Birefringent optical retarders from laser 3D-printed dielectric metasurfaces

Abstract

Structuring light attracts continuous research effort due to its impactful applications in optical information and communications, laser material processing, optical imaging, or optical manipulation of matter. In particular, femtosecond laser direct writing of photoresists is a technology dedicated to the creation of optically isotropic free-form 3D micro-optical elements with size, spatial resolution, and surface quality that qualify to demanding integrated optics needs. Here, we report on the design, production, and characterization of dielectric metasurface birefringent optical retarders made from femtosecond laser 3D printing technology whose polarization conversion efficiency is more than 10 times larger than that previously reported Wang et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 181101 (2017)]. As the flexibility of the fabrication process allows considering arbitrary orientation of the artificially engineered optical axis, these results open up for 3D printed geometric phase optical elements.

Laser 3D Printing of Inorganic Free-Form Micro-Optics

“…However, until now, it was quite limited for direct processing of transparent inorganics of ceramic and crystalline phases [8]. On the other hand, the current advances of the technique are driven vastly by the rapid progress for implementation in manufacturing of various micro-optical and nano-photonic monolith elements as well as fully assembled complex 3D components [9][10][11][12][13]. Thus, here we demonstrate the combination of ultrafast laser 3D nanolithography and thermal posttreatment for opening a route for production of free-form inorganic structures-specifically free-form micro-optics.…”

Micro‐Optics 3D Printed via Multi‐Photon Laser Lithography

“…[ 98 ] Their efficiency can be improved more than ten times by stacking multiple individual layers into an assembled 3D optical component. [ 20 ] It is possible to obtain multimodal interference from a 3D printed birefringent dual‐core based on a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) design to create a waveguided polarization splitting device. [ 99 ] Alternatively, highly birefringent channel waveguides can rotate the polarization by adiabatically twisting them.…”

“…[12][13][14] By 2020, ultrafast laser 3D printing, also known as two-photon polymerization (TPP or 2PP), multiphoton lithography (MPL), [15][16][17] or simply laser direct writing (LDW), also in literature referenced as direct laser writing (DLW), [18] ) was already an established technique for routine fabrication of diverse micro-optical single elements, stacked components, and integrated devices. [19][20][21] The latest advances in the 3D printing of free-form micro-optics are enhanced by optical grade materials of high refractive index (n) polymers, [22] high-performance hybrids, [23] and optically active [24] or pure inorganic glasses. [25] Figure 1 shows the development of the technique in terms of published papers and citations, defining an "innovator stage" of the technology followed from 2015 by the "early adopters stage."…”

Laser 3D Printing of Inorganic Free-Form Micro-Optics

“…Yet, until now, it was quite limited for direct processing of transparent inorganics of ceramic and crystalline phases [8]. On the other hand the current advances of the technique are driven vastly by the rapid progress for implementation in manufacturing of various micro-optical and nano-photonic monolith elements as well as fully assembled complex 3D components [9][10][11][12][13]. Thus, here we demonstrate the combination of ultrafast laser 3D nanolithography and thermal post-treatment for opening a route for production of free-form inorganic structures -specifically free-form micro-optics.…”