Infrared up-conversion imaging in nonlinear metasurfaces

TL;DR

This paper introduces a compact, all-optical infrared imaging method using nonlinear metasurfaces of GaAs nanoantennas, enabling up-conversion of infrared images to visible light for diverse applications.

Contribution

The work demonstrates the first experimental infrared image up-conversion using nonlinear GaAs metasurfaces via sum-frequency generation, offering a new approach to infrared imaging.

Findings

Successful infrared to visible image up-conversion in metasurfaces

Demonstration of nonlinear wave-mixing in GaAs nanoantennas

Potential for compact infrared imaging devices

Abstract

Infrared imaging is a crucial technique in a multitude of applications, including night vision, autonomous vehicles navigation, optical tomography, and food quality control. Conventional infrared imaging technologies, however, require the use of materials like narrow-band gap semiconductors which are sensitive to thermal noise and often require cryogenic cooling. Here, we demonstrate a compact all-optical alternative to perform infrared imaging in a metasurface composed of GaAs semiconductor nanoantennas, using a nonlinear wave-mixing process. We experimentally show the up-conversion of short-wave infrared wavelengths via the coherent parametric process of sum-frequency generation. In this process, an infrared image of a target is mixed inside the metasurface with a strong pump beam, translating the image from infrared to the visible in a nanoscale ultra-thin imaging device. Our results open up new opportunities for the development of compact infrared imaging devices with applications in infrared vision and life sciences.