Pushing the Multiplexing Limits in Optical Metasurfaces

Over the past decade, we have witnessed tremendous progress and success of optical metasurfaces. For practical applications such as high-capacity optical display, information encryption, and data storage, it is crucial to encode distinct functionalities into a single meta-device. In this webinar hosted by the Photonic Metamaterials Technical Group, Yongmin Liu will present his recent works aiming to push the multiplexing limits in optical metasurfaces through both physics-guided and data-driven approaches.

First, Prof. Liu will show how we can surpass the fundamental limit of polarization multiplexing in metasurfaces by introducing the engineered noise to the precise solution of Jones matrix elements. We experimentally demonstrate up to 11 independent holographic images using a single metasurface illuminated by visible light with varying polarizations. Next, Prof. Liu will discuss the development of multiplexed metasurfaces and other photonic structures with high efficiency, accuracy and fidelity by using deep learning. We can embed deep learning models in both gradient-based and nongradient optimization loops for the automatic design of complex metasurfaces. This enables full exploitation of the design space and helps to push the multiplexing limits, as demonstrated by multichannel focusing lenses, holograms, and image sensors based on metasurfaces.

Subject Matter Level: Intermediate - Assumes basic knowledge of the topic

What You Will Learn:
• Optical multiplexing limits in optical metasurfaces
• Deep learning approach in metasurface design

Who Should Attend:
• Students and academics researching in the field of meta-optics
• Optical designers for space and telescopic systems

About the Presenter: Yongmin Liu from Northeastern University

Prof. Yongmin Liu obtained his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2009. He is currently a full professor at Northeastern University in Boston. Prof. Liu’s research interests include nano optics, nanoscale materials and engineering, plasmonics, metamaterials, biophotonics, and artificial intelligence. He has authored and co-authored more than 130 journal papers, including Science, Nature, Nature Photonics, Nature Nanotechnology, and Physical Review Letters. Prof. Liu was a recipient of the Søren Buus Outstanding Research Award at Northeastern University (2024), the Faculty Fellow of College of Engineering at Northeastern University (2019), NSF CAREER Award (2017), ONR Young Investigator Award (2016), SPIE DCS Rising Researcher Award (2016), and 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2016). He has served as an editorial board member for Nano Convergence, PhotoniX, EPJ Applied Metamaterials, and Scientific Reports. He is a fellow of Optica and SPIE.