Chalcogenide metasurface enabled multispectral display and sensor arrays

随着上世纪80年代S光纤网络的引入以及光学和电子技术的不断融合，光已成为21世纪社会的主要信息载体和制造工具。人们无法想象没有电信网络、实时传感和现代显示技术的现代生活。因此，对跨越紫外线、可见光和红外频率的纳米级光(UV-VIS-IR)的动态控制和检测无疑是最具社会经济意义的波长频段，对于对加拿大的安全/繁荣至关重要的一系列行业至关重要。这主要有两个原因；第一，对于传感/光谱学来说，在这个光谱范围内观察到了大量起源于化学键的固有振动模式的特征分子吸收指纹。二、电信网络体系结构和显示技术也运行在该频段上，需要尺寸小、重量轻、功率大的设备，这些设备具有工程性质，允许对光进行高空间和时间控制和检测。然而，没有单一的显示器、探测器或传感器可以在整个范围内提供准确的、空间分辨率的测量结果。因此，探索和设计一种独特的材料/器件平台，用于紧凑、节能、可重构和自适应的光子应用，需要在整个UV-VIS-IR频率范围内对光进行超快控制和检测，这是当今纳米光子学的一个重大挑战。解决方案是在探索可重新配置和光导的硫化物半导体(硫、硒或碲合金)中找到的，这些半导体提供了宽的透射窗，根据化学成分，透射窗可以跨越可见光到红外的频率。它们在红外波段具有高折射率、低损耗特性，在UV-Vis波长具有低折射率/等离子体特性，使其成为在该光谱波段实现有源纳米光子器件的完美候选材料。 利用这些特性，拟议的研究计划旨在实现用于电和全光空间光调制器(显示器)以及能够在整个UV-VIS-IR频率范围内运行的生化传感器和光电探测器的大面积像素阵列。亚波长纳米结构(超表面)将部署在每个像素中，以选择性地增强和定制多个依赖于应用的波长带(多光谱)的颜色、强度、相位、偏振和光束转向特性。该计划的多学科性质将通过利用阿尔伯塔大学世界级的纳米制造、表征和计算设施，培训一系列工具和技术方面的高资质人员。在整个过程中，将使用可大规模制造的图案、生长和封装技术，以确保研究从实验室过渡到工业的便利性。

The introduction of optical-fibre networks in the 1980's along with the ongoing merger of optics and electronics has led to light becoming a major information carrier and manufacturing tool in 21st century society. One cannot imagine modern life without telecommunication networks, real-time sensing and modern display technologies. Therefore, dynamic control and detection of light at the nanoscale across ultraviolet, visible and infrared frequencies (UV-Vis-IR), without doubt the most socio-economically important wavelength band, is essential to a range of industries critical to Canada's security/prosperity. This is for two main reasons; i. Critical to sensing/spectroscopy, a large number of characteristic molecular absorption fingerprints originating from the intrinsic vibrational modes of chemical bonds are observed across this spectral range. ii. Telecommunication network architectures and display technologies also operate across this spectral band and require low size, weight and power devices with engineered properties that allow high spatial and temporal control and detection of light. However, there is no single display, detector or sensor that can provide accurate, spatially resolved measurements across this entire range. Therefore, the exploration and design of a singular material/device platform for compact, power-efficient, reconfigurable and adaptive photonic applications requiring ultra-fast control and detection of light across the entire UV-Vis-IR frequency range is a grand challenge in nanophotonics today. The solution is found in the exploration of reconfigurable and photoconductive chalcogenide semiconductors (alloys of sulfur, selenium or tellurium) offering wide transmission windows that depending on chemical composition can span Vis-to-IR frequencies. They offer high refractive index, low loss properties across IR frequencies and low index/plasmonic properties across UV-Vis wavelengths making them the perfect material candidate for realising active' nanophotonic devices across this spectral band. Using these properties, the proposed research program aims to realise large area pixel arrays for electro- and all-optical spatial light modulators (displays) as well as biochemical sensors and photodetectors capable of operation across the entire UV-Vis-IR frequency range. Subwavelength nanostructuring (metasurfaces) will be deployed within each pixel to selectively enhance and tailor color, intensity, phase, polarization and beam steering properties at multiple application-dependent wavelength bands (multispectral). The multidisciplinary nature of the program will enable the training of highly qualified persons on a range of tools and techniques, by utilising the world-class nanofabrication, characterization and computing facilities at the University of Alberta. Throughout, mass-manufacturable patterning, growth and packaging techniques will be used to ensure ease of transition of the research from lab to industry.