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Photonics
Special Issues
Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends
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Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 10401

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qi Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
Interests: metamaterials; metalens; metasurface; optical thin film; machine vision; CNN; ROS; robot path planning; motion planning; VIsual-SLAM; laser-SLAM
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qinglei Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CIOMP), 3888 Dongnanhu Rd., Jingkai District, Changchun 130033, China
Interests: image processing for meta-device; tunable metasurfaces system development; artificial intelligence; embedded image processing algorithm in remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Shuxin Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CIOMP), 3888 Dongnanhu Rd., Jingkai District, Changchun 130033, China
Interests: metalens imaging in space system; space mirrors topology optimization and manufacturing; optimization of heat dissipation channel for high-power laser mirrors; camera topology optimization for online evaluation of system-level optical performance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the future of the semiconductor world changes from using electrons to photons, optical metamaterials stand at the forefront of the revolution of broad applications from lidar, high-speed interconnects, and photonic integrated circuits (PICs) in autonomous vehicles to on-chip networks and massive AI data IO throughput. Optical metamaterials and metasurfaces are made using periodic nanostructures at scales smaller than optical wavelengths, with extraordinary on-demand phase, amplitude, and polarization control capabilities. In this decade, optical metasurfaces have started to revolutionize real-world devices. The industrial landscape and major trends include the development of metalenses and metacomponents for smartphones, 3D sensing, holography, and the next big thing—AR/VR devices. Customized commercial software and unique processing techniques have been developed to address the “well-known issues”, for more efficient designs in large aperture and high yield for massive production. Despite some remaining challenges, the progress made to date has shown great prosperity for the development of optics, photonics, and mixed systems. This Special Issue will present a comprehensive report on optical metamaterials and metasurfaces with the current status of technology, applications, and future opportunities. Topics may include, but are not be limited to, the following:

  • achromatic metalenses,
  • phase-tuning metasurfaces,
  • mixed optoelectronic designs in metadevices,
  • metasurface holography,
  • diffractive–refractive optics,
  • wide-angle metalens designs,
  • off-axis metalens imaging,
  • optical metasurfaces in AR/VR,
  • broadband infrared metalenses,
  • metasurface-based computing imaging
  • metasurfaces as vortex beam generators.

Prof. Dr. Qi Song
Dr. Qinglei Zhao
Dr. Shuxin Wang
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

  • achromatic metalenses
  • phase-tuning metasurfaces
  • optoelectronic co-designs in metadevices
  • metasurface holography
  • diffractive–refractive optics
  • wide-angle metalens designs
  • off-axis metalens imaging
  • optical metasurfaces in AR/VR
  • broadband infrared metalenses
  • metasurface-based computing imaging
  • metasurfaces as vortex beam generators

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 658 KB  
Article
Deep-Ultraviolet Beam Homogenizers: Phase-Modulated Metalens vs. Space-Modulated Chromium Thin-Film
by Changtong Li, Zhaoying Qin, Junhong Li, Duanqi Ma, Shubo Cheng, Guojun Xia, Xiaoming Chen and Hsiang-Chen Chui
Photonics 2025, 12(12), 1192; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12121192 - 3 Dec 2025
Abstract
Deep-ultraviolet (DUV, 193 nm) tools for lithography and precision micromachining are often limited by beam-profile nonuniformity, which degrades critical-dimension control, line-edge roughness, and process windows. Conventional phase-dependent homogenizers can lose performance under realistic phase noise and pointing jitter. We investigate two complementary, energy–space-modulation [...] Read more.
Deep-ultraviolet (DUV, 193 nm) tools for lithography and precision micromachining are often limited by beam-profile nonuniformity, which degrades critical-dimension control, line-edge roughness, and process windows. Conventional phase-dependent homogenizers can lose performance under realistic phase noise and pointing jitter. We investigate two complementary, energy–space-modulation routes to robust homogenization: (i) a metalens-based microlens array (MLA) that forms a flat-top via controlled beamlet overlap and (ii) a chromium-on-sapphire attenuator that equalizes intensity purely by amplitude shaping. Coupled FDTD and optical modeling guide a graded-transmittance Cr design (target transmittance 0.8–0.9) that converts a Gaussian input into a flat-top plateau. Experiments at 193 nm verify that both approaches achieve high static uniformity (Urms <3.5%). Under dynamic conditions, the MLA exhibits sensitivity to transverse-mode hops and phase fluctuations due to its reliance on coherent overlap, leading to reduced uniformity and fill factor. In contrast, the Cr attenuator remains phase-insensitive and maintains stable output under jitter, offering a power-robust, low-maintenance alternative for industrial DUV systems. We discuss design trade-offs and outline hybrid MLA + attenuation schemes that preserve MLA-level flatness while approaching the robustness of amplitude-shaping solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends)
9 pages, 2395 KB  
Article
A Wide Field of View and Broadband Infrared Imaging System Integrating a Dispersion-Engineered Metasurface
by Bo Liu, Yunqiang Zhang, Zhu Li, Xuetao Gan and Xin Xie
Photonics 2025, 12(10), 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12101033 - 19 Oct 2025
Viewed by 528
Abstract
We present a compact hybrid imaging system operating in the 3–5 μm spectral band that combines refractive optics with a dispersion-engineered metasurface to overcome the longstanding trade-off between wide field of view (FOV), system size, and thermal stability. The system achieves an ultra-wide [...] Read more.
We present a compact hybrid imaging system operating in the 3–5 μm spectral band that combines refractive optics with a dispersion-engineered metasurface to overcome the longstanding trade-off between wide field of view (FOV), system size, and thermal stability. The system achieves an ultra-wide 178° FOV within a total track length of only 28.25 mm, employing just three refractive lenses and one metasurface. Through co-optimization of material selection and system architecture, it maintains the modulation transfer function (MTF) exceeding 0.54 at 33 lp/mm and the geometric (GEO) radius below 15 μm across an extended operational temperature range from –40 °C to 60 °C. The metasurface is designed using a propagation phase approach with cylindrical unit cells to ensure polarization-insensitive behavior, and its broadband dispersion-free phase profile is optimized via a particle swarm algorithm. The results indicate that phase-matching errors remain small at all wavelengths, with a mean value of 0.11068. This design provides an environmentally resilient solution for lightweight applications, including automotive infrared night vision and unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends)
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23 pages, 6748 KB  
Article
A Transformer-Based Approach to Facilitate Inverse Design of Achromatic Metasurfaces
by Xucong Bian, Xiang’ai Cheng, Jiahui Liao, Zixiao Hua, Zhongjie Xu, Jiangbin Zhang and Zhongyang Xing
Photonics 2025, 12(9), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12090913 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1032
Abstract
Accurate and efficient prediction of the spectral responses of metasurface unit cells is key to intelligent metasurface design. Here, we propose a Shape-integrated Dual-Spectrum-aware transformer (SiDSaT) for forward prediction of metasurface responses. Trained on a large-scale simulation dataset, SiDSaT achieves a phase mean [...] Read more.
Accurate and efficient prediction of the spectral responses of metasurface unit cells is key to intelligent metasurface design. Here, we propose a Shape-integrated Dual-Spectrum-aware transformer (SiDSaT) for forward prediction of metasurface responses. Trained on a large-scale simulation dataset, SiDSaT achieves a phase mean absolute error (MAE) below 0.05 across both cylindrical and cuboidal unit cells, demonstrating strong prediction accuracy and generalization. We further embedded SiDSaT into an inverse design framework and applied it to the design of single-wavelength and broadband achromatic metalenses. Results of focusing performance and dispersion control confirm the effectiveness and versatility of SiDSaT in supporting the high-precision inverse design of metasurface optical devices. This work offers a scalable and accurate approach for intelligent metasurface design across diverse shape configurations and broadband spectral ranges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends)
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11 pages, 3727 KB  
Article
Dynamically Tunable Singular States Through Air-Slit Control in Asymmetric Resonant Metamaterials
by Yeong Hwan Ko and Robert Magnusson
Photonics 2025, 12(5), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12050403 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 523
Abstract
This study presents a novel method for dynamically tuning singular states in one-dimensional (1D) photonic lattices (PLs) using air-slit-based structural modifications. Singular states, arising from symmetry-breaking-induced resonance radiation, generate diverse spectral features through interactions between resonance modes and background radiation. By strategically incorporating [...] Read more.
This study presents a novel method for dynamically tuning singular states in one-dimensional (1D) photonic lattices (PLs) using air-slit-based structural modifications. Singular states, arising from symmetry-breaking-induced resonance radiation, generate diverse spectral features through interactions between resonance modes and background radiation. By strategically incorporating air slits to break symmetry in 1D PLs, we demonstrated effective control of resonance positions, enabling dual functionalities including narrowband band pass and notch filtering. These singular states originate from asymmetric guided-mode resonances (aGMRs), which can be interpreted by analytical modeling of the equivalent slab waveguide. Moreover, the introduction of multiple air slits significantly enhances spectral tunability by inducing multiple folding behaviors in the resonance bands. This approach allows for effective manipulation of optical properties through simple adjustments of air-slit displacements. This work provides great potential for designing multifunctional photonic devices with advanced metamaterial technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends)
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13 pages, 2748 KB  
Article
Photonic-Metamaterial-Based, Near-Field-Enhanced Biosensing Approach for Early Detection of Lung and Ovarian Cancer
by Shuo Geng, Xuguang Zhang, Haiyan Liang and Yi Zheng
Photonics 2024, 11(11), 1020; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11111020 - 30 Oct 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1711
Abstract
Early detection of lung and ovarian cancers relies heavily on identifying tumor biomarkers, but current methods require large blood samples and complex genetic testing. This study presents a novel photonic-metamaterial-based biosensing approach that leverages near-field radiative enhancement to detect cancer biomarkers (CA 125, [...] Read more.
Early detection of lung and ovarian cancers relies heavily on identifying tumor biomarkers, but current methods require large blood samples and complex genetic testing. This study presents a novel photonic-metamaterial-based biosensing approach that leverages near-field radiative enhancement to detect cancer biomarkers (CA 125, CEA, and CYFRA 21-1) with high sensitivity. By utilizing structured photonic metamaterials, we optimize specific wavelengths to identify these biomarkers in interstitial fluid, which can be easily collected via minimally invasive microneedle arrays. Integrating near-field interactions with wavelength-selective metamaterials amplifies the thermal response at the nanoscale, allowing for the detection of deficient concentrations of biomarkers. This photonic metamaterial technique provides a faster, more accessible, and affordable alternative to conventional blood-based methods, significantly improving early detection and monitoring of cancer. Ultimately, this approach offers a transformative tool for clinical and research applications in cancer diagnostics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends)
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11 pages, 2457 KB  
Article
Integrated Analysis of Line-Of-Sight Stability of Off-Axis Three-Mirror Optical System
by Yatao Lu, Bin Sun, Gui Mei, Qinglei Zhao, Zhongshan Wang, Yang Gao and Shuxin Wang
Photonics 2024, 11(5), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11050461 - 15 May 2024
Viewed by 1543
Abstract
As a space camera works in orbit, the stress rebound caused by gravity inevitably results in the deformation of its optomechanical structure, and the relative position change between different optical components will affect the Line-Of-Sight pointing of the camera. In this paper, the [...] Read more.
As a space camera works in orbit, the stress rebound caused by gravity inevitably results in the deformation of its optomechanical structure, and the relative position change between different optical components will affect the Line-Of-Sight pointing of the camera. In this paper, the optical sensitivity calculation of a space camera’s Line-Of-Sight pointing is realized based on the optomechanical constraint equations, and the Line-Of-Sight equations are constructed using the second type of response (DRESP2) method to realize an optomechanical integrated analysis of the camera’s Line-Of-Sight stability at the structural finite element solver level. The verification results show that the Line-Of-Sight stability error is 6.38%, meaning that this method can identify the sensitive optical elements of the optical system efficiently and quickly. Thus, the method in this paper has important significance as a reference for the analysis of the Line-Of-Sight stability of complex optical systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends)
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Review

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31 pages, 12887 KB  
Review
Metasurfaces in Optical Biosensing: Revolutionizing Detection Techniques and Shaping the Future
by Sunil Kumar, Harbinder Singh and Dhiraj Kumar Singh
Photonics 2025, 12(4), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12040360 - 10 Apr 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3451
Abstract
Metasurfaces have been widely investigated across the disciplines of optical biosensing due to their exceptional ability to manipulate electromagnetic fields. Consequently, over the past few years, there has been growing interest in the application of metasurfaces in optical biosensors in the field of [...] Read more.
Metasurfaces have been widely investigated across the disciplines of optical biosensing due to their exceptional ability to manipulate electromagnetic fields. Consequently, over the past few years, there has been growing interest in the application of metasurfaces in optical biosensors in the field of biomedical sensing. While being label-free and offering real-time tracking, high sensitivity, and a quick response are among the benefits of conventional optical biosensors, the incorporation of metasurfaces improves their wavefront manipulation, selectivity for versatile sensing, and capacity for device miniaturization to satisfy increasingly complex application requirements. Furthermore, there is a lack of comprehensive evaluations that address the current research developments and future possibilities, despite the encouraging advancements in this emerging field. Hence, this work provides a comprehensive review and serves as a valuable resource for researchers exploring metasurface-based optical biosensors. This review delves into defining the basic sensing concepts, design procedures, and important figures of merit (FOM) for metasurface-based optical biosensors and their applications, including the detection of numerous analytes, such as viruses, toxins, antibodies, tumors, and drugs and the monitoring of blood sugar. Furthermore, presenting a critical evaluation of structural fabrication techniques with a view toward potential future commercialization, this review ends by highlighting several fascinating areas for further investigation. For this review article, a total of 5844 effective documents about metasurface optical biosensors were retrieved from the Scopus database. The VOSviewer version 1.6.20 bibliometric software was used for the scientific analysis of the data retrieved from the Scopus database from 2010 to 2025. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Metasurfaces: Applications and Trends)
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