Subwavelength-thick lenses with high numerical apertures and large efficiency based on high-contrast transmitarrays

Amir Arbabi, Yu Horie, Alexander J. Ball, Mahmood Bagheri and Andrei Faraon ()
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Amir Arbabi: T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology
Yu Horie: T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology
Alexander J. Ball: T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology
Mahmood Bagheri: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Andrei Faraon: T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Flat optical devices thinner than a wavelength promise to replace conventional free-space components for wavefront and polarization control. Transmissive flat lenses are particularly interesting for applications in imaging and on-chip optoelectronic integration. Several designs based on plasmonic metasurfaces, high-contrast transmitarrays and gratings have been recently implemented but have not provided a performance comparable to conventional curved lenses. Here we report polarization-insensitive, micron-thick, high-contrast transmitarray micro-lenses with focal spots as small as 0.57 λ. The measured focusing efficiency is up to 82%. A rigorous method for ultrathin lens design, and the trade-off between high efficiency and small spot size (or large numerical aperture) are discussed. The micro-lenses, composed of silicon nano-posts on glass, are fabricated in one lithographic step that could be performed with high-throughput photo or nanoimprint lithography, thus enabling widespread adoption.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8069

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