Metasurface optofluidics for dynamic control of light fields

A metasurface optofluidic platform enables dynamic intensity and spectral control of light fields. The ability to manipulate light and liquids on integrated optofluidics chips has spurred a myriad of important developments in biology, medicine, chemistry and display technologies. Here we show how the convergence of optofluidics and metasurface optics can lead to conceptually new platforms for the dynamic control of light fields. We first demonstrate metasurface building blocks that display an extreme sensitivity in their scattering properties to their dielectric environment. These blocks are then used to create metasurface-based flat optics inside microfluidic channels where liquids with different refractive indices can be directed to manipulate their optical behaviour. We demonstrate the intensity and spectral tuning of metasurface colour pixels as well as on-demand optical elements. We finally demonstrate automated control in an integrated meta-optofluidic platform to open up new display functions. Combined with large-scale microfluidic integration, our dynamic-metasurface flat-optics platform could open up the possibility of dynamic display, imaging, holography and sensing applications.

Automated summary

This article introduces a metasurface optofluidic platform that allows for dynamic control of light fields' intensity and spectral properties. By combining optofluidics and metasurface optics, new platforms for light field control are created. The researchers designed highly sensitive metasurface building blocks and used them to create flat optics inside microfluidic channels, manipulating the optical behavior by controlling the refractive index of the liquids. The results demonstrate the ability to tune the intensity and spectral properties of metasurface color pixels and the platform's automated control capability.