with single-pixel customization, spanning seven orders of magnitude in length.
• Demonstrated precise integration of guided-wave and reflected-wave dispersion and interference.
• Achieved vibrant prints with controlled colour separation, integration, and environmental stability.

Conclusions:

• The printable meta-assembly strategy enables scalable and tunable fabrication of multiscale hierarchical optical architectures.
• This biologically inspired approach offers potential for eco-friendly coloration, intelligent displays, and information security.
• The methodology provides a versatile platform for metamaterial construction in multiscale photonics research.