Asymmetric parametric generation of images with nonlinear dielectric metasurfaces

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates asymmetric parametric light generation using nonlinear dielectric metasurfaces, enabling independent image formation depending on illumination direction, advancing miniaturized nanophotonic components.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to asymmetric light control through nonlinear metasurfaces with dissimilar resonators, enabling independent image generation in different directions.

Findings

Metasurfaces produce different images for reversed illumination directions.

Nonlinear dielectric resonators enable asymmetric control of light.

The approach allows miniaturization of optical components with directional functionality.

Abstract

Subwavelength dielectric resonators assembled into metasurfaces have become a versatile tool for miniaturising optical components approaching the nanoscale. An important class of metasurface functionalities is associated with asymmetry in both generation and transmission of light with respect to reversals of the positions of emitters and receivers. Nonlinear light-matter interaction in metasurfaces offers a promising pathway towards miniaturisation of the asymmetric control of light. Here we demonstrate asymmetric parametric generation of light in nonlinear metasurfaces. We assemble dissimilar nonlinear dielectric resonators into translucent metasurfaces that produce images in the visible spectral range being illuminated by infrared radiation. By design, the metasurfaces produce different and completely independent images for the reversed direction of illumination, that is when the positions of the infrared emitter and the visible light receiver are exchanged. Nonlinearity-enabled asymmetric control of light by subwavelength resonators paves the way towards novel nanophotonic components via dense integration of large quantities of nonlinear resonators into compact metasurface designs.