Controlling three-dimensional optical fields via inverse Mie scattering.

Controlling the propagation of optical fields in three dimensions using arrays of discrete dielectric scatterers is an active area of research. These arrays can create optical elements with functionalities unrealizable in conventional optics. Here, we present an inverse design method based on the inverse Mie scattering problem for producing three-dimensional optical field patterns. Using this method, we demonstrate a device that focuses 1.55-µm light into a depth-variant discrete helical pattern. The reported device is fabricated using two-photon lithography and has a footprint of 144 µm by 144 µm, the largest of any inverse-designed photonic structure to date. This inverse design method constitutes an important step toward designer free-space optics, where unique optical elements are produced for user-specified functionalities.

Role of refractive index in metalens performance.

Sub-wavelength diffractive optics, commonly known as metasurfaces, have recently garnered significant attention for their ability to create ultra-thin flat lenses with a high numerical aperture. Several materials with different refractive indices have been used to create metasurface lenses (metalenses). In this paper, we analyze the role of refractive index on the performance of these metalenses. We employ both forward and inverse design methodologies to perform our analysis. We found that, while high-refractive-index materials allow for extreme reduction of the focal length, for moderate focal lengths and numerical aperture (<0.6), there is no appreciable difference in the focal spot size and focusing efficiency for metalenses made of different materials with refractive indices ranging between 1.2 and 3.43 in forward design, and 1.25 and 3.5 in inverse design.

Metasurface optics for full-color computational imaging.

Conventional imaging systems comprise large and expensive optical components that successively mitigate aberrations. Metasurface optics offers a route to miniaturize imaging systems by replacing bulky components with flat and compact implementations. The diffractive nature of these devices, however, induces severe chromatic aberrations, and current multiwavelength and narrowband achromatic metasurfaces cannot support full visible spectrum imaging (400 to 700 nm). We combine principles of both computational imaging and metasurface optics to build a system with a single metalens of numerical aperture ~0.45, which generates in-focus images under white light illumination. Our metalens exhibits a spectrally invariant point spread function that enables computational reconstruction of captured images with a single digital filter. This work connects computational imaging and metasurface optics and demonstrates the capabilities of combining these disciplines by simultaneously reducing aberrations and downsizing imaging systems using simpler optics.

Inverse design of optical elements based on arrays of dielectric spheres.

Arrays of wavelength scale scatterers are a promising platform for designing optical elements with a compact footprint. The large number of degrees of freedom in this system allows for unique and plentiful functionalities. However, the many variables also create a complex design problem. While intuitive forward design methods work for simple optical elements, they often fail to produce complicated elements, especially those involving multiple elements. We present an inverse design methodology for large arrays of wavelength scale spheres based on both adjoint optimization or sensitivity analysis and generalized multi-sphere Mie theory as a solution to the design problem. We validate our methodology by designing two sets of optical elements with scatterers on sub-wavelength and super-wavelength periodic grids. Both sets consist of a singlet and a doublet lens with one and two layers of spheres respectively designed for 1550 nm. The designed NA is ∼0.33 (∼0.5) for the sub-wavelength (super-wavelength) periodic structure. We find that with the sub-wavelength periodicity, the full width at half-maximum of the focal spot produced by the singlet and doublet is smaller than that produced by an ideal lens with the same geometric parameters. Finally, we simulate a realistic experimental scenario for the doublet, where the spheres are placed on a substrate with the same refractive index. We find the performance is similar, but with lower intensity at the focal spot and larger spot size. The method described here will simplify the design procedure for complicated multi-functional optical elements and or scatterer array-based volume optics based on a specified figure of merit.

Phase-matched nonlinear optics via patterning layered materials.

The ease of integration and a large second-order nonlinear coefficient of atomically thin layered two-dimensional (2D) materials presents a unique opportunity to realize second-order nonlinearity in a silicon compatible integrated photonic system. However, the phase-matching requirement for second-order nonlinear optical processes makes the nanophotonic design difficult. We show that by nano-patterning the 2D material, quasi-phase-matching can be achieved. Such patterning-based quasi-phase-matching could potentially compensate for inevitable fabrication errors and significantly simplify the design process of the nonlinear nanophotonic devices.

Quantum many-body simulation using monolayer exciton-polaritons in coupled-cavities.

Quantum simulation is a promising approach to understanding complex strongly correlated many-body systems using relatively simple and tractable systems. Photon-based quantum simulators have great advantages due to the possibility of direct measurements of multi-particle correlations and ease of simulating non-equilibrium physics. However, interparticle interaction in existing photonic systems is often too weak, limiting the potential for quantum simulation. Here we propose an approach to enhance the interparticle interaction using exciton-polaritons in MoS2 monolayer quantum dots embedded in 2D photonic crystal microcavities. Realistic calculation yields optimal repulsive interaction in the range of 1-10 meV-more than an order of magnitude greater than the state-of-the-art value. Such strong repulsive interaction is found to emerge neither in the photon-blockade regime for small quantum dot nor in the polariton-blockade regime for large quantum dot, but in the crossover between the two regimes with a moderate quantum-dot radius around 20 nm. The optimal repulsive interaction is found to be largest in MoS2 among commonly used optoelectronic materials. Quantum simulation of strongly correlated many-body systems in a finite chain of coupled cavities and its experimental signature are studied via the exact diagonalization of the many-body Hamiltonian. A method to simulate 1D superlattices for interacting exciton-polariton gases in serially coupled cavities is also proposed. Realistic considerations on experimental realizations reveal advantages of transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer quantum dots over conventional semiconductor quantum emitters.

Metasurface Freeform Nanophotonics.

Freeform optics aims to expand the toolkit of optical elements by allowing for more complex phase geometries beyond rotational symmetry. Complex, asymmetric curvatures are employed to enhance the performance of optical components while minimizing their size. Unfortunately, these high curvatures and complex forms are often difficult to manufacture with current technologies, especially at the micron scale. Metasurfaces are planar sub-wavelength structures that can control the phase, amplitude, and polarization of incident light, and can thereby mimic complex geometric curvatures on a flat, wavelength-scale thick surface. We present a methodology for designing analogues of freeform optics using a silicon nitride based metasurface platform for operation at visible wavelengths. We demonstrate a cubic phase plate with a point spread function exhibiting enhanced depth of field over 300 micron along the optical axis with potential for performing metasurface-based white light imaging, and an Alvarez lens with a tunable focal length range of over 2.5 mm corresponding to a change in optical power of ~1600 diopters with 100 micron of total mechanical displacement. The adaptation of freeform optics to a sub-wavelength metasurface platform allows for further miniaturization of optical components and offers a scalable route toward implementing near-arbitrary geometric curvatures in nanophotonics.

Tunable metasurfaces via subwavelength phase shifters with uniform amplitude.

Metasurfaces with tunable spatial phase functions could benefit numerous applications. Currently, most approaches to tuning rely on mechanical stretching which cannot control phase locally, or by modulating the refractive index to exploit rapid phase changes with the drawback of also modulating amplitude. Here, we propose a method to realize phase modulation at subwavelength length scales while maintaining unity amplitude. Our device is inspired by an asymmetric Fabry-Perot resonator, with pixels comprising a scattering nanopost on top of a distributed Bragg reflector, capable of providing a nearly 2π nonlinear phase shift with less than 2% refractive index modulation. Using the designed pixels, we simulate a tunable metasurface composed of an array of moderately coupled nanopost resonators, realizing axicons, vortex beam generators, and aspherical lenses with both variable focal length and in-plane scanning capability, achieving nearly diffraction-limited performance. The experimental feasibility of the proposed method is also discussed.

miR181c promotes apoptosis and suppresses proliferation of metanephric mesenchyme cells by targeting Six2 in vitro.

Increasingly recognized importance has been assumed for microRNA (miRNA) in the regulation of the delicate balance of gene expression. In our study, we aimed to explore the regulation role of miR181c towards Six2 in metanephric mesenchyme (MM) cells. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assay and semi-quantitative real-time (RT) PCR, subsequently RT PCR, Western blotting, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine cell proliferation assay, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, were employed to verify the modulation function of miR181c on Six2 in the mK3 MM cell line that is one kind of MM cells. miR181c was predicted to bind the 3' untranslated region of Six2 by bioinformatics analysis, which was subsequently validated by the in vitro luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, transfection of miR181c mimic can decrease the expression of Six2 both in mRNA and protein levels in mK3 cells. Still, ectopic expression of miR181c inhibits the proliferation, promotes the apoptosis and even makes the nephron progenitor phenotype lose mK3 cells. These results revealed the ability of a single miRNA-miR181c to downregulate the expression of Six2, restrain the proliferation and promote the apoptosis that even makes the nephron progenitor phenotype lose MM cells, suggesting a potential role of miR181c during the kidney development.