Multidirectional Metalens Integrating Lens and DOE Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diffractive optical elements require a lens between the light source and the DOE, making it difficult to reduce the optical system size.
Innovation Solution
A multidirectional optical element comprising a substrate and a metalens with a metastructure featuring a concentric pattern of a diffractive optical element, which functions as both a traditional lens and DOE, allowing for reduced system size without compromising performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a lens is disposed between the DOE and light source to precisely guide the light beam, then the light beam can be precisely guided into the DOE, but the optical system size cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lens and DOE into a single integrated metalens structure. The metalens includes a lens portion for focusing light and a DOE portion with diffractive patterns for beam shaping, eliminating the need for separate lens and DOE components. This merging reduces the optical system size while maintaining precise light beam guidance capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The metalens performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a focusing lens and a diffractive optical element. The lens portion provides optical focusing, while the DOE portion creates specific beam patterns, enabling a single component to replace what traditionally required two separate components.
2Reliability
If multiple traditional optical components are used to achieve desired optical performance, then the optical performance can be maintained, but the optical system size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of a traditional lens and DOE into a single metalens component. The metalens structure integrates the lens portion for focusing and the DOE portion for diffractive beam shaping, achieving the same optical performance as multiple separate components while reducing the overall system size.
Solution Approach 2:
The metalens utilizes composite material structures with varying refractive indices to achieve both focusing and diffractive functions. The metastructure includes regions with different material properties that work together to provide lens-like focusing and DOE-like beam patterning capabilities in a single integrated component.
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 proposed solution reduces the optical system size while maintaining performance by integrating the functions of multiple components into a single metalens, facilitating easier light alignment and avoiding issues like yellowing in traditional plastic lenses.
Implementation Method 1
A diffractive optical element (DOE) is an optical component that relies on diffraction to manipulate light
Implementation Method 2
a special metalens is designed to functions as a traditional lens and a traditional DOE together
Data Source
AI summary
A multidirectional optical element includes a substrate and a metalens. The metalens is disposed on the substrate and has a metastructure, wherein the metastructure includes a pattern of a diffractive optical element.