Polarization-insensitive bifocal metalenses by combining nanoimprint lithography and atomic layer deposition in the visible spectrum

Abstract

Multifocal lenses are essential components for microscopy, spectroscopic detection, and optical trapping. Benefiting from the unprecedented capability of metasurfaces in light control, metalenses are able to provide multi-foci functionality with a more compact footprint, making them attractive alternatives to traditional bulky lenses. However, current manufacturing techniques encounter some challenges, including low throughput, high cost, and limited patterning areas. Here, we demonstrate the wafer-scale, low-cost, and high-throughput production of polarization-insensitive bifocal metalenses at a wavelength of 450 nm by combining nanoimprint lithography and atomic layer deposition. The nanoimprint process is simplified by using the imprinted resin itself as meta-atoms, which exhibit high aspect ratios (∼10:1) and small critical dimensions (∼90 nm). The effective refractive index of the meta-atoms is increased through atomic layer deposition of the high-index TiO2 film, providing 0–1.5π sufficient phase coverage. Metalenses with diameters of 480 μm are fabricated on the silica substrate, exhibiting two diffraction-limited focal spots along the optical axis. Moreover, the fabricated metalenses demonstrate the polarization-insensitive feature under various polarization states. The fabrication process presented in this Letter paves the way for large-scale and low-cost production of versatile metasurfaces operating in the visible or shorter spectrum.