Integrated Metasurfaces on Silicon Photonics for Emission Shaping and Holographic Projection

TL;DR

This paper presents a monolithically integrated metasurface platform on silicon photonics that enables arbitrary emission shaping and holographic projection, enhancing free-space applications like LiDAR and quantum photonics.

Contribution

It introduces a CMOS-compatible metasurface integrated on silicon photonics for versatile emission control and holography, surpassing conventional grating couplers.

Findings

Achieved diffraction-limited beam focusing with a Strehl ratio of 0.82

Demonstrated switching of the focused spot position

Implemented a meta-hologram projecting an image above the chip

Abstract

The emerging applications of silicon photonics in free space, such as LiDARs and quantum photonics, urge versatile emission shaping beyond the capabilities of conventional grating couplers. A platform that offers arbitrary shaping of free-space emission while maintaining the CMOS compatibility and monolithic integration is in pressing need. Here we demonstrate a platform that integrates metasurfaces monolithically on silicon photonic integrated circuits. The metasurfaces consist of amorphous silicon nanopillars evanescently coupled to silicon waveguides. We demonstrate experimentally diffraction-limited beam focusing with a Strehl ratio of 0.82, where the focused spot can be switched between two positions. We also realize a meta-hologram experimentally that projects an image above the silicon photonic chip. This platform can add a highly versatile interface to the existing silicon photonic ecosystems for precise delivery of free-space emission.