Multifunctional full-space origami reconfigurable metasurface for spin-decoupled wavefront manipulation

Area of Science:

• Metamaterials and Nanophotonics
• Electromagnetics and Wave Phenomena
• Advanced Materials Science

Background:

• Dynamic multifunctional wavefront manipulation is crucial for high-capacity communications and EM information processing.
• Origami metasurfaces offer dynamic EM wave control, but often have limitations in spin states and operational ranges.
• Existing methods struggle with simultaneous multifunctional capabilities and spin-decoupled control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a multifunctional full-space origami metasurface with spin-decoupled wavefront control.
• To enable dynamic manipulation of electromagnetic waves through structural transformations.
• To overcome limitations of previous metasurface designs in terms of spin states and operational range.

Main Methods:

• Combining geometric phase and propagation phase in a single-layered resonant structure.
• Utilizing a straightforward deformation technique to transform planar metasurfaces into 3D meta-structures.
• Experimental demonstration of a proof-of-concept meta-device.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated full-space and spin-decoupled wavefront manipulations.
• Showcased fundamental functions including near-field focusing and far-field anomalous reflections and refractions.
• Experimental results closely matched simulation outcomes and theoretical expectations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed origami metasurface design offers superior quality for dynamic, multifunctional wavefront control.
• This technology opens unexplored opportunities for applications in multifunctional radar detection and reconfigurable photonics.
• The spin-decoupled control and full-space manipulation capabilities represent a significant advancement in metasurface technology.