Metaoptics Enabled, Ultra-Compact, Germanium free, LWIR Imager Design

Optical elements play a crucial role in many modern EO/IR sensor systems, early threat warning systems and for consumer applications such as cellphones and augmented reality hardware. The miniaturization trend poses a challenge to optics since conventional lenses and mirrors tend to be bulky and expensive to make. As an example, for thermal imaging the optical spectrums of interest are MWIR and LWIR and high transmission efficiency bulk materials are needed for optical lenses for these spectrums. Materials used include Germanium, Zinc Selenide, Zinc Sulfide, and special class chalcogenides glasses such (IR26, IG6, As40Se60). Traditional methods of growing, machining, molding, polishing complex lens shapes from these materials are complex and expensive. It is also often the case that limited sourcing for the military creates bottlenecks in procurement. Especially, Germanium, since adversaries have control over the world’s bulk supply of Germanium. Finally, the conventional optics development approach with these materials and processes invariably leads to long lead times (6-8months) for designing and testing one new optical design. One way of dealing with this challenge is using planar or flat optics, also known as metaoptics. This metaoptic technology is in basically the same posture as semiconductor technology was for electronics several decades ago and will impact optics cost, size, and development schedule in a similarly powerful way. Compact optical systems have been shown to be enabled uniquely by planar optics technology. This proposal aims to address supply-chain bottle necks in optical designs dependent on Germanium optical elements. Especially in the uncooled LWIR imager design. The goal is to understand the design trade-offs and develop Germanium free optical designs for LWIR imagers. In addition, we will leverage the recent advances in metaoptics technology that could potentially realize an all-Silicon hybrid optical design for these imagers resulting in ultra-compact, SWaP-C reduce LWIR imagers. Metaoptics technology does not replace refractive optics, but rather expands on it, leveraging the new ability to manufacture subwavelength features on optical substrates using standard mature microfabrication principles. Our technology for planar optics discussed here leverages the mature foundations of design, simulation, and fabrication of these devices for military and civilian applications. The demonstration of low cost, high yield, high performance optical components from conventional foundry processing routes will open a new avenue for optical component manufacturing that can dramatically reduce costs for optical assemblies. Apex is uniquely suited to the advancement of this technology platform based on prior work and expertise in processing.