Meta-Lens Light Path Separation for 0th Order Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing meta-lenses in optical systems suffer from fabrication errors that lead to 0th order light, causing signal errors and noise due to light beams traveling along unintended paths, which conventional methods like improving processing accuracy or diffusing 0th order light fail to fundamentally address.

Innovation Solution

A transmission-type meta-lens with a light transmission surface featuring fine structures that adjust refractive index based on density, incorporating a light path separator to guide 1st order light and 0th order light along different paths, reducing the influence of 0th order light.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a meta-lens is used to reduce thickness and enable light focusing, then device compactness is improved, but fabrication errors generate 0th order light that causes signal errors and noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice thicknessVSAvoidsignal accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the light paths by introducing a light path separator that divides the optical system into distinct regions: one for 1st order light (useful signal) and one for 0th order light (noise). This segmentation allows the meta-lens to maintain its thin profile while the separator handles the noise separation, resolving the contradiction between compactness and signal accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the harmful 0th order light from the main optical path using a light path separator. By physically separating the 0th order light beam from the 1st order light beam, the system removes the noise source while preserving the useful signal, thereby maintaining both device thinness and signal reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If conventional methods (improving processing accuracy or diffusing 0th order light) are used to reduce 0th order light, then signal accuracy may be improved, but the fundamental problem of 0th order light generation remains unresolved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal accuracyVSAvoidfabrication difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of trying to eliminate the harmful 0th order light through更难的制作工艺, the patent converts this harmful element into a manageable component by designing a light path separator that specifically handles 0th order light. This approach accepts the inevitable fabrication errors and works with them, transforming the problem into a solved issue while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Device complexity

If 0th order light is allowed to travel along the intended optical path, then device complexity is reduced, but noise and signal errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical system structureVSAvoidnoise and signal error

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The light path separator acts as an intermediary component between the meta-lens and the detection system. It mediates the light paths by separating 0th and 1st order light, preventing direct interference while maintaining relatively simple device architecture. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by adding minimal complexity to eliminate harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively separates and guides 0th order light away from the intended light path, minimizing noise and signal errors in optical systems, enabling high-performance and space-saving devices.

Implementation Method 1

a light path separator that causes 1st order light and 0th order light of light that has passed through the transmission surface to travel along different light paths, the 1st order light being light that has been influenced by refraction caused by the fine structures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentUS20260003202A1Meta-lens, optical system, image projection device, light source device, imaging device, optical scanning device, and medical image projection device

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 OPTOWL CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a meta-lens that reduces influence of 0th order light by guiding 1st order light for obtaining a signal to a position outside a light path of the 0th order light when constructing an optical system using the meta-lens. The meta-lens according to the present invention is a meta-lens that has a light transmission surface on which a plurality of fine structures are consecutively provided and adjusts a refractive index for light on the basis of a density of the fine structures, and includes a light path separator that causes 1st order light and 0th order light of light that has passed through the transmission surface to travel along different light paths, the 1st order light being light that has been influenced by refraction caused by the fine structures, and the 0th order light being light that has not been influenced by refraction caused by the fine structures.