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Photonics
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Optical Metasurface: Applications in Sensing and Imaging
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Optical Metasurface: Applications in Sensing and Imaging

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Optoelectronics and Optical Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2026 | Viewed by 2986

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sandeep Kumar Chamoli

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Guest Editor
Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
Interests: photonics; optical computing; metasurfaces; plasmonics; microscopy; biophotonics
Dr. Qi Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Space Laser Communication and Detection Technology, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
Interests: optical engineering
Dr. Subhash Singh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
High-Intensity Femtosecond Laser Laboratory, The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
Interests: plasmonics; photonics; development of novel active and passive surfaces for water sanitation; space and electronic device cooling; solar and thermal energy harvesting; solar-water splitting; electrochemical fuel generation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical metasurfaces have emerged as a disruptive technology, offering ultrathin, highly efficient solutions for imaging, sensing, and optical computing. These engineered nanostructures enable unprecedented control over wavefront shaping, polarization, and spectral properties, leading to compact and high-performance optical components. In imaging, metasurfaces are transforming biomedical imaging, endoscopy, and microscopic techniques by enabling aberration-free optics, super-resolution imaging, and multifunctional lenses. In sensing, metasurfaces enhance detection sensitivity for biomolecules, gases, and environmental monitoring, providing real-time, label-free, and high-precision analysis. Additionally, metasurface-based optical computing is accelerating edge detection, Fourier transformation, and data processing for compact, ultrafast computational platforms. The seamless integration of metasurfaces with optical and photonic systems is driving next-generation applications in biomedical diagnostics, wearable sensors, and point-of-care technologies. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in metasurface design, fabrication, and applications across imaging, sensing, and optical computing. We invite contributions that focus on novel metasurface architectures, multifunctional designs, and real-world implementations to foster interdisciplinary research in this rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Sandeep Kumar Chamoli
Dr. Qi Chen
Dr. Subhash Singh
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-blind 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

  • metasurface-enhanced imaging
  • metasurface-based sensing
  • biomedical metasurfaces
  • optical computing with metasurfaces
  • integrated metasurface photonics

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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13 pages, 2760 KB  
Article
Interpretation of Mode-Coupled Localized Plasmon Resonance and Sensing Properties
by Daisuke Tanaka, Yudai Kawano, Akinori Ikebe and Tien Thanh Pham
Photonics 2026, 13(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13010068 - 12 Jan 2026
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Abstract
Plasmonic nanostructures support localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) which exhibit intense light–matter interactions, producing unique optical features such as high near-field enhancements and sharp spectral signatures. Among these, plasmon hybridization (PH) and Fano resonance (FR) are two key phenomena that enable tunable spectral [...] Read more.
Plasmonic nanostructures support localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) which exhibit intense light–matter interactions, producing unique optical features such as high near-field enhancements and sharp spectral signatures. Among these, plasmon hybridization (PH) and Fano resonance (FR) are two key phenomena that enable tunable spectral responses, yet their classification is often ambiguous when based only on geometry or extinction spectra. In this study, we systematically investigate four representative nanostructures: a simple nanogap dimer (i-type structure), a dolmen structure, a heptamer nanodisk cluster, and a nanoshell particle. We utilize discrete dipole approximation (DDA) to analyze these structures. By separating scattering and absorption spectra and introducing quantitative spectral metrics together with near-field electric-field vector mapping, we provide a unified procedure to interpret resonance origins beyond intensity-only near-field plots. The results show that PH-like behavior can emerge in a dolmen structure commonly regarded as a Fano resonator, while FR-like characteristics can appear in the i-type structure under specific conditions, underscoring the importance of scattering/absorption decomposition and vector-field symmetry. We further evaluate refractive-index sensitivities and discuss implications for plasmonic sensing design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurface: Applications in Sensing and Imaging)
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Review

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38 pages, 8537 KB  
Review
Towards Next-Generation Smart Seed Phenomics: A Review and Roadmap for Metasurface-Based Hyperspectral Imaging and a Light-Field Platform for 3D Reconstruction
by Jingrui Yang, Qinglei Zhao, Shuai Liu, Jing Guo, Fengwei Guan, Shuxin Wang, Qinglong Hu, Qiang Liu, Qi Song, Mingdong Zhu and Chao Li
Photonics 2026, 13(1), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13010061 - 8 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1221
Abstract
Seed phenomics is a critical research field for understanding seed germination mechanisms. Metasurfaces, composed of subwavelength nanostructures, offer a promising pathway to achieve both dispersion control and imaging functionalities within an ultra-compact form factor. Recent advances in micro–nano-optics and computational imaging have opened [...] Read more.
Seed phenomics is a critical research field for understanding seed germination mechanisms. Metasurfaces, composed of subwavelength nanostructures, offer a promising pathway to achieve both dispersion control and imaging functionalities within an ultra-compact form factor. Recent advances in micro–nano-optics and computational imaging have opened new avenues for high-dimensional, multimodal imaging. However, conventional hyperspectral and light-field systems still face limitations in compactness, depth resolution, and spectral–spatial integration. This review summarizes recent progress in metalens and metasurface lens array-based light-field systems for hyperspectral imaging and 3D reconstruction, with a focus on the underlying principles, design strategies, and reconstruction algorithms that enable single-shot 3D hyperspectral acquisition. We further present a forward-looking roadmap toward the realization of a revolutionized imaging paradigm: a metasurface-based light-field platform that fully integrates 3D and hyperspectral imaging capabilities. In particular, we examine how dispersive metasurfaces serve as core optical elements for precise dispersion control in hyperspectral imaging systems, while metalens arrays enable accurate modulation of spatial–angular distributions in light-field configurations. We systematically review both 3D and spectral reconstruction algorithms, highlighting their roles in decoding complex optical encodings. The application of these integrated systems in seed phenotyping is emphasized, demonstrating their capability to capture 3D spatial–spectral distributions in a single exposure. This approach facilitates high-throughput analysis of morphological traits, germination potential, and internal biochemical composition, offering a comprehensive solution for advanced seed characterization. Finally, we outline a practical roadmap for implementing a metasurface-based light-field platform that integrates hyperspectral imaging and computational 3D reconstruction. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in compact 3D light-field systems and multimodal hyperspectral imaging platforms, while providing forward-looking insights aimed at advancing smart seed phenotyping, precision agriculture, and next-generation optical imaging technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurface: Applications in Sensing and Imaging)
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