Metasurfaces: Innovations in Design, Fabrication, and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue delves into the latest advancements in metasurfaces, focusing on their innovations and diverse applications. Metasurfaces, artificial materials composed of subwavelength structures, have revolutionized our ability to manipulate electromagnetic waves across diverse spectra (microwave, terahertz, infrared, optical). Their unique capabilities in controlling wavefront, polarization, amplitude, and phase with ultra-compact form factors offer unprecedented opportunities for next-generation electromagnetic and photonic devices. This Special Issue will capture the cutting-edge research and emerging trends driving the field forward, highlighting significant advancements in design methodologies, novel materials, fabrication techniques, and transformative applications.

We invite the submission of original research articles that present novel insights, significant experimental or theoretical results, and critical perspectives on the development and application of metasurfaces. High-quality contributions addressing fundamental challenges and showcasing innovative solutions are particularly encouraged.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Advanced Design and Modeling: Inverse design, topology optimization, multi-functional/dynamic metasurfaces, non-local/metagrating concepts, digital/coding metasurfaces, AI/ML-driven design automation, and multi-physics modeling.
• Novel Materials & Active Control: Reconfigurable and tunable metasurfaces (electro-optic, thermo-optic, opto-mechanical, phase-change, microfluidics), nonlinear metasurfaces, time-varying metasurfaces, integration with 2D materials (graphene, TMDCs), and chiral metasurfaces.
• Fabrication and Characterization Innovations: High-throughput, scalable, and cost-effective nanofabrication techniques (nanoimprint, self-assembly, roll-to-roll), monolithic integration with CMOS/Si-photonics, advanced characterization methods (near-field, ultrafast), and tolerance analysis and robustness.
• Emerging Applications:
• Imaging and Displays: Ultra-compact metalenses (achromatic, broadband), computational imaging, holography (static/dynamic), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) near-eye displays, light-field displays, and endoscopic imaging.
• Sensing and Spectroscopy: Ultrasensitive bio/chemical sensors, label-free detection, miniaturized spectrometers, LiDAR, environmental monitoring, hyperspectral imaging, and THz sensing.
• Communications & Beam Control: Next-generation antennas (beamforming, MIMO, OAM), intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS/RIS), satellite communications, wireless power transfer, cloaking, and radar cross-section reduction.
• Quantum Technologies: Quantum metasurfaces, single-photon sources/detectors, quantum state manipulation, entanglement generation.
• Energy & Sustainability: Perfect absorbers, thermophotovoltaics, radiative cooling surfaces, and solar energy harvesting/concentration.
• Computing & Signal Processing: Optical analog computing, neuromorphic photonics, edge detection, convolution operations, and microwave signal processing.
• System Integration and Packaging: Hybrid metasurface–conventional electronic/optics systems, integration with electronic circuits or photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and packaging challenges and thermal management.

Dr. Changfei Zhou
Dr. Xingliang Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• metasurfaces
• electromagnetic metamaterials
• next-generation antennas
• wireless power transfer
• photonic integrated circuits