High-performance optical-metasurface-based platform configured with the use of Tantalum Pentoxide to operate with extremely low levels of loss at frequencies of UV light and, in particular, in mid- and near-UV ranges and performing multiple optical-wavefront-shaping functions (among which there are high-numerical-aperture lensing, accelerating beam generation, and hologram projection). Process of fabrication of such metasurface producing near-zero levels of optical loss and employing the otherwise standard etching methodologies. Embodiments facilitate the development of low-form-factor, multifunctional ultraviolet nanophotonic platforms based on flat optical components and enabling diverse applications including lithography, imaging, spectroscopy, and quantum information processing.

An optical metasurface which shifts resonant frequency in response to changing temperature. The optical metasurface includes a membrane printed in a pattern from materials with a high coefficient of thermal expansion (“CTE”). The optical metasurface can include a plurality of high CTE fibers/structures in a first direction and a plurality of low CTE fibers/structures in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Alternatively, the high CTE substrate can include a plurality of high CTE fibers/structures in only a first direction. The high CTE substrate can include a plurality of high CTE fibers and a plurality of low CTE fiber in a pattern which creates desired sensing domains. An array of nanostructures is formed on the high CTE substrate. The array of nanostructures is designed to resonate with light transmitted through or impinging upon the optical metasurface. The resonant frequency of the response can be tuned thermally.

A display apparatus includes a reflective layer with reflective material. One or more stacks of additional layers are provided on the reflective layer. Each stack has an optically switchable layer. A plurality of switching elements are located on a side of the reflective layer opposite to the one or more stacks or form part of the reflective layer. Each switching element is operable to apply heating to a switchable portion of the optically switchable layer and thereby change an appearance of the switchable portion when viewed from a viewing side of the display apparatus. The apparatus applies the heating by driving an electrical current through the switching element to generate Joule heating in the switching element. The electrical current flows in an electrical circuit including a portion of the reflective layer.

An optical device (100) for forming a distribution of a three-dimensional light field comprises: an array (102) of unit cells (104), a unit cell (104) being individually addressable for switching the optical property of the unit cell (104) between a first and a second condition; wherein the unit cells (104) are configured to be selectively active or inactive and wherein the array (102) comprises at least a first and a second disjoint subset (110; 112; 114; 116), and wherein the unit cells (104) in a subset (110; 112; 114; 116) are configured to be jointly switched from inactive to active, wherein the active unit cells (104) are configured to interact with an incident light beam (106) for forming the distribution of the three-dimensional light field; and wherein the optical device (100) is configured to address inactive unit cells (104) for switching the optical property of unit cells (104).

A security device that elicits at least one dynamic response upon acceleration, or upon change of orientation with respect to gravity, wherein the dynamic response continues after cessation of the acceleration or the change of orientation. In addition, the dynamic response can be optical, such that it is visually observable by an unaided human eye. Alternatively, the response can be machine readable. In some cases, the dynamic response has duration of from about 0.01 s to about 100 s, or from about Is to about 10 s.

An optical communication switch, an optical controlling method, an array substrate and a display device are provided, the optical communication switch including: a first substrate and a second substrate opposite thereto; a first optical medium layer formed therebetween by a phase-change material, which has a first refractive index in a first state in which light rays implement one of an optical path state and an optical drop state, and a second refractive index in a second state in which light rays implement the other one of the optical path state and the optical drop state; a second optical medium layer also formed therebetween and in contact with the first optical medium layer by abutting against it closely, the second optical medium layer having a refractive index matching the first or second refractive index; and a heating device enabling the phase-change material to switch between the first and second states.

Provided is an apparatus for controlling a laser light propagation direction, including: a substrate configured to transmit at least a wavelength range of a laser light incident on the apparatus and deflected; and a metasurface disposed on the substrate, and comprising a plurality of nano-antennas, wherein each of the plurality of nano-antennas may include: a first contact and a second contact that are disposed apart from each other, and comprise an electrically conductive material to transmit at least the wavelength range of the laser light; and a semiconductor p-i-n heterostructure that disposed between the first contact and the second contact and comprises a p-region, an i-region and an n-region, which are disposed in parallel to the substrate.

The present invention relates to a display device using a two-dimensional phase transition material including: a substrate; a metal layer formed on the substrate; an insulation layer formed on the metal layer; a transparent electrode layer formed on the insulation layer; a light absorption layer formed on the transparent electrode layer and formed of a phase transition material; and a passivation layer formed on the light absorption layer, wherein the light absorption layer undergoes reversible phase transition depending on any of temperature, magnetic field and electric field.

Provided is an apparatus for controlling a laser light propagation direction, including: a substrate configured to transmit at least a wavelength range of a laser light incident on the apparatus and deflected; and a metasurface disposed on the substrate, and comprising a plurality of nano-antennas, wherein each of the plurality of nano-antennas may include: a first contact and a second contact that are disposed apart from each other, and comprise an electrically conductive material to transmit at least the wavelength range of the laser light; and a semiconductor p-i-n heterostructure that disposed between the first contact and the second contact and comprises a p-region, an i-region and an n-region, which are disposed in parallel to the substrate.

A metasurface unit cell for use in constructing a metasurface array is provided. The unit cell may include a ground plane layer comprising a first conductive material, and a phase change material layer operably coupled to the ground plane layer. The phase change material layer may include a phase change material configured to transition between an amorphous phase and a crystalline phase in response to a stimulus. The unit cell may further include a patterned element disposed adjacent to the phase change material layer and includes a second conductive material. In response to the phase change material transitioning from a first phase to a second phase, the metasurface unit cell may resonate to generate an electromagnetic signal having a defined wavelength. The first phase may be the amorphous phase or the crystalline phase and the second phase may be the other of the amorphous phase or the crystalline phase.