Active Meta-Optics and Meta-Optical Fibers

Speaker: 
Howard Lee
Institution: 
UC Irvine
Date: 
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Time: 
3:30 pm
Location: 
RH 101 + Zoom Seminar
Abstract:
Controlling the flow of light is fundamental to optical applications. With advances in nanofabrication capabilities and new theoretical concepts, ground-breaking platforms for the nanoscale manipulation of light have been demonstrated in recent years. These include ultrathin optical metasurfaces and zero-index materials which offer unique optical features such as sub-wavelength optical confinement, enhanced optical nonlinear/quantum properties, and advanced wavefront shaping for emerging optical imaging, bio/optical sensing, medical, and communication applications.

This talk will review our research efforts on electrically tunable meta-optics and zero-index optics for developing new optical applications. I will present our recent advances on the use of transparent conducting oxide materials to demonstrate electrically-tunable ultrathin optical metasurfaces that can tune the optical phase and amplitude for light steering and nonlinear/quantum emission control. In addition, broadband and field-effect tunable epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) mode properties in ultrathin ENZ meta-film fabricated by atomic layer deposition technique will be discussed. I will then discuss our study on a new type of “meta”-optical fiber which merges the sciences of optical metasurfaces and optical fibers. The development of the ultrathin optical fiber metalens and color filter for potential laser surgery, medical imaging endoscope applications, and novel in-fiber laser will be discussed. These advanced “meta”-optical fibers open the path to revolutionary in-fiber lasers/spectroscopies, optical imaging/sensing, and optical/quantum communication applications.

Host: 
Kevork Abazajian