Completely Spin-Decoupled Geometric Phase of Metasurface

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel metasurface design that achieves completely spin-decoupled geometric phases by engineering surface current paths, enabling independent control of LCP and RCP electromagnetic waves.

Contribution

It proposes a new method to realize spin-decoupled geometric phases through surface current path engineering, verified by simulations and experiments.

Findings

Successful demonstration of spin-decoupled geometric phases in metasurfaces

Simulation and experimental results confirm the independent control of LCP and RCP waves

Enhancement of metasurface degrees of freedom for electromagnetic wave manipulation

Abstract

Metasurfaces have provided unprecedented degree of freedom (DOF) in manipulating electromagnetic (EM) waves. Geometric phase can be readily obtained by rotating the meta-atom of metasurfaces. Nevertheless, such geometric phases are usually spin-coupled, with the same magnitude but opposite signs for left_ and right_handed circularly polarized (LCP,RCP) waves. To achieve independent control on LCP and RCP waves, it is crucial to obtain spin-decoupled geometric phases. In this paper, we propose to obtain completely spin-decoupled geometric phases by engineering surface current paths on meta-atoms. Based on the rotational Doppler effect, the rotation manner is firstly analyzed and it is found that the essence of generating geometric phase lies in the rotation of surface current paths on meta-atoms. Since the induced surface currents paths under LCP and RCP waves always start oppositely and are mirror-symmetrical with each other, it is natural that the geometric phases be with the same magnitude and opposite signs when the meta-atoms are rotated. To obtain spin-decoupled geometric phases, the start point of induced surface current under one spin should be rotated by an angle while that under the other spin by another different angle. In this way, LCP and RCP waves can acquire different geometric phase changes and spin-decoupled geometric phase can be imparted by metasurfaces. Proof-of-principle prototypes were designed, fabricated and measured. Both the simulation and experiment results verify spin-decoupled geometric phases. This work provides a robust means of obtaining spin-dependent geometric phase and will further adds up to the metasurface DOF in manipulating EM waves.