Arbitrary Jones matrix on-demand design in metasurfaces using multiple meta-atoms

Super cells or multi-layer metasurfaces are used to realize various multi-functional and exotic functional devices. In such methods, the design space expands exponentially as more variable parameters are introduced; however, this will necessitate huge computational effort without special treatment. The function of a metasurface can be described mathematically by using a Jones matrix. When the gap between adjacent atoms is sufficiently large, the overall Jones matrix of a 3D lattice which is composed of multiple meta-atoms can be obtained by adding or multiplying each meta-atom's Jones matrix for a parallel or cascaded arrangement, respectively. Reversely, an arbitrary Jones matrix can be decomposed to achieve a combination of diagonal and rotation matrices. This means that the devices with various functions can be constructed by combining, cascading, and rotating a kind of atom, and thus the computation requirements will be reduced significantly. In this work, the feasibility of this approach is demonstrated with two cases, circular polarization selective transmission and resemble optical activity. Both the simulation and experiment are consistent with the hypothesis. This method can manipulate all degrees of freedom in a Jones matrix and reduce design complexity and may find applications to extend the scope of meta-optics.

Automated summary

This article introduces the methods of using super cells or multi-layer metasurfaces to achieve various multi-functional and exotic functional devices. By mathematically describing the Jones matrix, the computational requirements can be reduced, and devices with various functions can be constructed.