Electrically tunable metasurfaces pave the way toward dynamic holograms

Dynamic holograms allow three-dimensional images to change over time like a movie, but so far these holograms are still being developed. The development of dynamic holograms may now get a boost from recent research on optical metasurfaces, a type of photonic surface with tunable optical properties.

A metasurface is a thin sheet consisting of a periodic array of nanoscale elements. The exact dimensions of these elements is critical, since they are specifically designed to manipulate certain wavelengths of light in particular ways that enhance their electric and magnetic properties.

Here, the scientists demonstrated how to manipulate a metasurface by applying an electrical voltage. By switching the control voltage “on” and “off,” the researchers could change the optical transmission of the metasurface. For instance, they could tune the transmission from opaque to the transparent regime for certain wavelengths, achieving a transmittance change of up to 75%. The voltage switch could also change the phase of certain wavelengths by up to 180°.

Read more at Applied Physics Letters

Image Credit: Applied Physics Letters

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