Arbitrary engineering of spatial caustics with 3D-printed metasurfaces

Xiaoyan Zhou, Hongtao Wang (), Shuxi Liu, Hao Wang, John You En Chan, Cheng-Feng Pan, Daomu Zhao (), Joel K. W. Yang () and Cheng-Wei Qiu ()
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Xiaoyan Zhou: Zhejiang University
Hongtao Wang: National University of Singapore
Shuxi Liu: Zhejiang University
Hao Wang: Singapore University of Technology and Design
John You En Chan: Singapore University of Technology and Design
Cheng-Feng Pan: National University of Singapore
Daomu Zhao: Zhejiang University
Joel K. W. Yang: Singapore University of Technology and Design
Cheng-Wei Qiu: National University of Singapore

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Caustics occur in diverse physical systems, spanning the nano-scale in electron microscopy to astronomical-scale in gravitational lensing. As envelopes of rays, optical caustics result in sharp edges or extended networks. Caustics in structured light, characterized by complex-amplitude distributions, have innovated numerous applications including particle manipulation, high-resolution imaging techniques, and optical communication. However, these applications have encountered limitations due to a major challenge in engineering caustic fields with customizable propagation trajectories and in-plane intensity profiles. Here, we introduce the “compensation phase” via 3D-printed metasurfaces to shape caustic fields with curved trajectories in free space. The in-plane caustic patterns can be preserved or morphed from one structure to another during propagation. Large-scale fabrication of these metasurfaces is enabled by the fast-prototyping and cost-effective two-photon polymerization lithography. Our optical elements with the ultra-thin profile and sub-millimeter extension offer a compact solution to generating caustic structured light for beam shaping, high-resolution microscopy, and light-matter-interaction studies.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48026-5

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