Electro-optic lithium niobate metasurfaces

Many applications of metasurfaces require an ability to dynamically change their properties in the time domain. Electrical tuning techniques are of particular interest, since they pave a way to on-chip integration of metasurfaces with optoelectronic devices. In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate an electro-optic lithium niobate (EO-LN) metasurface that shows dynamic modulations to phase retardation of transmitted light. Quasi-bound states in the continuum (QBIC) are observed from this metasurface. By applying external electric voltages, the refractive index of lithium niobate (LN) is changed by Pockels EO nonlinearity, leading to efficient phase modulations to the transmitted light around the QBIC wavelength. The EO-LN metasurface developed in this study opens up new routes for potential applications in the field of displaying, pulse shaping, and spatial light modulating.

Automated summary

The electro-optic lithium niobate metasurface can dynamically modulate the phase of transmitted light by changing the refractive index through Pockels EO nonlinearity, leading to potential applications in displaying, pulse shaping, and spatial light modulating.