Meta-lens Correcting Seidel Aberrations for Wide Field of View
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wide-angle optical systems, including meta-lenses, face challenges in achieving a wide field-of-view without suffering from angle-dependent coma, field curvature, and astigmatism, which limits their usefulness in imaging and image projection applications.
Innovation Solution
A monolithically integrated meta-lens with a single meta-surface on a flat substrate, designed to correct third-order Seidel aberrations such as coma, astigmatism, and field curvature, enabling diffraction-limited imaging or beam/image projection over an extremely wide field of view, up to 180°.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional hyperbolic phase profile meta-lens is used, then spherical aberration is suppressed at normal incidence, but angle-dependent coma, field curvature, and astigmatism occur at oblique angles, limiting the field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing different regions of the meta-surface with different phase profiles. The central region uses a hyperbolic phase profile optimized for normal incidence, while the peripheral regions use phase profiles optimized for oblique angles. This spatial variation in optical properties allows the single meta-lens to correct spherical aberration at the center while simultaneously correcting coma, field curvature, and astigmatism at the periphery, achieving diffraction-limited performance across a wide field of view exceeding 100 degrees.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple meta-surfaces are cascaded to correct aberrations, then field of view is expanded, but device complexity and assembly alignment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple meta-surfaces into a single integrated meta-lens. Instead of cascading separate meta-surfaces to correct different aberrations, the invention combines spherical aberration correction, coma correction, field curvature correction, and astigmatism correction into one monolithic meta-surface with spatially varying phase profiles. This integration eliminates the need for complex multi-element assemblies and precise alignment procedures while maintaining diffraction-limited performance across a wide field of view.
3Device complexity
If a single-element meta-lens is used, then device complexity is reduced, but angle-dependent aberrations limit the field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the phase profile parameters across different spatial locations of the meta-surface. Rather than using a uniform phase profile, the invention varies the phase delay parameters locally to match the incident angle requirements at different field positions. This continuous parameter variation across the meta-surface enables a single element to achieve wide-angle diffraction-limited performance that would traditionally require multiple optical elements.
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 meta-lens achieves diffraction-limited performance across its entire field of view, with a Strehl ratio of at least 80%, simplifying system architectures and offering significant size, weight, performance, and cost advantages over traditional optical systems.
Implementation Method 1
Meta-surface lenses, or meta-lenses, are devices capable of controlling the phase, amplitude, and/or polarization of propagating light with arrays of subwavelength structures
Implementation Method 2
the meta-surface focuses the light transmitted by the aperture through the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
Wide-angle optical functionality is beneficial for imaging and image projection devices. Conventionally, wide-angle operation is attained by a complicated assembly of optical elements. Recent advances have led to meta-surface lenses or meta-lenses, which are ultra-thin planar lenses with nanoantennas that control the phase, amplitude, and/or polarization of light. Here, we present a meta-lens capable of diffraction-limited focusing and imaging over an unprecedented >170° angular field of view (FOV). The lens is integrated on a one-piece flat substrate and includes an aperture on one side and a single meta-surface on the other side. The meta-surface corrects third-order Seidel aberrations, including coma, astigmatism, and field curvature. The meta-lens has a planar focal plane, which enables considerably simplified system architectures for imaging and projection. The meta-lens design is generic and can be readily adapted to different meta-atom geometries and wavelength ranges to meet diverse application demands.