Active metasurfaces for spatial light modulation

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We propose plasmonic nanostructures on a semiconductor or conductive oxide as active elements for**controlling the phase of reflected or transmitted light - phase-shifting pixels. Such elements can be arrayed to**form a reflective (or transmissive) metasurface that enables wavefront shaping and switching applications. The**elements will be formed of resonant metallic nanostructures tailored to couple broadside-incident light to**surface plasmon-polaritons (SPPs) propagating thereon thus affecting their scattering properties. SPPs have**significantly enhanced fields relative to the incident light (10 to 100×), resulting in enhanced light-matter**interaction and leading to enhanced phase shifts or absorption, and to enhanced nonlinear processes.**Furthermore, a metallic metasurface can be contacted electrically such that the surface can simultaneously be**used as a device electrode to apply voltages or supply currents, thereby ensuring that SPPs have a strong**overlap with the active region of the underlying material. These attributes will be exploited to produce compact**solid-state phase shifters and spatial light modulators for telecommunications applications.