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Dispersion-Engineered Metastructures Enabling Broadband Angular Selectivity
Phillippe Pearson1, Zhaowei Dai2,3, Yiran Gu1
1Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125 United States.
ACS Photonics
|August 8, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed novel 2D metastructures for angle-selective optical devices. These structures offer broadband, isotropic angular selectivity for applications in photovoltaics and displays.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Angle-selective optical devices are crucial for photovoltaics, photodetectors, and displays.
- Achieving isotropic angular selectivity over broad spectral bandwidths in thin structures is a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design 2D metastructures with isotropic angular selectivity over large spectral bandwidths.
- To leverage guided-mode resonances (GMRs) and topology optimization for advanced optical device design.
Main Methods:
- Employed a dispersion engineering approach combined with topology optimization.
- Designed and experimentally demonstrated 2D metastructures utilizing guided-mode resonances (GMRs).
- Investigated the interplay between Fabry-Perot background and resonant scattering for broadband operation.
Main Results:
- Achieved isotropic angular selectivity over relative bandwidths of approximately 20%.
- Demonstrated complementary metastructures with tunable angular responses (scattering vs. transmission).
- Observed broadband operation exceeding typical GMR linewidth limitations.
Conclusions:
- This work presents a significant advancement in broadband, angle-selective scattering using subwavelength-thick structures.
- The developed metastructures enable new possibilities for sensing, analog information processing, and high-efficiency photovoltaics.
- The findings pave the way for next-generation optical devices with tailored angular responses.
