Efficient silicon metasurfaces for visible light

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a silicon-based metasurface operating at 532 nm with 47% efficiency, enabling visible light manipulation using high-refractive-index silicon, which was previously limited to longer wavelengths.

Contribution

The authors develop a silicon metasurface for visible light with full phase control and polarization independence, using a novel layer transfer technique for fabrication.

Findings

Achieved 47% transmission efficiency at 532 nm

Demonstrated polarization-independent beam deflection

Potential for >70% efficiency with further optimization

Abstract

Dielectric metasurfaces require high refractive index contrast materials for optimum performance. This requirement imposes a severe restraint; devices have either been demonstrated at wavelengths of 700nm and above using high-index semiconductors such as silicon, or they use lower index dielectric materials such as TiO$_{2}$ or Si$_{3}$N$_{4}$ and operate in the visible wavelength regime. Here, we show that the high refractive index of silicon can be exploited at wavelengths as short as 532 nm by demonstrating a silicon metasurface with a transmission efficiency of 47% at this wavelength. The metasurface consists of a graded array of silicon posts arranged in a square lattice on a quartz substrate. We show full 2{\pi} phase control and we experimentally demonstrate polarization-independent beam deflection at 532nm wavelength. The crystalline silicon is placed on a quartz substrate by a bespoke layer transfer technique and we note that an efficiency >70% may be achieved for a further optimized structure in the same material. Our results open a new way for realizing efficient metasurfaces based on silicon in the visible wavelength regime.