Achromatic Metalens Array for Photonic Imaging

To address the Navy’s need for a low-loss, low-aberration, numerical aperture (NA)-matched microlens array to improve coupling efficiency onto photonic imaging devices, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to develop a new Achromatic Metalens Array for Photonic Imaging (AMAPHI) based on dielectric metamaterials. The innovation in using a dielectric metalens array will enable different NAs along long and short axes of grating couplers and mode matching for efficient light coupling. The thin, single-layered metalenses and flexibility in manipulation of induced phase shift, group delay (GD), and group delay dispersion (GDD) realize achromatic aberration over a broad bandwidth (>200 nm) in the near infrared (NIR). As a result, the AMAPHI yields a coupling microlens array with achromaticity, low loss, and enhanced optical throughput to photonic imaging devices on photonic integrated circuits (PICs). In Phase I, Intellisense will design the AMAPHI metalenses (60-100 microns in size and 1 cm by 1 cm and thickness of <1.5 mm will be fabricated and characterized to be integrated with a photonic imaging system suggested by the Navy. We will also characterize surface roughness-induced loss, achromaticity, and NA of the fabricated AMAPHI prototypes as well as the tolerances, and conduct field testing at a Navy facility with specific models designed by the Navy. The measurement results of the AMAPHI prototype will be compared with commercial microlens arrays and optical simulation. Intellisense will evaluate the AMAPHI’s thermal, vibration, and radiation sensitivities by performing tests in compliance with MIL-STD-883L. At the end of Phase II, we will demonstrate a working AMAPHI prototype, develop a Phase III plan for further development and testing as well as volume manufacturing, and be ready for technology transition to the Navy.