Structuring and Imaging Polarization Transformations using Metasurfaces

Abstract

In the present era of nanophotonics and optical sensing, polarization control has emerged as a crucial aspect of light manipulation, enabling enhanced functionality in a broad range of applications. Dielectric metasurfaces, which consist of subwavelength-scale nanostructures, have shown great promise in facilitating polarization control, with their ability to manipulate the phase, amplitude, and polarization state of light. In this work, we describe metasurfaces using a generalized framework involving Jones calculus and Fourier optics, to design novel polarization optics including metasurface diffractions grating, and Jones matrix holograms with general, arbitrarily specified polarization responses in the far-field. Furthermore, using the described design principles, we conceptualize, implement and demonstrate a first-of-its-kind metasurface-enabled compact, single-shot and complete Mueller matrix imaging system. Our work should be of importance in applications requiring novel, compact and real-time polarization detection and control, including machine vision, target detection and biomedical imaging.