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Photonics
Special Issues
Principle and Application of Optical Metasurfaces
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Principle and Application of Optical Metasurfaces

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Interaction Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 2537

Editors

Dr. Zhizhang Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
Interests: metasurface; integrated photonics; optical phased array
Dr. Bin Fang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Optical and Electronic Technology, Centre for THz Research, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Interests: metasurface; light field manipulation; holography; nonlinear optics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical metasurfaces, consisting of two-dimensional (2D) or quasi-two-dimensional arrays of dielectric or metallic meta-atoms, represent a compact and novel platform for controlling the polarization, phase, and amplitude of light. This Special Issue aims to explore the fundamental principles, innovative designs, and cutting-edge applications of optical metasurfaces. By bringing together research on the unique light-manipulating capabilities of metasurfaces, this Special Issue seeks to showcase their potential in revolutionizing fields such as imaging, sensing, communication, and energy. We invite contributions that address the latest advancements in metasurface design, fabrication, characterization, and their integration into practical devices and systems. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for sharing groundbreaking research and fostering collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of optical metasurfaces. 

Dr. Zhizhang Wang
Dr. Bin Fang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • metasurfaces
  • imaging
  • wavefront engineering
  • nonlinear optics
  • nanophotonics
  • metalens
  • metasurface holograms
  • topological metasurfaces
  • polarization control

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 21821 KB  
Article
Four-Channel Holographic Multiplexing via Riemann–Silberstein Geometric Phase in Bianisotropic Metasurfaces
by Yunfei Niu, Luning Qian and Chunchun Bei
Photonics 2026, 13(7), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13070688 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 355
Abstract
Conventional Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase metasurfaces operate within the two-dimensional SU(2) polarization space of the electric field, fundamentally limiting holographic multiplexing to two independent channels. Here, we propose and numerically demonstrate a four-channel holographic metasurface exploiting the recently discovered Riemann–Silberstein (RS) geometric phase arising [...] Read more.
Conventional Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase metasurfaces operate within the two-dimensional SU(2) polarization space of the electric field, fundamentally limiting holographic multiplexing to two independent channels. Here, we propose and numerically demonstrate a four-channel holographic metasurface exploiting the recently discovered Riemann–Silberstein (RS) geometric phase arising from SU(4) polarization evolution in the full electromagnetic field space. The RS vector Ψ = E + icB unifies electric and magnetic fields into a four-dimensional polarization state space. By engineering bianisotropic Huygens meta-atoms with independently controllable electric-dipole orientation angle α and magnetic-dipole orientation angle ψ, four geometric-phase channels—labeled by the joint spin eigenstates |σ,κ⟩∈{|+,+⟩,|+,−⟩,|−,+⟩,|−,−⟩}—are simultaneously addressed from a single aperture. We develop the complete SU(4) transfer-matrix formalism and optimize four quasi-independent phase profiles using an extended Gerchberg–Saxton algorithm with a three-parameter (α,ψ,h) design library, where the pillar height h serves as a third degree of freedom to overcome the linear phase constraint inherent to the two-angle parameterization. Numerical simulations at 0.8 THz demonstrate simultaneous projection of four independent holographic images with mean diffraction efficiency 60.4% and inter-channel crosstalk below 3.2%, doubling the information capacity of conventional dual-channel PB holograms. An intrinsic ~24× common-mode noise suppression arising from electromagnetic duality symmetry is also demonstrated. This work establishes a direct link between fundamental electromagnetic symmetry and high-capacity wavefront engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Principle and Application of Optical Metasurfaces)
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13 pages, 6238 KB  
Article
A Miniature Large-Depth-of-Field Camera Using a Long-Wavelength Infrared Metalens
by Yongzheng Lu, Xuhui Zhang, Jianwei Hou, Tianchen Tang, Li Wei, Zhuoqing Yang, Bo Dai, Songlin Zhuang and Dawei Zhang
Photonics 2025, 12(12), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12121193 - 4 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1543
Abstract
Miniaturized long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) imaging systems are highly desirable for applications such as portable thermal sensing, unmanned surveillance, and medical diagnostics. Conventional refractive optics in the LWIR regime often require multiple lens configurations to extend depth of field (DoF), leading to increased size, [...] Read more.
Miniaturized long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) imaging systems are highly desirable for applications such as portable thermal sensing, unmanned surveillance, and medical diagnostics. Conventional refractive optics in the LWIR regime often require multiple lens configurations to extend depth of field (DoF), leading to increased size, weight, and cost. Although existing LWIR metalenses demonstrate competent capabilities, comprehensive approaches to DoF engineering have yet to be explored. Here, we demonstrate a miniature large-DoF camera using a metalens. The designed metalens features a 14 mm diameter aperture and weighs only 0.8 g while maintaining sharp focus over a working distance ranging from 1 m to 22 m. By leveraging subwavelength phase engineering, the metalens achieves high-resolution imaging with low aberration. The integrated camera exhibits an ultra-compact form factor, i.e., 2.3 cm × 2.3 cm × 1.2 cm (length × width × height) and weighs just 25 g. Experimental results confirm the superior DoF performance, enabling clear imaging across varying distances without mechanical refocusing. The advance provides a promising pathway toward ultra-compact, large-DoF LWIR imaging systems for applications ranging from autonomous vehicles to portable medical diagnostics and miniature surveillance devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Principle and Application of Optical Metasurfaces)
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